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W alking into Almacks, Phillip did his best to keep his head held high and a small smile pinned to his face.

He had not had any intention of coming here this evening but upon his return home, his mother had informed him that she already had two tickets for the evening ball.

It was not as though he could refuse to attend with her, for the smile on her face at the notion had been too bright and beautiful for him to ignore.

At least she is finding London a delightful place, he thought to himself, glancing behind him and seeing her surrounded by three ladies and two gentlemen who were all listening to whatever it was she had to say. I am glad for her at least.

Having no expectation of being universally accepted, Phillip took a drink from the table and then meandered to where he might stand, apart from everyone else but in clear view of all that was going on.

He was sure that no one would wish to dance with him this evening – in fact, no one might even be willing to speak with him, and if that occurred, then he would have no choice but to return home.

Though Fairchild and Rosalyn are here, he reminded himself. I shall not be entirely alone.

“You are standing alone, I see.”

Phillip did not move, giving the approaching gentleman a sidelong glance, his heart sinking.

“It is probably best, given that none will want you here,” Lord Hemmingway continued, with a sly smile. “You are aware what is being said of you, are you not?”

“I do not have any interest in what is being said of me,” Phillip answered, sharply. “Nor do I have any interest in your company.”

Lord Hemmingway reared back as though Phillip had done a great deal to upset him. “I beg your pardon?”

Phillip frowned, keeping his gaze away from the gentleman and instead, fixing it straight ahead of him. “You heard what I said, Lord Hemmingway. I am quite contented on my own.”

The gentleman, instead of moving away, came to stand directly in front of Phillip, so that he had no choice but to look at him. “Oh, but you see now what you have done? You have just confirmed, not only to myself but also to those nearby, that you are rude and displeasing in your character.”

A weight sank into Phillip’s stomach but he ignored Lord Hemmingway’s remark, taking his gaze away from the fellow.

For whatever reason, this gentleman appeared to be quite determined to injure Phillip any way he could.

Mayhap he simply delighted in rumor and gossip and that was his sole reason for doing so.

“I highly doubt that you will have any good company this evening, Lord Waverley,” the gentleman finished, his lip curling into a sneer.

“Though your very presence will be spreading yet more gossip which, I suppose, shall be good for those of us who enjoy such a thing! I myself will delight in telling my acquaintances about how you stood in the shadow, unnoticed by everyone and never once standing up with a single young lady.”

“I think that telling lies is a great sin, is it not?”

A cool, clear voice from behind Lord Hemmingway made the gentleman start and he turned quickly, just as Lady Rosalyn moved forward. With her, however, were some of the other young ladies that Phillip had met that very afternoon, though he did not know any of their names.

“Why, the Marquess of Waverley is to stand up with all of us,” said one of the other ladies, looking directly at Lord Hemmingway with one eyebrow gently lifted.

“Five dances in an evening is nothing to be disregarded, is it? I presume that, in speaking so, you have at least five dances already secured, yes?”

Lord Hemmingway opened and closed his mouth, his eyes going from one face to the next as he tried to come up with an answer.

Phillip could not help but smile, seeing how Lady Rosalyn’s face flushed as she narrowed her eyes at Lord Hemmingway.

She was just as kind as she had always been, it seemed, though this time, he was the recipient of her good nature… and how much he valued her for it!

“If you have nothing worthwhile to say, Lord Hemmingway, then might I ask you to take your leave? We should all like to be in conversation but we have no desire for you to be a part of it.” Lady Rosalyn, with a sniff, turned her back on the gentleman and as she did so, the other young ladies followed suit, leaving Lord Hemmingway, mouth agape, to stand and stare in clear astonishment at what had taken place.

“You are going to have to dance with all of us now, I am afraid.” Lady Rosalyn’s eyes twinkled at him as Phillip smiled back at her. “I am sorry for saying such a thing without your consent, but I could not bear to hear that gentleman speak with such arrogance!”

“You have come to my defense, and I am grateful for it.” Phillip smiled at them all.

