Lord Ashdon looked down into her face as he turned her again and again in the graceful steps of the waltz. Slowly he said, "Very well, Belle. I shall speak openly to you. I myself am returning to duty in a few short months. I have been on extended leave this spring. You will naturally not tout that around, for I have not yet informed my mother of my plans."
"Lady Ashdon does not know that you are still with the army?" asked Belle quickly. "My dear sir, you must tell her!"
"I intend to, Miss Weatherstone, when the time is right," said Lord Ashdon.
Belle was silent for several seconds, turning over in her mind what he had confided to her. She looked up into his face, her eyes steady and frank in expression. "Lord Ashdon, I pray that you are wrong about Napoleon Bonaparte. I-I would not like to lose your friendship."
"You shall not, Miss Weatherstone, whatever the outcome," promised Lord Ashdon. More than ever, he regretted her aunt's unfortunate timing that afternoon. His hand tightened about her fingers, almost painfully. In a lowered voice, he said, "I shall not leave without first coming to you."
Belle felt her heart thumping at the intensity in his gaze and in his voice. She did not know quite what he meant by what he had said, but she hoped that she did. "Will—will you visit my uncle?" she asked breathlessly, then blushed fiercely at her boldness. She knew without hearing it from her aunt that she had been unforgivably forward. Quickly she said, "Forgive me, my lord! You need not answer that. It was a thoughtless question."
"However, I shall answer it, Belle, if you answer me this," said Lord Ashdon. His expression was somber, not at all that of a polite dance partner. "Do you wish me to wait upon your uncle?"
Belle felt her cheeks grow even warmer, if that was possible. She did not look directly into his face as she replied. Through uncharacteristic shyness, she stammered, "I-I would not be at all adverse to it, my lord."
"You have made me a very happy man, Belle," said Lord Ashdon quietly.
As Belle hesitantly met his gaze, he smiled at her. She responded with a glad peal of laughter. "Oh, Adam! I rather think that I shall enjoy following in the wake of an army!"
"What of afterward, ma'am? Will you be as enthusiastic about playing hostess to a great man in politics?" asked Lord Ashdon, a smile playing about his mouth.
Belle's mouth dropped open. "Me? My lord! I-I have never given a thought to such a thing."
"I have ambitions of sitting in Parliament, Belle. My social obligations will no doubt be extraordinary. Does that frighten you?" asked Lord Ashdon.
Belle shook her head. "No! At least, not as much as I suspect it might if I knew precisely what would be expected."
Lord Ashdon laughed. As the beautiful strains of the waltz ended, he stopped and drew her arm through his. "You need not answer me right now, Belle. There is time and enough to discuss everything between us. For now, reflect only on what answer you might make if I were to wait upon your uncle."
They had walked hack the short distance to Belle's chair. He handed her back into the care of her aunt, murmuring pleasantries to both ladies before he left them. Catching Belle's gaze, he lifted her hand to his lips. "Until next we meet," he said quietly.
"Yes," said Belle, feeling warmth stealing into her face again.
After the viscount stepped away, Mrs. Weatherstone observed, "Lord Ashdon is a delightful gentleman." She looked searchingly at her niece's face. "I trust that you had an interesting conversation while you were dancing, Belle?"
"Yes, oh, yes!" said Belle, smiling. She turned shining eyes to her aunt. "Aunt Margaret, his lordship means to call upon my uncle!"
"Belle! Are you certain?" asked Mrs. Weatherstone, her eyes widening.
"He hinted at it very strongly, ma'am," said Belle. Her smile faded slightly as she looked anxiously at her aunt. The quarrel that had sprung up between them, and that had been resolved just as swiftly, was nevertheless very prominent in her memory. "Will that be acceptable, Aunt Margaret?"
"My dearest niece! I have not the least objection, I assure you!"
Belle went about for the remainder of the evening in a haze of happiness. Her preoccupation with her suddenly radiant future was such that she almost forgot her social graces. When someone or other engaged her in conversation or posed a question to her, she was apt to reply in a disjointed fashion that was completely uncharacteristic. It was fortunate that Mrs. Weatherstone was engaged in her own conversations, or otherwise Belle would certainly have earned herself a scold. During a lull after dinner, to which she had been partnered by Lord Ashdon, she was recalled to herself rather abruptly by her friends.
