inside, Emma searched for Susan before the dancing began. Spying her dearest friend, she turned to Harry with a grin and said, “I must speak to Susan. I’m assuming I will find you with all the matrons watching over their charges.”
Harry laughed. “Go. I will be right here, watching you.”
Emma nodded and twisted through the crush of people waiting for the dancing to begin.
“Miss Drake!”
Emma stopped at the sound of Bolton’s voice.
“Over here.”
She turned to the right to find him battling to get to her. “Lord Bolton,” she said with a quick curtsy. “This is quite a crush tonight.”
“Yes, yes. You have not forgotten your promise of the first dance, have you?”
“Of course not. Surely we have a few more minutes. I wished to speak with Susan.”
He checked his pocket watch. “I hear nine exactly for the dancing.”
“I will be there.” She moved away only to discover Susan was not in the same place. Emma glanced about the room as best she could until she noticed the flash of pink coming toward her. “There you are.”
Susan clasped both Emma’s hands. “How good of you to come! I was afraid you might be miffed about my conversation with Mr. Kingsley.”
“Yes, I did wish to speak to you.”
Susan flushed scarlet. “He insisted he was there on behalf of your sister and the duke. I could not deny his request.”
Emma nodded. She did understand, and if the situation were reversed, she most likely would have acted in kind. Still, she needed to know if all Susan had divulged everything on the list. The carriage racing was only two days away.
“I understand, Susan. Exactly what did you tell him?”
Susan frowned in thought. “Well, I told him about the list, what I could remember that is. Also, about you and Oliver paying a call on Mr. Bowles—”
“Yes,” Emma interrupted. “Exactly, what items on the list did you tell him about?”
“Introducing yourself to a gentleman, kissing a man, he knew about you going to Hell, umm, I didn’t tell him about stealing something, and that was all.”
Emma let out a sigh. “You did not tell him about the carriage races?”
Susan’s brown eyes widened. “Oh no,” she cried. “How could I have forgotten about the one thing that might get you killed!”
Not wanting her friend to send Kingsley a note, Emma added, “He already knows about that one. I confessed it to him when he retrieved me from Mr. Bowles’ home.”
“Thank goodness for that,” Susan replied with a nod. “Now that you completed with your list, we can find you a decent husband. Other than that mess at Almack’s, which Mother is trying to resolve, your reputation is intact.”
“Yes, dear, but I must run. I did promise Bolton the first set tonight.”
“Are you certain you want to dance with him? We could hide in my bedroom for the first set.”
Emma laughed. “Yes, no worries. I won’t lose my head to that man again.”
“Better Bolton than Mr. Kingsley.”
“I have no wish to marry either man, Susan.”
Chapter 18
“Why is Miss Drake dancing with Bolton?” Simon asked as he handed his brother a glass of brandy.
Harry acknowledged him with a nod and a frown. “I am not quite certain.”
Simon only attended the Lancaster ball because Harry had requested his company. While Simon knew he would see Emma, he hadn’t expected to see her dancing with her former fiancé. “If Louisa saw this, she would have Bolton’s head.”
“I don’t think that’s the part of the body Louisa would choose to remove.”
“Fair enough.” Simon chuckled. Another reason to stay away from Emma.
“Should I interfere?” Harry sipped his brandy.
“And incur the wrath of Miss Drake? I certainly would not.” Simon stared over at her as she danced with her former fiancé. The look of pleasure on her face made his stomach roil. Could she still be in love with Bolton?
“While I’ve never heard Emma raise her voice, if she takes after her sister in any manner, I believe it might be better to let the dance play out,” Harry finally commented.
Simon smiled, thinking about the times Emma raised her voice at him. Whether Harry knew it or not, Emma did have a feisty temper. Time ticked by in excruciating minutes as they progressed to the second dance in the set. Bolton held her far too close as they waltzed.
“I do believe they may be dancing a tad too close, Harry.”
“Perhaps. Still, while a complete arse, Bolton is a good catch.”
Simon turned and stared at his brother. “Have you lost your senses? Bolton is