Julia once again performed the introductions, and Mr. Malcolm proclaimed himself honored to make Mrs. Covington’s acquaintance.

  “Oh, no, sir, it is I who is honored. I have never been in the same room with a lord and an honorable. Although I am not exactly sure what it means to be an honorable. It’s the next best thing to being a lord, right?”

  “I am the younger son of an earl,” Malcolm said, looking a little taken aback.

  “Now that’s a real pity. Because you’ve got the look of a lord, much more so than this young gentleman here,” Gertie said, gesturing towards Cassie. “No offense, my lord, you seem a good sort, but Mr. Malcolm has a more dignified look about him.”

  “It’s all right. I know I’m not the dignified type,” Cassie said.

  Julia decided it was time someone took control of the situation. “Cassie, Mrs. Covington would probably enjoy going for a drive. I do not believe she gets out very much and she would enjoy such an excursion, would you not, Mrs. Covington?”

  “That would be a fair treat, but his lordship may have other plans for the afternoon.”

  Cassie started to nod, but encountered a commanding look from Julia. “Not—not at all. I would be pleased to take you for a spin.”

  “Well, thank you kindly. I am glad I dressed so sensibly today. I was going to wear a different gown but I decided it looked a little too immature. There is nothing worse than a woman in her mid-twenties dressing like a debutante.”

  No one knew what to say to such an obvious falsehood, so Cassie finally broke the silence by suggesting they take their leave.

  “Of course, of course. One thing I learned after two trips to the altar is that gentlemen don’t like to be kept waiting. Julia, Selina, I’ll call again sometime soon.”

  “We look forward to it,” Selina said, and Cassie and Gertie left the room.

  “How are you acquainted with Mrs. Covington?” Malcolm asked the ladies once Gertie was gone.

  “She is –“ Selina started to say.

  “My cousin,” Julia interrupted.

  Selina looked at Julia in confusion, wondering why she would claim Gertie as a relative when Selina was a little hesitant to do so herself.

  “Cousin by marriage, that is,” Julia clarified.

  “I see. Does her presence here indicate you have decided to introduce her into society?” Malcolm asked.

  “Oh, no. No, of course not. I just realized that she was lonely since the death of Cousin—”

  “Arnold,” Selina whispered.

  “Arnold,” Julia continued. “So I paid her a call and invited her to do the same. I did not want her sitting at home alone.”

  “No, of course not.”

  A strained silence descended upon the inhabitants of the salon. Malcolm had come to invite Selina to go driving with him, but felt uncomfortable doing so in the face of Julia’s remark that she did not want Mrs. Covington sitting at home alone. Selina was still a little peeved with Malcolm because of the remarks he’d made to Cassie, and Julia was wondering how she could maneuver Malcolm and Selina into a position where they could be alone together.

  Mrs. Thistlewaite came into the drawing room at that moment, a little surprised to find herself the focus of all attention.

  “Oh, excuse me,” she said, as if she’d stumbled into someone else’s drawing room and not her own. “I just came to ask Julia something.”

  “It is perfectly all right, Mrs. Thistlewaite. I am about to take my leave. However, I wonder Miss Dalton if you would like to go driving with me.”

  “Oh. That would be lovely,” Selina said, a little less than enthusiastically.

  Mr. Malcolm looked at Selina searchingly, before saying, “You do not have to go if you do not want to.”

  “Of course I want to. Let me just get my hat,” she said, rising and leaving the room. Julia excused herself as well to follow Selina to her chamber.

  “Selina,” Julia said, once they were in Selina’s chamber. “Do not tell Malcolm that Gertie is your cousin. One of the items on his list is ‘Genteel relations.’”

  “So that is why you claimed her for your own cousin. I must admit I found that a little strange.”

  “Yes, well, I thought it was the wisest thing to do. So do not mention anything to the contrary to Malcolm.”

  “I will not, Julia,” Selina said, putting on her bonnet. “I promise to be everything he desires in a woman: witty, humorous, serious, sober, genteel, musical…all at the same time.”