Clarice Moorehead's voice broke in on Belle's pleasant reverie. "Belle has not moved nor uttered more than two coherent sentences since dining with Lord Ashdon."
"Perhaps the viscount has bewitched her"
"Let us see."
Fingers snapped directly in front of Belle's eyes. Belie fell back in her chair, turning her head in astonishment. "Clarice! Whatever are you doing?"
"I wished to see whether I could awaken the sleeping beauty," said Clarice reasonably. Millicent Carruthers, seated on her other side, hid a giggle behind her pretty painted fan.
"I am very much awake," said Belle.
"I thought only the kiss of her very own prince could awaken a sleeping beauty," said Millicent teasingly, even as she gestured with her fan toward Lord Ashdon's approaching figure.
Belle felt her face flame, while her friends giggled at her expense. When the viscount came up to the trio, she lifted a fierily blushing countenance to his gaze. She pressed one hand against a hot cheek, scarcely able to greet him with equanimity.
Lord Ashdon gravely greeted each of the young ladies and conversed lightly for a few minutes. Belle was just beginning to regain her composure when he suddenly held out his hand to her. With the attractive smile that never failed to make her pulse flutter, Lord Ashdon said, "I believe this is my dance, Miss Weatherstone."
Clarice and Millicent bore twin expressions of astonishment and exchanged a quick wide-eyed glance, as Belle laid her hand in the viscount's and allowed him to draw her to her feet.
As Lord Ashdon led her toward the dance floor, Belle suddenly realized the import of her friends' obvious amazement. She faltered, a frisson of alarm running up her spine. She had already stood up twice that evening with Lord Ashdon. She knew, thanks to her aunt's stringent training, that to do so for a third lime would be to court gossip.
"My lord!" she stammered, pulling back. "We must not!"
Lord Ashdon's grip tightened. "I know, but I care little for it!" There was a light in his lake-blue eyes as he gazed back at her, a hint of recklessness about his mouth, that she had never seen before.
Belle glanced swiftly around, hoping that none had yet noticed them approach the dance floor. "My lord, I implore you," she said in a low, urgent voice. "My aunt would never forgive me if I were to make a spectacle of myself."
The light died out of his eyes, and a rueful expression stole over his face. "Forgive me! For a moment, I felt able to defy the very gates of hell itself to waltz with you again this night."
Belle studied him closely. "Lord Ashdon, are-are you inebriated?" she asked cautiously. She had never seen the viscount in anything resembling that state, but then, she admitted to herself, she knew little about such things.
"Inebriated, no. Mad, very possibly," muttered Lord Ashdon. He sighed and changed directions, easing Belle's hand under his elbow as though they had not actually been headed toward the dance floor at all but were engaged in a slow promenade around the periphery of the ballroom. "Shall I escort you to the refreshment room, Belle? It is not far."
"An ice would not come amiss, my lord." Belle threw an upward glance at his lordship's extremely pleasing profile. She was at once troubled and thrilled by the viscount's odd behavior. "Lord Ashdon—would you really have danced with me again?"
He looked down at her, his smile crooked. "I wish that I was just so bold, Belle. But alas, I am not so self-centered or arrogant as to forget what is owed to you. I could not place your reputation in jeopardy or make you the object of insufferable gossip."
Belle shook her head, feeling mild confusion. "But just for a moment, I thought—
"Just for a moment, I pretended that I could do as I pleased," he said almost roughly.
Belle thought it over, and a small smile came to her lips. She glanced up at his lordship. "I am glad—-that you pretended, I mean. I should have liked to dance with you again, you see." She gave a laugh. "I fear that I am less conventional than I should be!"
"Miss Weatherstone, has anyone yet told you that your eyes smile like stars in the heavens, or that your laughter makes a man's pulse leap?" asked Lord Ashdon in a low but intense voice.
Belle felt a blush spreading over her face. She looked up quickly at him, wide-eyed. "My lord, are-are you making love to me?"
"Not as I should like, believe me," said Lord Ashdon. He spied an alcove, half hidden behind a wide column and deserted, and swiftly guided her into it, sweeping the curtain shut behind them. He grasped her about the waist, eliciting a small gasp of surprise, and pulled her into his embrace. He then kissed her thoroughly, before setting her away from him with a controlled movement. He lifted his hand and caressed her full half-parted lips with his thumb. "Would that I were making love to you, Belle," he said on a ragged breath.
