The Virtuous Ward - By Karla Darcy Page 0,28

to her were the ones when Max danced with her. She could see in his face that he was proud of her and her heart swelled with gratitude that it was so. There was nothing she wanted so much as to please her guardian. She felt sharp disappointment when he returned her to Lady Grassmere and disappeared in the crowd.

Max fought back a yawn of boredom and glanced around the ballroom to see if he had done his duty by the dowagers and young girls. He caught sight of Amity who was talking to Cousin Hester. His eyes kindled with warmth as the girl's mobile mouth broke into an impish grin. He wondered what mischief she was up to now. All in all he was well pleased by her behavior this evening. Many a starchy tabby had whispered that she found Amity a very taking child. More to the point, Max had seen the gleam in several of the gentlemen's eyes as they took in the fresh beauty of the girl. He would soon have her off his hands, he thought, wondering why that should give him little pleasure.

The evening was going well and now he was free for the moment to pursue his own intentions. It took him little time to locate Honoria and less to cut her away from the men who surrounded her. Giving her his arm, he led her around the room until he was able to find a seat for her in a quiet window embrasure.

"Would you like something, my dear?" he asked as she arranged her skirts on the red brocade cushion.

"Why I have everything a young girl would require," Honoria said.

She bit off a coy giggle as she noticed his eyes wandering to his ward. His smile widened as the red-haired chit reached up to adjust the wreath of flowers on her head. Honoria's jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed in thought until her mouth turned up in a smile that had little to do with humor.

"Why, Max, you must be congratulated," Honoria said.

"Congratulated?" Max said, turning to her in surprise.

"How ever did you convince your ward not to wear that awful dress?" She kept her eyes wide with innocence although a shaft of pleasure shot through her at the guilty start from her companion. She lowered her voice just enough to indicate she was taking him into her confidence. "Your little ward is so impetuous. Argue though I might, I could not convince her that she was making the wrong choice."

"Wrong choice, my dear?" Max asked.

In a startled gesture, Honoria raised her gloved hand to her opened mouth. She dropped her eyes as though overcome with shame that she had spoken out of turn. She held the pose for a second then raised her head, her eyes anguished at the thought she had betrayed Amity. "Forgive me, Max," she said in a whisper. "I thought you knew."

"Knew what, Honoria?" He was confused. He had assumed that the ball gown had been some sort of mistake but now he wondered if he should have questioned his ward further.

Honoria placed her hand on Max's sleeve and sighed in resignation. "I would never have spoken to you but since Amity is your ward I know you will want to curb any tendencies she might have that would make her unsuitable for the marriage mart."

"I would appreciate anything you can tell me. I have always known you had a fine eye for the proprieties and I must admit to a certain puzzlement. What transpired at the dressmakers to have resulted in the gown I saw earlier in the evening?"

"Was the gown dreadful?" Honoria asked as if afraid to hear the answer.

"The gown did not suit the child," Max answered.

"Oh la! I knew it would be thus. At least I was afraid it might be," Honoria said in quick recovery. "You see, my dear, our visits to Madame Bertoldi did not go at all well."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Max asked in surprise. In the two weeks that Honoria and Amity had been going around town there had not been the slightest hint that things were not as they should be. "Was the seamstress inadequate?"

Honoria caught her lower lip between her teeth and looked up at Max through a veil of lashes. "It must have been all my fault, Max," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Max's heart was not impervious to the distress of the beautiful woman. He took her hand and raised it to his lips