A Love Unbroken - Rose Pearson Page 0,2

glad to have met you,” Lady Prudence said hastily, taking a few steps closer to Selina as though she was truly delighted to have been introduced. “To be truthful, I am the very last daughter of my family to have a Season and, as such, have no family present with me, save for my mother! All my other sisters came with each other, whilst I was left waiting!”

“Is that what you call gratitude?” Lady Thurleigh interrupted, her voice high pitched as she glared at her daughter. “There is nothing but complaint with you!”

“No, mama,” Lady Prudence answered, quickly. “What I really meant to express was…”

Selina did not listen to the girl’s explanation. Instead, she looked once more to Lord Barrington, taking in the way his eyes danced with both good humor and interest as he observed mother and daughter. He had broad shoulders and stood tall and strong, with startling blue eyes and light brown hair which was swept neatly to one side of his forehead. When he smiled at something Lady Prudence said, something curled in Selina’s stomach – and she once more found a flush coming to her cheeks and berated herself silently for it. The ton was filled with handsome gentlemen, and she was expected not only to be introduced to them, but also to converse, dance and entertain them, upon occasion. She could not permit herself to have such a reaction as this simply because a handsome gentleman came into her view!

I have not behaved this way before.

Frowning, Selina recalled how, last Season, she had been able to talk and dance with any gentleman who asked her, without any real difficulty whatsoever. Again, it might well have been because her sister had been present with her and had, therefore, managed most of the conversation and the like. Now, standing here without anyone by her side, without her sister and her overflowing confidence, Selina realized just how weak she truly was.

“Might you care for a dance, Lady Selina?”

It took Selina a moment or two to realize that the conversation between Lady Thurleigh and Lady Prudence had come to an end. Not only that, it took her another few moments to realize that Lord Barrington was now addressing her, looking at her with an enquiring gleam in his eye.

“My – my dance card,” Selina murmured, as heat poured into her face. “Yes, yes, of course, Lord Barrington. I – ” Fumbling with the ribbon, she finally managed to release it from her wrist and handed it to him, aware of the small smile on his face as she did so. “You will find it quite empty, Lord Barrington, as we have only just arrived.”

“I am sure it will not be so for long,” came the quick reply, as he bent his head to look it over. Knots began to tie themselves in Selina’s stomach as she waited, aware of just how ridiculous she must have sounded to the gentleman. For her first ball of the Season, she was not managing to behave with any sort of poise or elegance. Rather she was making an utter fool of herself.

“The cotillion?” Lord Barrington asked, looking up at her, one eyebrow raised slightly. “Would that suit you, Lady Selina?”

“Yes, of course,” she managed to say, as Lady Hayward looked on. “Thank you, Lord Barrington.”

He smiled at her.

“But of course.” Handing her back the dance card, he bowed low. “And now I should excuse myself. The scotch reel is soon to be upon us and I am to dance with Miss Arbuckle.”

Selina dropped into a curtsey, relief filling her as the gentleman took his leave. Their conversation, for the moment at least, was entirely at an end.

“Lord Barrington is very handsome, is he not?”

A little startled, Selina looked towards Lady Prudence, who was watching the gentleman leave with a soft smile on her face, as though she were deeply invested in the gentleman’s company and was now sorry to have to lose it for a time.

“I am only glad that he came to ask me to dance before the rest of my dances were taken!” She laughed and looked meaningfully towards Selina, who found herself inwardly recoiling. “He has asked me for two dances, in fact. The second is to be within the hour, although I must say I am not certain what to do with his attentions, should they increase, for I have many other gentlemen eager to dance with me.” Again, her eyes pierced Selina’s. “Did he only choose the