Read Online Sally James by Otherwise Engaged - Free Book Online
Authors: Otherwise Engaged
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need not have been concerned. He was not in the least amorous as he guided her round the ballroom, holding her impersonally and chatting about innocuous topics so that she gradually gave herself up to the swaying rhythm of the music, and the thrills of spinning round so gracefully.
'You dance excellently,' he complimented her after they had settled themselves at a small table in the supper room. 'I hope I can look forward to many more waltzes with you.'
She paused, about to bite into a lobster patty, and regarded him with a slight frown. Was he being honest, did he intend to seek her out once the month of the wager was up, or was this just one more ploy during the last few days by which he hoped to win it?
It was impossible to tell, and she found herself restless and unable to sleep that night, counting off the days since they had met and reliving the occasions when, despite it all, she had been so happy in his company. She finally fell asleep with the realisation that there were two days to go. Two more days when she dared not reveal how she felt towards him, both because she was determined he would not win the wager, and to safeguard herself against hurt when it became plain he cared nothing for her.
The following day he was as imperturbable as ever, while Prudence's mood veered between cool determination to snub him, and uncontrollable excitement at this, her first sight of a balloon ascent.
'Where will they take it?' she asked as they drove with a throng of other carriages towards the enclosure where the men were getting the balloon ready.
'That depends on the wind. It's quite fresh today, from the south west, so they will be blown towards Essex, probably to the east of Barnet.'
'So far?'
'It could be much farther. I am no expert, but I believe it depends on how high they can get at first.'
'How does it work?'
'The balloon is filled with a gas such as hydrogen which is much lighter than air, and so it rises. They have ballast in the basket, and throw it out to help the balloon rise.'
'And to come down? Can they control it? It must be terribly dangerous!'
'I'm not certain how they do that, but it is possible, probably by letting the gas escape. Some flights are made with hot air, which is lighter than cold air, and when they let out the fire beneath the air inside the balloon cools down.'
'But they have to go where the wind takes them. Netta says it is a fashion which people will soon lose interest in, for it has no possible use. Oh, look, there it is!'
Lord Mottesford was able to find a place for his phaeton in the front row of vehicles, filled with excited spectators, and for an hour Prudence forgot all her problems as, fascinated, she watched the preparations in the enclosure about the balloon, and finally, to the cheers of the spectators, the ascent itself.
They turned to watch the balloon, with the two intrepid men in the small basket below it, float away in a north easterly direction, and Prudence sighed with immense satisfaction.
'I'd like to go up in one,' she said dreamily. 'Just imagine what it must be like to see the houses and fields and woods spread out miles beneath. Much better than looking down from a hillside. Have you ever been up a really high mountain?' she asked suddenly, turning to Lord Mottesford.
'Yes, in Spain. And I plan to visit Italy when we have defeated Napoleon, which should be within a year, at most. I shall go by way of Switzerland and the Alps.'
Prudence sighed slightly. 'I envy you,' she said slowly. 'I've always longed to travel, but Aunt Lavinia hates it, and we rarely go anywhere except between Horton Grange and London.'
He did not reply, and glancing up at him she saw he was looking intently across the enclosure to where the carriages on the far side were now visible.
'I did not know Edward planned to be here,' he said after a slight pause.
Prudence could now see Edward, who was mounted on a large bay horse. He was beside a barouche which contained Lady Mottesford,
'You dance excellently,' he complimented her after they had settled themselves at a small table in the supper room. 'I hope I can look forward to many more waltzes with you.'
She paused, about to bite into a lobster patty, and regarded him with a slight frown. Was he being honest, did he intend to seek her out once the month of the wager was up, or was this just one more ploy during the last few days by which he hoped to win it?
It was impossible to tell, and she found herself restless and unable to sleep that night, counting off the days since they had met and reliving the occasions when, despite it all, she had been so happy in his company. She finally fell asleep with the realisation that there were two days to go. Two more days when she dared not reveal how she felt towards him, both because she was determined he would not win the wager, and to safeguard herself against hurt when it became plain he cared nothing for her.
The following day he was as imperturbable as ever, while Prudence's mood veered between cool determination to snub him, and uncontrollable excitement at this, her first sight of a balloon ascent.
'Where will they take it?' she asked as they drove with a throng of other carriages towards the enclosure where the men were getting the balloon ready.
'That depends on the wind. It's quite fresh today, from the south west, so they will be blown towards Essex, probably to the east of Barnet.'
'So far?'
'It could be much farther. I am no expert, but I believe it depends on how high they can get at first.'
'How does it work?'
'The balloon is filled with a gas such as hydrogen which is much lighter than air, and so it rises. They have ballast in the basket, and throw it out to help the balloon rise.'
'And to come down? Can they control it? It must be terribly dangerous!'
'I'm not certain how they do that, but it is possible, probably by letting the gas escape. Some flights are made with hot air, which is lighter than cold air, and when they let out the fire beneath the air inside the balloon cools down.'
'But they have to go where the wind takes them. Netta says it is a fashion which people will soon lose interest in, for it has no possible use. Oh, look, there it is!'
Lord Mottesford was able to find a place for his phaeton in the front row of vehicles, filled with excited spectators, and for an hour Prudence forgot all her problems as, fascinated, she watched the preparations in the enclosure about the balloon, and finally, to the cheers of the spectators, the ascent itself.
They turned to watch the balloon, with the two intrepid men in the small basket below it, float away in a north easterly direction, and Prudence sighed with immense satisfaction.
'I'd like to go up in one,' she said dreamily. 'Just imagine what it must be like to see the houses and fields and woods spread out miles beneath. Much better than looking down from a hillside. Have you ever been up a really high mountain?' she asked suddenly, turning to Lord Mottesford.
'Yes, in Spain. And I plan to visit Italy when we have defeated Napoleon, which should be within a year, at most. I shall go by way of Switzerland and the Alps.'
Prudence sighed slightly. 'I envy you,' she said slowly. 'I've always longed to travel, but Aunt Lavinia hates it, and we rarely go anywhere except between Horton Grange and London.'
He did not reply, and glancing up at him she saw he was looking intently across the enclosure to where the carriages on the far side were now visible.
'I did not know Edward planned to be here,' he said after a slight pause.
Prudence could now see Edward, who was mounted on a large bay horse. He was beside a barouche which contained Lady Mottesford,
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