Page 14 of The Reckless Love of an Heir (The Marlow Family Secrets #4)

The carriage drew to a halt before the Palladian frontage of the assembly rooms in Blake Street.

A footman opened the carriage door. Henry climbed out first, and stood beneath the giant portico, then offered his hand to Sarah to help her descend.

It felt very freeing to have his right arm back, and yet the muscle had wasted a little, and his shoulder was still stiff and sore.

‘Nervous?’ he whispered when her foot touched the pavement.

‘Excited,’ she answered, with a broad smile.

He smiled too. He’d not imagined that accompanying Sarah to her first dance would move him at all, but he was moved. He was proud of his oldest sister.

She had walked downstairs into the hall with the brightest smile, looking full grown, and beautiful. She had their mother’s unusual emerald green eyes and dark brown hair, and with it styled in such a grown-up manner… She had become a woman, and somehow he had missed it, until this evening.

He offered his arm to Sarah as his parents descended. ‘Allow me to be the one who walks you in. ’

She smiled at him again.

Emotion clutched tight in his chest. He was the eldest; one day he would be the head of their family like his cousin John, the Duke of Pembroke, was of his. Henry had never considered the idea before.

They walked into the large assembly rooms. He’d never attended before. It was a long, rectangular room, surrounded with pilasters of beige marble and full of people, music and conversation. Henry did not recognise anyone. It was not London.

There was a country dance in progress. He leaned towards his sister. ‘As we cannot join this dance let me take you to find the refreshments.’

People bowed and curtsied as they walked past. Of course among these people they stood out because of their father’s title.

Pride burned with a roaring flame in his chest. It must be the first time Sarah had experienced such recognition and it would be the first time she would dance outside their home, or a member of their family’s home.

When the season began she would come to London and dance too. His sister, all grown up.

A different sensation clasped in his chest, one more brutal and aggressively masculine.

A need to protect her. He knew too much of London.

Too much of what occurred outside the ballrooms. When she came to London he would need to watch her.

There would be rakes and scoundrels all about her; men like him and his father.

The thought stabbed him with embarrassment. From that perspective perhaps he could appreciate his father’s view. He would not care for Sarah to know anything of his life in town.

‘Wine?’ he offered when they neared the refreshment table. When she nodded, he picked up a glass and handed it to her.

‘Thank you, Henry. ’

Their mother and father approached. ‘Mama?’ He picked up another glass for her.

Several people in the room stared at them, yet others came forward, and then the introductions began. ‘This is my eldest daughter, Sarah… This is my son, Lord Henry…’

The people Henry was introduced to were mostly the merchants and businessmen of York, though there were a small number of untitled relations of aristocratic families.

Of course the businessmen and merchants benefited from his father’s patronage and so they were very keen to be introduced to his heir and compliment Sarah, even if she looked hideous, because these men and their wives were merely scraping to gain the interest of an earl.

Henry was glad when the current dance came to its end so he and Sarah could escape. His intent, then, was to dance all night and avoid any more fuss.

He smiled at Sarah, conspiratorially, and lifted his good arm. ‘Shall we?’

‘Yes, please.’

Sarah lay her fingers on top of the fabric of his evening coat. He escorted her onto the floor.

It was another country dance. They stood and faced one another.

Her cheeks had turned pink. She was holding the attention of many people in this room, and as many women as men.

He presumed the women were jealous of his sister’s wealth and beauty.

She would have a dowry that would be sought after.

Yes, he would need to protect her in town.

He winked at her, to make her relax.

She smiled, and then the music and the dancing began.

They smiled at each other every time they came together in the set, and he whispered some quip about their companions. She was laughing each time they parted .

When the dance ended, Sarah was breathing heavily yet the colour in her cheeks was now from exercise and enjoyment. They returned to their parents to take a few sips of wine before the music for the next country dance began.

‘Sarah.’ He claimed her once more. She could have no suitors here. This was only about pleasure, and showing herself off, and so he would not hinder her chances by monopolising her time.

‘I have not seen Alethea,’ Sarah commented.

Henry had not even been looking for her. Though, he had promised her two dances.

Their communication since the dinner party had become irregular and colder. She had not visited to pamper her injured beloved since then. When she had visited, she claimed it was to call on his mother and sisters, and to accompany Susan so Susan might paint her flowers.

However, on every occasion Alethea was immaculately dressed and positioned herself so she might turn a shoulder to him in a way which ensured he had the best view of her figure, and her slender neck.

Yes, he was attracted to her. But if she continued to sulk and play silly games, he would lose his patience. He had no interest in coy, calculating women. That was why he preferred the simple association of a whore.

Sarah smiled at him throughout the dance, her inhibitions slipping away. He could see she felt secure with him, comfortable and confident. It was more evidence she needed his presence at her introductions in town.

‘They have arrived!’ Sarah exclaimed as she passed him in a shoulder-to-shoulder turn.

‘Who?’ He looked at her – teasing. He knew who, but her excitement was amusing.

‘The Forths!’ Her gaze caught his eye and saw his amusement as they spun around. ‘Oh, Henry, stop it.’ She laughed. She glanced across her shoulder. ‘Alethea is beautiful, is she not? She is the prettiest woman here…’

It was a very feminine, leading comment, supposed to draw him into gushing sentiments. Sarah really had grown up. But he was not in the mood to play along.

‘You are the prettiest woman in the room,’ he answered before looking for Alethea.

Yes, indeed, they had arrived, and Alethea was in very good looks, quite stunning really. He would lay a heavy bet a lot of care had been taken in her appearance tonight. To ensure he noted what he might lose if he continued dithering.

He looked away smiling. It was duly noted.

When the dance finished he led Sarah back to their parents, who had been joined by the Forths. He bowed to his aunt, then to Alethea. Susan was not with them. Perhaps she had not come. He had never seen her dance, so perhaps this was not her idea of fun.

‘Would you care for this dance?’ He offered his recovering arm to Alethea.

‘You are without your sling.’ Her fingers rested on his arm.

He led her away from the others. Perhaps she did still care about his well-being. He smiled. ‘I have been without my sling for three days. If you had called within those days you would have known.’

‘How is your arm?’ She looked at it, and therefore he looked too, at her fingers lying gently atop his black coat sleeve.

He glanced back up and met her gaze. ‘It is strong enough to dance the two dances I promised you.’ Although his shoulder was already aching like the devil, but it had healed, and exercise would increase its strength, which was what it needed now.

They danced a very lively country dance, which left them both slightly out of breath, but there was something rather charming about watching Alethea with her colour up and her bosom heaving.

The next dance was a waltz. They had waltzed before, several times, at family gatherings, since he was eighteen. His family had a habit of pairing up as couples for an entire evening when they danced, and so he and Alethea had often been paired for waltz after waltz.

He smiled at her as he lifted his arm to form the hold. A waltz would be a harder strain on his shoulder. She held his hand, at last smiling brightly, as she usually did. He set his other hand at her back while she lay hers on his good shoulder.

He spun her into a turn immediately. The easiness he’d always felt with her swept over him.

‘Am I forgiven my reluctance to hurry? A year is not long and you may enjoy a season of courtship in London. It is not such an awful proposition, and I would rather we spent this year as friends if not betrothed.’

Her smile held and her eyes sent him a mischievous look. ‘You are forgiven. But I expect you to be attentive when I come to London, and I will not deter the advances of other men. So you will have to be very attentive if you wish to keep me to yourself.’

He laughed. ‘Very well, I shall be attentive. I shall have Sarah to escort anyway so it will be no hardship.’

Her smile fell and her gaze passed across his shoulder, while he turned her. ‘That is a poor answer, Henry. I expect you to desire to be attentive and look forward to it, not think it will be no hardship,’ she said the last in a voice the mimicked his.

‘I do desire it. Did I not invite you?’

She looked at him, with one of her pretty pouts.

She was genuinely vexed with him.

‘I am sorry. I wish you there very much, Alethea, and I shall be attentive, because I feel we ought to become closer before we make any irrevocable decisions.’ He spun her steadily as he talked.

‘You did not answer my question the other night, and I assume from that your heart is not deeply involved. Do you not think it should be?’