  “Excellent,” Julia said, totally missing the sarcasm in Selina’s voice.

  Selina let out an exasperated moan and Julia looked at her in surprise. “Selina, is something the matter?”

  “No, of course not, what could be the matter? I am merely preparing for my role.”

  Julia finally realized that Selina was being less than sincere. “I know this is not pleasant for you Selina, but I think it should be over soon.”

  “Yes, I know. I am not sure if that is my greatest hope or my worse fear,” Selina said with a sigh and, checking her appearance one last time in the mirror, left the room.

  She and Malcolm passed the first few minutes of the drive in silence, Malcolm finally saying, “You are very quiet this afternoon.”

  “I beg your pardon,” Selina said. “The weather this afternoon is quite lovely, is it not?” she said, making an attempt to appear in better spirits.

  Malcolm looked up at the sky, which was filled with ominous-looking dark clouds. “I suppose, if you like gray, cloudy days. Please do not feel that you have to make conversation. I much prefer silence to those that ramble on with nothing to say, like that Mrs. Covington. She was quite a character, was she not? I am glad I am not courting Miss Thistlewaite.”

  “Excuse me? What do you mean by that?”

  Malcolm looked a little surprised at the vehemence of Selina’s tone. “Nothing, really. I mean it’s rather obvious, isn’t it, that I would want my future wife’s relations to possess a modicum of gentility.”

  “And if they did not?” Selina asked.

  “Why, you look quite fierce. I do not understand why you are so upset, it is a moot point, after all. I am not courting Julia Thistlewaite, I am courting—” he paused, looking a little self-conscious. “Well, I think it’s fairly obvious who it is I am courting, isn’t it?”

  “But if you were courting Julia and you had met Mrs. Covington, would it affect your opinion of Julia?”

  “Well, it would have to, would it not? I mean, that is something you have to consider when contemplating marriage with someone.” Malcolm looked over at Selina, who was frowning. “Why do you look so grim? Do not tell me you have a relation as vulgar as Mrs. Covington?”

  Selina forced a smile. “No, I would not tell you that.” Not after Julia forbade me to, Selina thought.

  “I am pleased to hear it.”

  They had reached the park and Malcolm nodded at someone in a passing carriage, but did not stop. He looked over at Selina, wondering if he should take her home. It was obvious she was displeased with him. Perhaps she thought his attitude toward Mrs. Covington arrogant. But she had seemed out of sorts even before that. He was struck suddenly with the thought that she might not like him. It was a novel idea, so accustomed was he to females of all kinds fawning over him. For the first time it occurred to him that even if she passed all the items on his list, she may not accept his suit.

  She was looking exceptionally beautiful that afternoon in her russet colored carriage dress, which just matched her hair. Her beauty shocked him each time he saw her, although she was not the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. It was more than just her outward appearance he found so appealing, although he had to admit he found it very appealing indeed. But he was attracted also by her traits of character: her vitality, her humor, her intelligence, her kindness. She was everything he desired in a woman. He wondered suddenly what it was that she desired in a man.

  “Why did you come to London, Miss Dalton?” he asked her.

  She looked a little startled at the sudden question, and there was a slight pause as she thought it over. “Because I was lonely,” she finally said.

  “That’s interesting,” Malcolm said, and Selina looked over at him. “I was lonely before you came to London, also.”

  Selina smiled in response and Malcolm felt as if the sun had finally come out, although it was still as cloudy as ever.

  “I am having a house party at my estate in Kent, and I would be pleased if you would come,” Malcolm said.

  “I am honored by the invitation, but I am a guest of the Thistlewaites—”

  “Oh, I will invite them as well. And Cassie, of course.”

  “And Mr. Ossory?”

  “If you would like,” Malcolm said, a little displeased that she thought of him so quickly. “My mother is coming to act as hostess. I thought perhaps your parents may like to come as well.”

  “Thank you. I shall write and ask them,” Selina said.

  “If you give me their direction I would be pleased to send an invitation.”