Belle was pale and red by turns. She was speechless, her gaze locked with his. She had an intent expression in her eyes, as though she sought to read his very thoughts.
"We shall not long remain undiscovered," said Lord Ashdon in a more normal voice. He tucked her hand into his elbow and proceeded with her out of the curtained alcove. "I believe that you mentioned an ice, Miss Weatherstone."
"Yes, yes, I did," said Belle somewhat breathlessly.
Chapter 21
Belle was informed by her aunt on the following morning at breakfast that Lady Ashdon had sent round her card and an invitation for them to wait upon her that afternoon.
"Why, isn't that rather unusual. Aunt?" asked Belle, looking curiously at the card and the short penned message on it. She knew enough now about London social mores that her question was almost rhetorical. Lady Ashdon's request was definitely out of the common.
"Let me see it, too, Belle." Her sister held out her hand, and Belle relinquished the calling card to Cassandra.
"Yes, indeed. Her ladyship is very high in the instep. It could, however, very well have to do with what you related to me last evening," said Mrs. Weatherstone with a twinkle in her eye.
Belle looked round quickly and, meeting her aunt's gaze, felt warmth steal into her cheeks. "Oh! You mean about Lord Ashdon."
Mrs. Weatherstone nodded and smiled. "Precisely. I suspect that Lady Ashdon is in his lordship's confidence and has decided that she should get to know you a bit better than a social setting has allowed."
Belle felt a twinge of dismay. "Oh, dear! I suppose this means that I must win Lady Ashdon's approval." She worried her lip with her teeth. "I do hope that I may impress her ladyship favorably."
Cassandra had been listening with interest, her teacup held between her slender hands. She chuckled a little. "Now is your chance, Belle, to prove you are pluck to the backbone as ever! I know if I had received such a summons as that I would be quaking in my shoes at this instant."
"Nonsense, Cassandra! Belle has nothing whatsoever to fear," said Mrs. Weatherstone calmly. "Lady Ashdon has bestowed a very gracious invitation upon us, which we shall naturally be pleased to accept. I daresay that it will be a very nice tea."
Belle exchanged a speaking glance with her twin sister, who merely chuckled again and shook her head.
"I am glad not to be in your shoes, Belle," said Cassandra. She gave an exaggerated shiver. "What you and our aunt have said about Lady Ashdon has given me a decided impression about that fearsome lady."
"That will be quite enough, my dear," said Mrs. Weatherstone with a reproving frown. "Pray do have some consideration for Belle's natural trepidation. There is much at stake concerning her future happiness."
"Oh, isn't that a comfortable thought," said Belle with exaggerated cordiality.
Cassandra laughed, and even Mrs. Weatherstone chuckled.
Later that afternoon Belle and her aunt were driven to Lady Ashdon's address in a fashionable part of town. They were let into the town house by a supercilious servant and ushered into the drawing room, where they were met by their hostess.
Belle had a fleeting impression of imposing black-and-gold decor before she turned her attention to her ladyship.
Lady Ashdon came forward to shake hands with Mrs. Weatherstone and then with Belle. Her wintry gaze encompassed them, taking note of their fashionable ensembles with apparent approval. "Ah, Mrs. Weatherstone! And Miss Weatherstone. I am so pleased that you were able to call on me today."
"It is our great pleasure to do so, my lady," said Mrs. Weatherstone with polite civility, removing her gloves. Belle also removed hers, knowing full well from her aunt's reaction that she had decided to stay for several minutes.
Lady Ashdon nodded, as though she had expected nothing less. "Pray do be seated. We shall have tea momentarily. Meanwhile, let us be cozy together, shall we?"
Belle thought that nothing could be more ludicrous than Lady Ashdon's admonishment to "be cozy." Her ladyship was as starched up as always, looking down her long nose at whomever she was addressing and always with the slightest condescending smile upon her lips. She was turned out in an elegant gown that had obviously cost a fortune, diamonds winking from her ears and from around her neck, while bracelets adorned her wrists. There was nothing either about her ladyship or in the fantastically furnished drawing room that was the least bit cozy.
Belle merely smiled politely and waited for her cues from her aunt. She did not wish to do or say anything that might offend the grand lady. Of course, she wouldn't have cared a snap of her fingers for the outcome of this grand audience except that she did not wish to let Lord Ashdon down.