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body’s reaction to her or at relief. He hadn’t thought ahead of the potential dangers of this outing. It was possible he hadn’t been thinking at all since the moment she had appeared in his flat and proposed marriage to him.
    “Aye. I’m ready.” He set his jaw and went forward to suffer through the most torturous ride in the park he had ever thoroughly enjoyed.
    T eresa stood at the edge of Lady Beaufetheringstone’s gorgeously appointed ballroom immersed in the golden glow of sparkling chandelier candles and glittering champagne glasses, and allowed herself a silent breath of relief. The orchestra cheerfully sawed out the notes of a country dance and guests stepped to the tune amidst the laughter and chatter of those watching. It was a magical evening and Teresa was barely even bothered by the conspicuous absence of a reneging Scottish earl.
    Only that morning when he had escorted her and her sisters to the shops where they encountered no gentlemen except one portly popinjay entirely arrayed in puce, the earl had promised he would attend the ball tonight.
    Faithless barbarian . But he owed her nothing yet. Mr. Baker-Frye had taken up Moira in his carriage to the park, and the bookseller had personally delivered a rare volume to Abigail at the hotel. Otherwise, despite a sennight of hard work altering gowns and schooling Lily and Effie on proper behavior, bachelors had not been banging down the Eads ladies’ door.
    Tonight, however, that was being corrected.
    “You did it,” Tobias said beside her.
    “I did it,” she agreed.
    Earlier, as the seamstress sewed darts in the bodice of Teresa’s white muslin so it would hug Effie’s smaller bosom, Elspeth had complained about the expense of the gown that Diantha lent her. She would not don it until Diantha assured her that much of the income from Mr. Yale’s estate went toward the plight of suffering children in the Welsh mines and only some of it toward pretty clothes. Mollified, Elspeth allowed Annie to affix a chain of cameos around her long neck.
    Sorcha had refused to attend the ball. But her sisters were all gowned and coiffed beautifully, even Abigail, whose cheeks glowed as she slipped away to Lady B’s library. Lily and Effie were giggling at the refreshment table, their dance partners waiting attendance upon them. Moira was surrounded by young gentlemen, Lady B in their midst making introductions. And Una and Elspeth were dancing.
    Teresa could not have prayed for better.
    “Why aren’t you dancing?” Tobias asked. “And where is Eads? I thought he’d meant to attend.”
    “I did,” the earl said behind her.
    She pivoted. He wore a black cutaway coat, gorgeously arranged neck cloth, and dark waistcoat, with a drape of blue and black plaid pinned to his shoulder. The kilt that fell to his knees revealed his muscular calves.
    “My lord.” Teresa curtsied somewhat unsteadily. He bowed with great elegance. No one watching could have imagined that their chance encounter eighteen months ago in this very ballroom had resulted in a scandalous secret wager.
    Una approached with Elspeth.
    “Ladies, you dance charmingly,” Tobias said.
    “I occasionally allou maself a country dance for the benefit it affords the lungs and heart,” Elspeth said. “’Tis like a bracing walk across a meadow.”
    “I daresay,” Tobias said pleasantly. “But what of the minuet or quadrille?”
    “Or—heaven forbid—the waltz?” Una said.
    Lady Elspeth paled. “Niver the waltz.”
    “Perhaps Lady Lily would like to waltz,” Teresa said to her brother. “She mentioned her fondness for it just this afternoon,” she invented.
    “A lady after my own heart,” Tobias said with a smile. “Do you enjoy the waltz too, Lady Una?”
    “Verra much, sir.”
    He offered his arm. “Then it’s lucky the orchestra seems to be in accord with our preferences.” He led her away.
    Teresa felt the earl’s attention on her as she looked toward his youngest sisters. Effie