Debutante in the Regency Ballroom. Anne Herries

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СКАЧАТЬ until she had finished and then handed her a large white kerchief. He watched as she wiped her mouth. She was about to hand the kerchief to him, then looked at it and crumpled the fine lawn in her hand. She felt like weeping, and his shoulder looked so broad and dependable. She found herself laying her head against it, her tears soaking into his pristine coat. After a moment, her distress subsided and she drew away from his supporting arm. ‘I am so sorry. I will have the kerchief washed.’

      ‘Do not trouble yourself,’ Harry said. ‘Keep it until you feel better and then give it to me. I shall dispose of it. Sit here on this bench for a few moments until you recover.’

      Susannah’s head was beginning to clear. She looked at him uncertainly, feeling a little unwell and ashamed. ‘I do not know what happened,’ she said. ‘I drank two glasses of champagne, but … would they have made me ill?’

      ‘I do not think it,’ he said. ‘Something may have been slipped into your glass. I did try to warn you, Miss Hampton. Northaven is known for his misdeeds. You would not be the first young woman he has seduced and led astray, though the first gentlewoman to my knowledge. He normally chooses country wenches or the daughters of merchants, I believe. I cannot say for certain that he drugged your drink, for I did not see him do it, but I think it may be so. I would never be surprised at anything that rogue did!’

      ‘Oh …’ Susannah gave a cry of distress. Her cheeks stung with humiliation as she realised what might have happened to her. ‘You think me so foolish. I have been foolish, but he was … exciting. I enjoyed the idea of … an adventure.’ A tear slipped from the corner of her eye and slid down her cheek. ‘Is that so very silly of me? I have always dreamed of a knight who would sweep me off and ride away to his castle—’ She stopped in dismay as she realised what she had said. ‘Now you will think me very stupid. I should have put away such childish dreams, should I not? It is all very well for children to dream, but the real world is not like that, of course. You are so very sensible—you must despise my foolishness.’

      ‘Dreams are pleasant at times. We all have them when we are younger,’ Harry said, a little smile on his mouth. ‘But men like Northaven are not to be trusted. He is a ruthless rogue and would use you for his pleasure. You would be unwise to trust men of his ilk.’

      ‘Yes, I know,’ Susannah said in a small voice. She felt so ashamed! ‘I must thank you for coming to my rescue, sir.’

      ‘Do not look so ashamed,’ Harry told her gently. ‘Northaven was at fault, not you. You would not have behaved so recklessly had he not given you that champagne—and perhaps some kind of a drug. I shall not scold you, Miss Hampton. I think you have learned your lesson.’

      ‘The schoolmaster …’ Susannah said and laughed. She blushed as he looked at her, for she could never tell him of her dream. ‘I beg your pardon. I do not quite know what I am saying.’

      ‘I think I should fetch your mama,’ Harry said. ‘Unless you feel well enough to go back to the ballroom?’

      ‘I should like to go upstairs and wash my face,’ Susannah told him. She was feeling better, but not yet ready to return to the dancing. ‘Would you tell Mama that I am unwell, please? I think I should like to go home.’

      ‘Yes, of course, that may be for the best,’ Harry said. ‘We will allow everyone to think you were simply taken ill—there need be no scandal.’

      ‘You are very good, sir.’ He was being so kind and she felt so embarrassed, so foolish.

      ‘Not a bit of it,’ Harry said. ‘Let us return now. You must go to the room provided for your comfort, and I shall speak to your mama.’

      Susannah got to her feet. She was still feeling a little shaky and felt glad of his arm. When they reached the house, she entered by one of the French doors and slipped quietly away to the bedchambers. It was not until she reached the one provided for the ladies to tidy themselves that she realised she still had Lord Pendleton’s kerchief. It was stained and smelly, but she slipped it inside her reticule. She would have it washed before she returned it to him.

      She was feeling a little better, having washed her face and tidied her gown, by the time her mother arrived. Mrs Hampton looked at her anxiously.

      ‘Lord Pendleton told me that you were unwell in the garden, my love?’

      ‘Yes, I was sick—twice, in fact,’ Susannah said. ‘I do not know what made me feel so ill, Mama. I am beginning to feel better, but I think I should like to go home, if you will take me?’

      ‘Yes, of course, dearest,’ Mrs Hampton said. ‘I do hope you are not sickening for something, Susannah. You were doing so well, enjoying yourself …’

      ‘I am sure it will pass,’ Susannah said. She could not tell Mama what had happened, for it would distress her! ‘Perhaps it is something I ate.’ She had actually eaten hardly anything all day. She wondered if that might be the reason the champagne had gone to her head like that—unless the Marquis of Northaven had deliberately tried to drug her so that he could seduce her. ‘We need not disturb Amelia, if you will take me home, Mama.’

      ‘Amelia has already ordered the carriage,’ her mother assured her. ‘She was concerned as soon as Lord Pendleton came to tell us you were not well.’

      ‘I am sorry to have spoiled the evening for you both,’ Susannah said, feeling guilty. It was her foolishness in trusting a man she had been warned against that had led her astray. She should have listened to her mama and would make certain that she did not repeat her mistake! Instinctively, she knew that her ordeal could have been much worse had Lord Pendleton not come to her rescue.

      ‘Nonsense, my love. We shall go home and hope that you are better by the morning.’

      ‘Thank you,’ Susannah replied and followed her mother downstairs. Lord Pendleton was talking to Amelia and looked at her with concern. Susannah could not meet his gaze, for she knew he must think her so foolish. He had come to her rescue so gallantly! Indeed, he had been more like the knight of her dreams than the marquis, who had used her so shamefully.

      Her mind was confused and she was in some distress as she sought her bed. Lord Pendleton would have lost all respect for her—and she had come to realise that she liked him far more than she had imagined. However, he would think her foolish beyond anything and she would do best to avoid both him and the marquis if she could …

      Harry frowned as he sat in the library at his town house later that evening, brandy glass in hand, staring at nothing in particular as he thought about the incident with Northaven. The man was a menace and deserved to be taught a lesson. Had Susannah not been so ill, he would have challenged the insolent marquis to a duel or simply thrashed him in the garden. He would be well within his rights to take a horsewhip to the rogue! No gentleman would behave so badly towards a well-bred young lady.

      Harry had tackled Northaven about it before he left the Morlands’ home that evening, but the marquis had insisted that Susannah had drunk two and a half glasses of champagne and that he had done nothing except follow her to the shrubbery.

      ‘Damn it all, Pendleton. If I intended her harm, I’d hardly choose the ball of the year. It would be easy enough to run off with her, I dare say.’

      ‘Are you implying that she is of easy virtue?’ Harry bristled at the suggestion.

      ‘Dash it, no! Don’t be a fool. If we fight over her, she will lose her reputation. The kiss was an impulse. I had no idea she was feeling ill. СКАