Hearts Entwined (Victorian Love #3) - M.A. Nichols Page 0,1
and without a trusted source vouching for his character, how is a lady to know if a gentleman is respectable enough to warrant an acquaintance?”
“I suppose there is no other recourse,” he replied with a sad shake of his head, and with quick steps, the gentleman strode away while Sophie watched with wide eyes as the crowd swallowed him.
Odd indeed. And just a touch deflating if she were honest. But before Sophie could give much thought to his rapid disappearance, the guests parted once more, and the mysterious gentleman herded Mr. Bertie Fitzsimmons towards her.
“Steady on,” Mr. Fitzsimmons grumbled, shooting a scowl over his shoulder as the fellow at his back prodded him along. The young Mr. Fitzsimmons came to a stop in front of Sophie, looking as put out with her as he was with the gentleman at his side. With half-lidded eyes, Mr. Fitzsimmons looked between the pair and sighed.
“Miss Sophia Banfield, may I introduce Mr. Oliver Kingsley?” he said with a quick wave of his hand between the pair that was far too impatient to be polite. Mrs. Beecham would have rapped the fellow’s knuckles for that impertinence, but Sophie merely smiled and looked at Mr. Kingsley with an appraising eye.
“Is he a gentleman of good character and worthy of my acquaintance?” asked Sophie with a haughty tone, though her eyes sparkled with silent laughter.
Mr. Fitzsimmons’ lids lowered, clearly not sharing in the jest, though Mr. Kingsley’s eyes lightened at it.
“My parents would not admit him otherwise,” said Mr. Fitzsimmons.
“I assure you I was raised a gentleman,” said Mr. Kingsley with a deferential bow. “I would never besmirch a lady’s honor by forcing an acquaintance upon her. I do hope that with Fitz’s endorsement you will view me as someone worth knowing.”
“Perhaps,” she said with a dainty sniff while smoothing her skirts.
But her jest was overshadowed by Mr. Fitzsimmons’ huff. “I’m certain you both find this very amusing, but you cost me a prime spot at Miss Dickerson’s side, Kingsley. I spent the last half-hour jockeying for that position.”
And with that, he turned on his heels and stalked back the way he’d come, and Mr. Kingsley gave Sophie a commiserating grimace.
“I suppose I shall have to make it up to him, but I could not wait another moment to ask you a question that has been plaguing me ever since I spied you hiding in the corner.” Leaning in, Mr. Kingsley gave a sotto voce whisper. “Do you find such gatherings as insufferably dull as I do?”
Sophie’s brows rose. “You went to all that trouble to ask me that?”
Mr. Kingsley shrugged. “The rest of the crowd are all clamoring to dance, drink, and fritter the night away. I see no other person clinging to the shadows with such ferocity.”
Giving a little squeeze, Sophie’s heart was rather pleased he’d noticed her. “Dull is a strong word, sir. Though I do find such gatherings uncomfortable.”
“You do not care for crowds?”
“Not this one.” The words came out before Sophie had the chance to think better of them.
Mr. Kingsley turned to stand beside her so they both had a good view of the ballroom. “They are a rather riotous bunch.”
Sophie’s hands gripped her skirts, and she gave him a faltering smile. “I enjoy balls and parties—or I enjoy the idea of them. However, the circles in which my parents travel are far too…” She paused, searching for the word, and Mr. Kingsley supplied one of his own.
“Overwhelming?” His tone matched her feelings of dread and distaste so perfectly that Sophie broke into a wide grin.
“Precisely.”
Mr. Kingsley nodded. “Then it is doubly favorable I stumbled across you, for we can commiserate with each other.”
Sophie gave him another saucy arch of her brow, and she didn’t know what had possessed the appendage, for it was determined to be audacious. “I am here because my mother dictates my social calendar, but you are master of yours.”
“At present, I am master to my duty and honor, which will teach me to give my word with more circumspection,” he muttered. When Sophie sent him a questioning glance, Mr. Kingsley continued. “A dear friend elicited my promise to accompany him tonight. For the duration.”
With a jerk of his head, Mr. Kingsley motioned to a fellow with a mop of bright ginger hair bobbing about the dance floor in a brisk gallop with a young lady in his arms.
“He wished for you to accompany him and promptly abandoned you?” she asked.