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Authors: Anne Herries
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work.’
‘I assure you that I have never thought you empty-headed, Miss Holbrook,’ Freddie said, a gleam in his eyes; he knew that she was being deliberately provoking. ‘A little reckless, perhaps? Or is that simply a disguise to fool us all?’ His manner was decidedly provocative and received the answer it deserved.
‘Oh, you are unkind, sir,’ Caroline came back at him challengingly. ‘What makes you think that I would pretend to be other than I am?’
‘It was simply a thought that popped into my head,’ he murmured, attempting innocence. ‘I dare say I was wrong?’ Caroline was silent and he raised his brows. ‘Have I offended you, Miss Holbrook?’
‘Oh, no, not at all,’ she said and looked up at him. ‘Please continue what you were saying.’
‘I think I meant to ask if you will come driving with me one morning, Miss Holbrook,’ Freddie said. ‘I was hoping that you might say yes…if you are not otherwise engaged?’
‘Oh…’ Caroline was a little surprised, for she had not expected it. ‘Yes, I do not see why not, sir. I have driven out with Mr Bellingham several times, but, yes, thank you. I should be happy to do so.’
‘Perhaps the day after tomorrow?’
‘Yes, I believe that will suit. My aunt never makes engagements for the mornings. She prefers to stay in her room until eleven or twelve, but I like to go out early.’
‘So I have observed,’ Freddie said. ‘I shall call for you at ten, if that is not too early?’
‘No, not at all,’ she said. ‘I shall look forward to it.’
Their dance was ending and Sir Frederick escorted her back to Julia, who was to be his next partner. Caroline was momentarily alone, and she saw that Mr Farringdon was making his way towards her. Fortunately, her next partner arrived before he could do so and she was swept back into the throng of dancers.
* * *
As the evening progressed, Mr Farringdon made two more attempts to reach her, but Caroline avoided him, and it was not until she stepped outside on the terrace to cool herself for a moment before the supper dance that he succeeded inspeaking to her. She had not seen him standing in the shadows, and, as he moved towards her, turned away, intending to return to the ballroom.
‘Miss Holbrook,’ he said. ‘I have been wishing to speak to you. I had hoped that I might be given the honour of a dance with you this evening?’
‘Forgive me, but my card was filled almost at once. Excuse me. I must go, for my partner will be waiting.’
‘Surely you can spare a moment?’ He moved to block her way, sending a little shiver of alarm down her spine.
‘No, I must go,’ she said and tried to move past him, but he laid his hand on her bare arm, making her jerk away instinctively. His eyes glittered and she thought he was about to say something more, but then his face froze and he took his hand from her arm.
‘Miss Holbrook—I believe this is our dance?’
Caroline had never been more relieved in her life as she saw Sir Frederick standing in the doorway. Her face lit up and she moved towards him eagerly, offering him her hand.
‘I had not forgotten. I was about to return, sir.’
‘Nothing has happened to disturb you?’
‘Oh, no,’ Caroline said, for she did not wish to make something out of nothing. ‘Excuse me, sir.’ Farringdon stood back, nodding to Sir Frederick, who was regarding him sternly.
‘And that,’ Freddie said in a low voice as they went inside, ‘was extremely foolish of you, Miss Holbrook. There are some gentlemen you would be safe with on a desert island, but not that one. What made you go outside with him?’
Caroline glanced at him, a hint of temper in her eyes. ‘If you imagine that I went to meet him, you are mistaken, sir. I do not like the gentleman and would not even grant him adance!’ The expression on her face hinted that at that moment she did not particularly like Freddie either.
A smile flickered in his eyes as he inclined his head to her.
‘I assure you that I have never thought you empty-headed, Miss Holbrook,’ Freddie said, a gleam in his eyes; he knew that she was being deliberately provoking. ‘A little reckless, perhaps? Or is that simply a disguise to fool us all?’ His manner was decidedly provocative and received the answer it deserved.
‘Oh, you are unkind, sir,’ Caroline came back at him challengingly. ‘What makes you think that I would pretend to be other than I am?’
‘It was simply a thought that popped into my head,’ he murmured, attempting innocence. ‘I dare say I was wrong?’ Caroline was silent and he raised his brows. ‘Have I offended you, Miss Holbrook?’
‘Oh, no, not at all,’ she said and looked up at him. ‘Please continue what you were saying.’
‘I think I meant to ask if you will come driving with me one morning, Miss Holbrook,’ Freddie said. ‘I was hoping that you might say yes…if you are not otherwise engaged?’
‘Oh…’ Caroline was a little surprised, for she had not expected it. ‘Yes, I do not see why not, sir. I have driven out with Mr Bellingham several times, but, yes, thank you. I should be happy to do so.’
‘Perhaps the day after tomorrow?’
‘Yes, I believe that will suit. My aunt never makes engagements for the mornings. She prefers to stay in her room until eleven or twelve, but I like to go out early.’
‘So I have observed,’ Freddie said. ‘I shall call for you at ten, if that is not too early?’
‘No, not at all,’ she said. ‘I shall look forward to it.’
Their dance was ending and Sir Frederick escorted her back to Julia, who was to be his next partner. Caroline was momentarily alone, and she saw that Mr Farringdon was making his way towards her. Fortunately, her next partner arrived before he could do so and she was swept back into the throng of dancers.
* * *
As the evening progressed, Mr Farringdon made two more attempts to reach her, but Caroline avoided him, and it was not until she stepped outside on the terrace to cool herself for a moment before the supper dance that he succeeded inspeaking to her. She had not seen him standing in the shadows, and, as he moved towards her, turned away, intending to return to the ballroom.
‘Miss Holbrook,’ he said. ‘I have been wishing to speak to you. I had hoped that I might be given the honour of a dance with you this evening?’
‘Forgive me, but my card was filled almost at once. Excuse me. I must go, for my partner will be waiting.’
‘Surely you can spare a moment?’ He moved to block her way, sending a little shiver of alarm down her spine.
‘No, I must go,’ she said and tried to move past him, but he laid his hand on her bare arm, making her jerk away instinctively. His eyes glittered and she thought he was about to say something more, but then his face froze and he took his hand from her arm.
‘Miss Holbrook—I believe this is our dance?’
Caroline had never been more relieved in her life as she saw Sir Frederick standing in the doorway. Her face lit up and she moved towards him eagerly, offering him her hand.
‘I had not forgotten. I was about to return, sir.’
‘Nothing has happened to disturb you?’
‘Oh, no,’ Caroline said, for she did not wish to make something out of nothing. ‘Excuse me, sir.’ Farringdon stood back, nodding to Sir Frederick, who was regarding him sternly.
‘And that,’ Freddie said in a low voice as they went inside, ‘was extremely foolish of you, Miss Holbrook. There are some gentlemen you would be safe with on a desert island, but not that one. What made you go outside with him?’
Caroline glanced at him, a hint of temper in her eyes. ‘If you imagine that I went to meet him, you are mistaken, sir. I do not like the gentleman and would not even grant him adance!’ The expression on her face hinted that at that moment she did not particularly like Freddie either.
A smile flickered in his eyes as he inclined his head to her.
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