Lady Ravensgate seemed to share her fears. “I do hope Mr. Beaumont will arrive in time for the supper dance.”
Collette smiled and tried to appear unconcerned. But inside she was torn. On the one hand, she would be glad not to battle her attraction to him tonight, especially in the close physical quarters a dance would mandate. On the other hand, if he gave her some piece of information that might help her father, then she could not afford to miss an opportunity to spend time with him.
As the evening progressed, Collette accepted several invitations to dance from various men. They were all quite polite, but they were not men who might give her the information she needed. Nor did she particularly enjoy dancing with them. She found the conversations difficult and awkward, and blushed continually. And then as the supper dance approached, men attempted to engage her for that dance. Collette had to decline, saying she had already reserved it. When pressed, she had to admit Mr. Beaumont had asked her to dance. She could not have anticipated the excitement that information caused. It seemed in mere moments the news had spread through the ballroom.
“Why is everyone looking at me?” Collette asked Lady Ravensgate as she sipped champagne after a dance.
“Oh, do not be silly!” Lady Ravensgate said, waving a hand. “No one is looking at you.”
Collette inclined her head toward a group of ladies staring at her just a few feet away. “They are.” She pointed to a mixed group—the ladies glaring and the men peering at her with interest. “And they are.”
“I am certain you are imaging it,” Lady Ravensgate said.
“Could it have something to do with my dance with Mr. Beaumont?”
“I very much doubt anyone at the ball is interested in that.”
“Lady Ravensgate!” A woman with dark hair and pretty blue eyes approached them. She wore a green silk gown with emeralds at her throat and ears.
“Why, Lady Birtwistle. How are you?”
“Very good.” She turned and smiled at Collette. Collette would have sworn she had never met the woman before, but there was something familiar in the way she smiled and in her face. “I came to meet your friend. It seems everyone at the ball is talking about her.”
Collette gave Lady Ravensgate a meaningful look. Lady Ravensgate went on as though the interest in Collette was to be expected.
“Oh, this darling creature is my cousin, Collette Fournay. She is from the French side of the family and visiting London for a few weeks. So sweet of her mama to send her. You know I am all alone now, and it has been so pleasant to have company. Collette, this is Lady Birtwistle. She came out with my middle daughter, and the two have always been good friends.”
“Yes, we have. In fact, I plan to go to the country after Eugenie is delivered of her baby.”
Collette raised her brows, not having known that one of Lady Ravensgate’s daughters was expecting a child soon.
“She will appreciate that, I am certain.” Lady Ravensgate made a point of looking about the room. “And where is your dear brother this evening? He rarely misses an opportunity to sip champagne and flirt.”
Lady Birtwistle grinned. “I thought perhaps you might have the answer. After all, I hear he has engaged Miss Fournay for the supper dance.”
Collette’s eyes widened. Lady Birtwistle must be Mr. Beaumont’s sister. No wonder her smile and her face had looked familiar. Her features were similar to her brother’s, though they were softened in Lady Birtwistle’s face.
“He has indeed.” Lady Ravensgate nodded at Collette.
“Did he?” Lady Birtwistle was still studying Collette, her gaze so intent Collette could feel her cheeks warming. “I had heard as much and was eager to meet the young lady who has claimed my brother’s attention.”
“I would not put it that way, my lady,” Collette said, forcing her voice to an audible level. “It is only one dance.”
Lady Birtwistle looked unconvinced. “Then he didn’t call on you at home last week?”
Collette looked down, uncertain what response to make. “He did. I am certain he is simply making me feel welcome.”
“My brother does not care about making people feel welcome. And to my knowledge he has never reserved a dance with an unmarried lady or called on one. You must be very special indeed.” She tilted her head as though inspecting Collette. “And now that I meet you, I do see the appeal. That shade of yellow is lovely on you. I cannot wear yellow, I’m afraid.”
“She has the perfect coloring for it,” Lady Ravensgate agreed, and both women stared at Collette’s yellow silk gown, trimmed with cream lace. It was a simple gown and not overly embellished, or so Collette had thought until she put it on. Then she realized how cunning the modiste had been with the cut of the dress. It dipped quite low in the back, so low she could almost not wear her stays, and daringly low in the front, although a border of lace rimmed the bodice for modesty. Collette, already self-conscious of her large bosom, had shoved the dress aside and had not worn it to any of the events she’d attended. But Lady Ravensgate had pulled it out tonight and would not hear any objections to Collette’s wearing it.
“You look quite lovely,” Lady Birtwistle told Collette. “My brother has impeccable taste. I knew you would be a beauty.”
Collette had never thought of herself as a beauty. Her lips were a bit too pronounced, her shape curvier than the current fashion of willowy women, and her hair and eyes were an unremarkable shade of brown. “You are too kind,” Collette said. Far too kind, considering the supper dance was about to begin and Mr. Beaumont was nowhere in sight. Why had she come tonight? Why had she not stayed home? Everyone would see what a fool she was. She’d come to the ball to dance with Beaumont, and he hadn’t even bothered to make an appearance.
All around her men claimed their partners and led them to the dance floor for the last dance, a waltz, before supper. Lady Ravensgate continued speaking with Lady Birtwistle, but Collette could not hear them. Her ears were ringing and her eyes stinging. Her gaze locked on the floor in front of her slippers. She should not care whether Beaumont made a fool of her. She was not here to impress London Society. She was here for her father and he was all that mattered.
Through the blur of unshed tears, she spotted a pair of men’s shoes stop before her. They were attached to muscled legs in white breeches.
She knew those legs.
She looked up quickly and into the face of Mr. Beaumont. His eyebrows lowered and his smile turned to an expression of concern when he saw her face, but his hand remained outstretched. Collette looked at his hand, then at Lady Ravensgate, who gave her a nod. Pasting on a smile, Collette took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the center of the dance floor.
Now her ears rang for an entirely different reason. She hated to be the center of attention. Not only would everyone be staring at her because she danced with Beaumont, they’d be watching her because she was in the center of the room. The orchestra began playing, and Collette took a deep breath. Beaumont put his arm at her waist and pulled her closer, then moved in time to the music. Collette glanced up at his face, but that only made her more nervous. How could anyone be so beautiful, so flawless? And why did such a creature want to dance with her?
“Are you well?” he asked, as he moved her across the dance floor. Not only was the man handsome, he could dance. She’d never been a confident dancer, and all evening she’d felt awkward and tentative as she danced. But with Beaumont she didn’t even have to think about her next step. She seemed to know where he would lead her, even before he did so. And he made the more complicated steps feel easy and enjoyable.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I am quite well.”