  Selina supplied the information, although she was a little ambivalent about the house party. Her parents would be sure to think she was on the verge of matrimony were they to receive an invitation to the house party of a man they had never met. Things were moving very fast, and Selina was afraid the climax was going to come just as swiftly. And while she was involved in this stupid scheme of Julia’s, she was worried that the ending would not be a happy one.

  The rest of the drive passed a little more amicably than it had at the beginning, and Selina began to forget her former annoyance with Mr. Malcolm and feel a return of her previous feelings for him. She sincerely enjoyed his company. And when he reached up and grabbed her by the waist to help her down from the curricle, she realized again the force of her physical attraction to him. She felt a nervous excitement around him that she had never before felt in her twenty-two years.

  But then something occurred that brought a return of Selina’s previous ambivalence. When Malcolm finally released her and she turned to walk toward the house, she discovered that her dress had somehow found its way under his foot. There was a loud ripping sound and Selina looked in dismay at the torn ruffle at the bottom of her dress.

  Malcolm immediately apologized and when Selina looked up at him to assure him it was all right, she began to wonder if he had planned the entire incident. He did not look surprised or sorry, but rather was looking at her in a quizzical manner, as if judging her reaction.

  Is this another of his stupid tests? Selina thought to herself, as she continued on to the house while assuring him once again that it was nothing.

  “I am sorry to be so clumsy, but I am relieved to see you have forgiven me so readily,” Malcolm told her.

  “Oh, I am not one to hold a grudge, particularly over such a small matter as a torn ruffle,” Selina said, and when Malcolm broke into a huge smile, she realized that once again she had passed one of the criteria on that blasted list.

  Eight

  Malcolm went with Selina into the drawing room and extended an invitation to his house party to Julia and Mrs. Thistlewaite before taking his leave. Julia was pleased to hear about the house party, particularly when she found out Mr. Ossory was going to be in attendance as well.

  “You will be quite impressed with Hadley Hall, Selina,” Julia said. “It was built around a hundred years ago in the Palladian style and has an immense entrance hall which is considered one of the finest classical rooms in all of England.”

  “It sounds quite impressive. Have you ever been there?”

  “No, I have not; I have only read about it. However, I have always longed to see it. Now I shall have the opportunity.”

  Julia did not seem to feel any twinges of guilt about accepting hospitality from a man upon whom she was scheming to avenge herself. Selina could only reflect that it must be convenient to have such an easy conscience. She herself looked upon the visit with a sense of dread.

  But she could not deny she felt a certain curiosity, as well. She would meet Malcolm’s mother and see his estate. In such a setting they were bound to spend more time together than they had enjoyed together in London. She would finally be able to discover if Malcolm was the arrogant scoundrel Julia insisted he was, and he sometimes gave evidence of being, or if he was the man of her dreams, which she often thought he was as well.

  Selina wondered if she would have felt differently about Malcolm if she had not known about the list. She had to admit to herself that she would. If one was unaware one was being measured like a pair of shoes, it would not have been so disconcerting. After all, Selina was matching Malcolm to a set of criteria, although not as overtly. She, too, had qualifications she desired her future husband to meet. That was not arrogant, it was practical.

  And so far Malcolm had exceeded all of Selina’s requirements but one: she required humility in a husband.

  Julia told Selina there was one last ball she wanted them to attend before leaving town. “Normally I would not care to go, as it is given by Lady Cynthia Sommers, who everyone knows is becoming desperate in her efforts to find a husband, but I asked Mr. Malcolm if he would be there and he said he would, and so we should go as well.”

  “And will Mr. Ossory be there?” Selina asked.

  “I believed he mentioned he would be. What a bother that man has become. I will have to distract him once again or he’ll be sure to monopolize your time.”

  “I appreciate your efforts in my behalf,” Selina said. Julia, who either did not recognize the sarcasm in Selina’s tone or refused to acknowledge it, just replied that it was nothing.

