Alex climbed in and seated himself by the far window opposite to his mother and Mrs. Sherwood. Outside he heard Sally say, “Would you mind if I had the window seat, Diana? You know I am prone to motion sickness.”
There was a distinct pause, then Diana said, “Of course, Sally.”
Alex watched as Diana climbed into the carriage and sat beside him. She left a good amount of space between the two of them, but when Sally joined them she was forced to move closer.
Alex put his arm along the back of the seat, as if to make more room. It was dark inside the carriage, but he could feel the closeness of her body with every cell in his own. His body stirred. He hadn’t been this close to her since he had been home.
“There now, that’s not too bad, is it?” Lady Standish said cheerfully.
“It’s fine, Mama,” Sally said.
Diana was silent.
After a moment, the carriage started forward.
“I’m glad it’s a nice clear night,” Lady Standish said. “I dislike driving at night in the rain. I’m always afraid William will drive us off the road. He’s getting old and I don’t think he sees that well in the dark.”
“Good heavens, Mama,” Alex said. “Why on earth are you employing a coachman who can’t see in the dark?”
“Your father was going to retire him, but I just couldn’t bring myself to tell him. He’s been with us for so many years…”
“Well, he can’t keep his job if he can’t see,” Alex said reasonably. “There’s an empty cottage next to where Nanny lives. I’ll give him a nice pension. They can be retired together.”
Lady Standish sighed. “You’re right, of course. I suppose I just didn’t want any more changes after your father died.”
“Poor William,” Diana said mournfully. “What will he do with himself if he can’t drive the coach?”
“He can fish,” Alex said. “He always went fishing on his day off. He taught me a thing or two about catching fish when I was small.”
“I didn’t know William fished,” Sally said.
“Fancy that,” Lady Standish said.
“We’ll find someone younger to replace him, Mama,” Alex said. “You’ll be more comfortable with a man you’re not afraid is going to put you in a ditch.”
“Thank you, Alex,” Lady Standish said.
“Poor William,” Diana repeated softly.
“William will be fine,” Alex said firmly, “and his job can be filled by one of the men who are coming home from the war. There are many ex-soldiers in need of a job and there will be many more once Napoleon is deposed. There are not nearly enough jobs to accommodate the numbers that will be thrown on the economy. I foresee hard times for many good men and their families.”
Silence fell on the coach until they drew up at the front door of Reeve House. All the windows were lit and a footman was there to assist the occupants out of the carriage.
Alex followed the ladies into the front hall where their wraps and coats were taken by another footman. Then they were escorted upstairs to the large formal drawing room where a group of people had already gathered.
A woman dressed in a green evening gown and a man wearing the same formal clothes as Alex—a black tail coat, buff pantaloons, silk stockings and black pumps—came to greet them. “Amelia, my dear. How lovely to see you,” Lady Alston said. “And Louisa, too. And your girls.”
The ladies responded appropriately, then Lady Standish said to Lord and Lady Alston, “And here is Alex, newly returned from the Peninsula.”
“We have prayed for your safety,” Lady Alston said, taking Alex’s hand and holding it tightly.
“Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate that,” Alex said.
Lord Alston took Alex’s hand from his wife and shook it hard. “Good to see you, my boy,” he said. “Your father was very proud of you.”
“Thank you, sir,” Alex said. “I am only sorry that I didn’t have a chance to see him before he died.”
“He understood. He followed the campaign closely, you know. We both did. And he appreciated your letters.”
“Well, come along in, and meet our other guests,” Lady Alston said gaily. “It is something to celebrate, having you home again.”
Alex knew most of the people at the party. He was particularly pleased to see his friend Ned Nable there and the two young men went into a corner to talk. Their sober expressions were in contrast to the gaiety of the rest of the room.
Alex came back to awareness of the party when he heard the piano. For the first time he noticed that the rug had been rolled back. Evidently there was going to be dancing.
It was immediately obvious to Alex that every man in the room wanted to dance with Diana. The doctor moved the fastest and the two of them held hands to join in the circle for a Scottish reel.
“Dance with Lizzie, would you?” Ned said. “The poor girl doesn’t get many dances with an amputee for a fiancé.”
“I would be delighted to dance with Lizzie,” Alex said, and took the hand of Ned’s future wife.
In the course of the dance he managed to touch hands with Diana once or twice, which was as close as he got to her for most of the evening. He danced with his mother, with his hostess, even with Sally, but every time he tried to approach Diana she was giving her hand to another man.
He finally grabbed her when she was coming out of the ladies’ retiring room. “It will look strange if you don’t dance with me,” he said. “Everyone here knows we used to be good friends. Do you want to start gossip?”
She glared up at him, her dark eyes stormy. Tonight she was wearing her hair high on the back of her head, with little tendrils falling down her neck. “Oh, all right,” she huffed. “Let’s get it over with.”
She marched into the drawing room and gave him her hand without looking at him. He closed his hand around hers, feeling the long elegant fingers that were so gentle on the mouth of a horse. He held her hand more tightly than was necessary and she shot him a look but didn’t say anything. The music started and the circle they were part of began to move.
It was frustrating, to be so close to her yet feel that she was so far away. When the dance finished he went back to join Ned, who was sitting on a sofa with Lizzie.
“Don’t tell me you’re tired?” Lizzie teased.
He smiled at her. “No. I’m just resting after the triumph of finally having won a dance with Miss Sherwood.”
“She’s had a proposal from every unattached man in this room,” Lizzie said cheerfully. “But I hear she’s going to London. She’ll probably make a much better match there.”
She’s refused all of these men, Alex thought. Surely that’s a good sign.
His eyes rested on his sister. He didn’t have to ask whether or not Sally had received any offers. There was no chance in the world that an earl’s daughter would marry the country doctor.
The music had stopped and servants were coming in with a tea tray. Alex went to get his cup and looked forward to the ride home, when he would be sitting close beside Diana.
Four
Despite feeling tired when she got into bed after the party, Diana couldn’t fall asleep. Her mind was on Alex and, as she lay there on her back, her arm