Ridgeway returned the punch and laughed. ‘Quite right, coz. Guard her with your life—she’s a pearl beyond price!’ He smiled down at Harriet. ‘Thank you, dear lady—I think I know what to do now.’
Sandford frowned as he watched his cousin walk away. ‘What was that supposed to mean?’ he asked suspiciously.
‘Oh, nothing,’ countered Harriet quickly, not wishing to divulge Ridgeway’s confidences. ‘I’m truly sorry about the dance mix-up—shall we go in to supper? I see Lady Caroline beckoning us.’
The viscount led her to his mother’s table, where the countess and Lady Eugenie were exchanging reminiscences.
‘Harriet, my dear. Do join us.’ Lady Caroline patted the seat next to her. ‘Robert and Charles will fetch us our supper.’
She smiled at her son, who battled his way through the crowd to find Ridgeway already at the supper table collecting a plateful of sweetmeats and comfits.
Charles glanced at his cousin and grimaced. ‘Can’t stand these things meself,’ he said. ‘No substance to any of ‘em.’
Sandford laughed, nodding. ‘A good beef sandwich would suit me—and a tankard of decent ale.’ He looked around. ‘I suppose it’s Madeira or Portuguese for us, as
usual?’
Ridgeway pointed to the decanters. ‘Brandy too, I see. I wonder how Judith managed to slip that past her ladyship?’ Laughing, he made his way back through the throng to his table.
Sandford tossed back one large glass of brandy and indicated to the footman to pour him another. Thus fortified, he collected his glasses of lemonade and delivered them to the ladies who were still discussing the dances.
‘Not nearly so graceful as the minuets,’ Lady Caroline was saying, ‘but a good deal more lively. The young ones look so merry. We always had to be so serious, for the steps were quite intricate, you know.’
‘The country tunes are so cheerful, too,’ agreed Lady Eugenie. ‘Mrs Brewster brought me some new ones from London—and some German waltzes, too. I have been practising all week for this evening.’
Sandford’s eyes lit up at her words. ‘You play the waltz,
Aunt Eugenie?’ he asked, the germ of an idea stirring in his mind.
Lady Eugenie nodded, and then shook her head doubtfully. ‘Judith’s mother will never allow it,’ she said. ‘I understand it is still considered rather risqué.’
Sandford, now in a very mellow mood, laughed. ‘Not at a private party, surely?’ he asked. ‘And with such doughty chaperons present? I shall speak to Judith myself—come along, Charles, let us petition her together.’
Ridgeway glanced at his cousin curiously as they sought out their hostess. ‘What are you up to, Sandford?’ he asked. ‘Lady Butler won’t be at all amused, you know.’
Sandford stopped and whirled round to face him, his face flushed and his eyes bright. ‘Dammit, man!’ he said angrily. ‘This is Judith’s house, and she will decide. What’s more—if I want to waltz with my fiancée, I defy anyone to stop me!’
Charles put his hand on Sandford’s arm. ‘Steady on, dear boy,’ he said quietly. ‘Surely you cannot be foxed? Judith will not appreciate your making a scene, you know.’
Sandford hesitated. It was true that the strong spirit might have somewhat impaired his judgement, but it had been the exhilarating thought of whirling Harriet around the room that was responsible for the sudden rush of blood to his head. He took a deep breath and flashed a conspiratorial grin at his cousin.
‘Ne’er a bit, Charles’, he said. ‘Just thought to liven things up a touch. Wouldn’t you like to waltz with Judith?’
Ridgeway reddened and looked away. ‘Not sure I’d know how,’ he said diffidently. ‘Not been much of a one for dancing.’
‘This one is different. Your feet will soon tell you, once the music starts, I promise you. Come on, let’s ask the lady.’ They found their hostess collecting couples for the first after-supper dance and soon discovered that, after all, she needed little persuasion. Her party was an assured success and, as the guests consisted entirely of family and friends, she felt sure that it was highly unlikely anyone would take exception to this little divertissement.
‘Apart from your mother, of course,’ pointed out Sandford basely.
Judith pulled a face at him. ‘You need not remind me, dear brother,’ she said. ‘However, Mama will not make a fuss until everyone has left, so do let’s—it will be the perfect finish to our assembly!’
Since this had been his lordship’s intention, he merely grinned and nudged his cousin who, catching some of Judith’s excitement, had grasped her by the hand.
‘Will you do me the honour, Judith?’ he said breathlessly. ‘I can’t promise expertise, but I will do my best.’
Judith looked up at him in surprised delight and found herself blushing. ‘Thank you, Charles,’ she said almost shyly. ‘It will be my pleasure.’
As soon as the last chord of the eightsome reel had died away, Judith clapped her hands to gain everyone’s attention. She then announced that the very last dance of the evening was to be a waltz and that anyone who wished to try out this new dance was very welcome to take the floor. There was a gasp of excitement from the younger members of the local gentry, most of whom had undergone tortuous instruction from Monsieur Lavette, the local dancing master, but few of whom had ever expected to put their dubious skills into action quite so soon. There was a feverish rush of brothers seeking out the sisters who had been their usual partners when Monsieur had attended them for their weekly lessons and a hasty consultation with parents by those without convenient siblings.
The reels and sets that followed Judith’s announcement
were danced with an undercurrent of anticipation. Few of the older guests had actually seen the waltz performed but they were, for the most part, level-headed country folk who liked to make up their own minds about such things and who felt that there were enough chaperons amongst them to curb any excessive behaviour that their offspring might exhibit.
Sandford found that the sets he had secured with Harriet were rather unsatisfactory, insofar as conversation was concerned, and the ‘grand chaining’ that formed part of the movements meant that he was forever having to change partners. No wonder no one else had initialled them, he thought savagely, as he led yet another schoolgirl under the arches of raised arms.
Eventually he had his moment as they stood together once again waiting their turn to ‘strip the willow’ and, looking down at her bright and laughing face he said in a low voice, ‘You will waltz with me, Miss Cordell.’
‘Oh, no! I don’t think so, thank you, my lord,’ she said, flushing momentarily.
‘You misunderstand,’ he said shortly. ‘You will waltz with me!’
Startled, Harriet looked up at him in dismay, but was swung away down the set by her new partner before she could formulate a reply. She completed the rest of the movements in a stunned rage, causing at least one of her young admirers to wonder in what way he had offended her that she should look so crossly at him.
At last the floor was cleared and Lady Eugenie struck a new chord. The first notes of the stirring music were played and there were a few suppressed giggles as the floor remained empty while the local blades dug their friends in the ribs to spur them into action. Their movements were stilled as Sandford led his new betrothed into the middle of the floor.
Placing his right hand firmly on her waist, he pulled her towards him and clasped her hand in his. Holding her breath, she raised her free hand to his shoulder, trembling as she felt herself propelled backwards. Moving together as one, they swung across the