  Selina was not disappointed to have to attend one last ball. She enjoyed dancing very much, and the balls she had attended upon her arrival in town put the small assemblies in her home town to shame. The assembly rooms in Bath were very beautiful, but it was not Mrs. Ossory’s habit to attend so Selina had only been once. Julia told Selina that there was a ball every night in London during the season, and it was the custom to take in two or three entertainments in one evening, so Julia found the current entertainments paltry in comparison. But Selina was unused to such a pleasure-seeking lifestyle, and was glad she hadn’t arrived at the height of the season. She could look forward to each ball with excitement, rather than ennui.

  She was definitely looking forward to tonight’s ball. But she had to admit that if Mr. Malcolm was not attending she would not be feeling such anticipation.

  Their party was greeted by Lady Cynthia and her parents, and Selina wondered why the lady was so desperate to make a match when she was so very beautiful. But the lady’s beauty was marred to some extent by her haughty expression, and Selina thought it was perhaps her character that ruined her chances. The only person in the group Lady Cynthia smiled at was Cassie, who blushed and ducked his head. Selina realized Julia had spoken no more than the truth: None but the most desperate of women would smile at Cassie so seductively.

  Selina had just entered the ball room when she was approached by Mr. Malcolm. She realized he had been waiting for her to arrive, and she was thrilled by the evidence of his regard. She felt more and more like she could let down the careful guard she had placed over her heart and give it into his keeping. It certainly appeared as if he genuinely liked her. Particularly when he looked at her as he did now.

  “Good evening, Miss Dalton,” he said, bowing low over her hand.

  “Mr. Malcolm,” she replied, dropping a curtsey.

  “May I have this dance?”

  “I would be delighted.”

  Selina was not as delighted when she realized it was a Quadrille that was being formed; she had been hoping for a waltz. Still, she enjoyed dancing, particularly with Mr. Malcolm, and greeted Julia and Cassie with a smile when they joined their set. Another couple joined whom Selina was not familiar with, and then Lady Cynthia arrived with a rather unkempt, middle-aged gentleman. Selina was a little dismayed that she would be forced to clasp hands with him.

  But when the music started, she forgot all about Lady Cynthia and her partner. She found this Quadrille different from any she’d ever danced. Malcolm followed the steps of the dance perfectly, but it was clear that his attention was primarily for Selina. It suddenly seemed an elaborate game of cat-and-mouse, being whisked away from Malcolm only to be returned to him again, the grip of his hand warm and steady, his gaze only leaving hers when the steps of the dance separated them. Selina found herself smiling with pure joy. She failed to notice Lady Cynthia’s darkening countenance.

  When the dance ended Malcolm led her from the floor. He said very little, merely promenading with her around the perimeter of the ball room. He finally led her to a chair that was half-hidden by a pillar. “Please wait here,” he said. “I am going to get you something to drink. I should probably return you to Mrs. Thistlewaite, but I think I am going to act selfishly and keep you all to myself for a little while.”

  “I must be selfish as well, because I can find no fault with your plan,” Selina said. Malcolm smiled, raised her hand to his lips, and left.

  Selina stared dreamily into space, letting the sounds of music and conversation waft over her, until the mention of Malcolm’s name and then her own made her sit up in startled attention.

  “What think you of Mr. Malcolm’s attentions to Miss Dalton?” a man’s voice asked, although Selina missed the first part of his question. She did not miss the very haughty “harrumph” from the person so addressed.

  “You must be joking. Mr. Malcolm and Miss Dalton?” There was a delighted trill of laughter. Selina looked around the pillar and noticed with some surprise that the speakers were barely ten feet in front of her. They were Lord Sylvester Mountjoy and Lady Cynthia Sommers. “She’s a complete nonentity,” Lady Cynthia continued. “Her father is a country vicar. Everyone knows how fastidious Malcolm is. He is obviously trifling with her for his own amusement.”

  “Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” Lord Sylvester said, but Selina could no longer see him. She had retreated again behind the pillar, all of a sudden overcome with embarrassment at the thought they might see her.