Once Upon a Time in Bath (The Brides of Bath #7) - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,14
to Miss Pankhurst’s waist. “I am well aware of my good fortune.”
Mrs. Moreland, another great beauty but more reserved than her sister, looked at the chairs in front of theirs. “Is anyone sitting here?”
“We were hoping you ladies would join us,” Annie answered.
Once the five of them were seated, he was relieved to see Sir Elvin enter the chamber.
His friend cordially greeted Annie and their friend George’s sisters, Felicity Moreland and Glee Blankenship. Then he looked to Appleton for an introduction to the unfamiliar lady.
“Sir Elvin, might I present to you Miss Dorothea Pankhurst, who is recently in Bath from Lincolnshire.”
A jolt of recognition at her name was quickly followed by a sly glance at Appleton, and then Elvin bowed and addressed Miss Pankhurst with the greatest civility. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Pankhurst. I do hope you will honor me with a set tonight.”
Appleton stiffened. “Miss Pankhurst chooses to mostly observe this evening. She’s never before been to an assembly and does not wish to do anything that would invite ridicule—not that I believe she ever could.”
“Oh, no. Certainly not.”
Miss Pankhurst curtsied. “I am delighted to meet a friend of Lord Appleton’s. Thank you for your supportive words, Sir Elvin.”
How would a newcomer like Elvin gauge the lady, Appleton wondered. He would vow that someone meeting her for the first time tonight would be favorably impressed. Even though Annie should take all the credit for the transformation of the country miss, Appleton himself swelled with pride. After all, even when she had been making a spectacle of herself with that damned cat and dressing practically in rags, he had allowed all of Bath to see him escort her around the Pump Room. And act the fool, chasing that maddening feline of hers all over the Pump Room. He’d been as courteous to her as he would have been were she the offspring of a duke.
Elvin glanced at the lone empty seat. “I say, are you perchance saving that for me?”
Appleton nodded. “Indeed we are.”
So now Appleton had Miss Pankhurst on one side of him with Elvin on the other. Just so that he would not be obliged to speak the whole time to Miss Pankhurst, he had ensured that Annie sat on the other side of her, though he did not expect Annie to spend very much time sitting. He had not exaggerated when he said she was one of the most popular dancing partners in all of Bath.
As soon as the two men were seated, and Annie had engaged Miss Pankhurst in conversation, Elvin whispered hoarsely in his ear. “Aren’t you bloody lucky? Your heiress ain’t a plain dunderhead after all. I’d say she’s bang up to scratch.”
Appleton remembered again how plain she had looked earlier this same day and was grateful for what her father’s purse would be able to accomplish—not that tonight’s appearance could be improved upon. She would never again embarrass Appleton. “It’s amazing what can be had when one has a hefty purse.”
Elvin’s elbows poked him as a smile eked across his face. “With a figure much to your liking, I daresay.”
It was well known that shapeless women held no appeal for Appleton.
“Your brother coming tonight?” Appleton asked.
“No, he’s mad at work on a new book.”
“I believe it’s the same with Jonathan Blankenship. But Blanks is here. Moreland, too.”
“In the card room?”
Appleton nodded.
“Seen Penguin yet?”
“No.”
“How much does your sister know about him?”
“As little as possible.”
“Only one dance with him?”
“Only one.”
The orchestra started playing. Three different men rushed to Annie, and she bestowed the honor of dancing on the first to reach her chair.
As the dancing commenced, Appleton watched Miss Pankhurst. She could not remove her gaze from the groups of dancers, and that smile still had not left her face.
He had to own that there was something pretty about Miss Pankhurst. He admired her large, dark, expressive eyes very much. He liked, too, that her smile revealed fine white teeth, and she seemed to always be smiling. Or was that just because she was so vastly enjoying herself with all these sights and sounds that were new and wondrous to her?
Nevertheless, he would do everything in his power to keep that wholesome smile upon her face.
At the end of the first set, Penguin came into the ballroom. Appleton caught a glimpse of that chalky face when the crowd parted, and Henry Wolf strode toward them, his eyes on Annie. Just the sight of the man angered Appleton.