“I confess that all that Lord Hemmingway said, I feared it would, in fact, take place. I was not at all certain about coming to Almacks but my mother procured tickets and thus, we are both now in attendance! Though,” he said, a little more quietly, “she is happy and therefore, I am happy.”

“You are always so considerate.” For a moment, Lady Rosalyn put one hand on his, only to release it and then gesture to her friends. “Might I make the introductions?”

Phillip nodded, fully aware of the rush of heat that had flown up his arm from where her hand had touched his though he did his best not to react to it. “I would be delighted if you could make the introductions.”

Lady Rosalyn did so at once. “These are my dear friends, Lady Isobella, Lady Amelia, Miss Trentworth and Miss Sherwood. We are all a part of the bluestocking book club also, which is why they were all visiting me this afternoon.”

Bowing low, Phillip smiled warmly. “It is a delight to meet you all. I hear we are all to dance together! In which case, might I ask for your dance cards?”

He was soon presented with five dance cards, and hardly believing his luck, wrote his name down for each.

“Though I do hope that you are all aware of my present standing in society?” he said, as he handed each one back their card.

“If you do not desire to stand up with me because of that, I fully understand.”

“Oh, tosh!” The one that had been introduced to him as Lady Amelia flapped one hand at him.

“We do not care what society thinks, Lord Waverley. Given that so many of our acquaintances believe that bluestockings ought to be ignored or even worse, ridiculed, it is not as though we are eager to hear what they have to say about anyone else!”

Phillip nodded, just as Lady Rosalyn touched his arm again, to catch his attention.

“I did tell them a little,” she said, in a voice so quiet, only he could hear. “I am sorry if I ought not to have done but – ”

“You have done everything well,” he interrupted, settling his hand over hers as his heart roared furiously. “This evening has been turned quite on its head because of you. I am thankful for your endeavors on my behalf.”

The smile on her face lit up her blue eyes, the gentle curls at her temples gleaming like gold.

Phillip took in her heart-shaped face, the fullness of her lips and the curve of her neck and felt his whole being burn with a sudden, furious desire to bend his head and kiss her – and he quickly stood tall and turned to face the other ladies.

“I am thankful to you all for being willing to stand up with me,” he said, aware of the thumping of his heart. “It is very good of you.”

“And I shall introduce you to Lord Albury,” Miss Trentworth said, quickly. “He is an excellent sort and will not go along with anything that the ton say, I assure you.”

“My brother and I are to host a dinner soon and Lord Waverley will join us there too,” Lady Rosalyn added. “I am sure that being introduced to Lord Albury this evening will be a great help in that too.”

“And I have every intention of hosting a dinner myself thereafter,” Phillip finished, as the ladies all smiled back at him.

“You have all inspired me now to push on, to ignore what society thinks and what they say. I am not what so many say of me and I shall prove it.” With a broad smile on his face and a fresh hope in his heart, Phillip took in a deep breath and set his shoulders.

The appearance of Lady Rosalyn by his side had changed everything and Phillip was determined that, whatever he faced this evening, he would do so with a clear intention to prove to them all that he was not his father.

“I did not even think – ”

“You are not about to apologise for dancing the waltz with me, are you?”

Phillip bowed towards Lady Rosalyn as the music began, stepping forward to take her into his arms. “I was about to, yes.”

“But why?”

“Because,” he said, aware of the delight in his heart that he, rather than any other gentleman, was dancing with her even though that was what he was attempting to apologise for.

“Because you ought to be doing your utmost to find a suitable match, yes? And dancing with me means that you cannot dance with any other gentlemen – and I am sure there will be many gentlemen a little envious of me now.”

At this, she let out a quiet laugh though the sound was carried away as he began to spin her around the floor. Her eyes dancing, she squeezed his hand gently.

“You are very kind to say so, Waverley, but did you not hear my brother’s complaint? He knows that I am a bluestocking and so do a good many of the ton . Not all of them think as highly of such a thing as you do.”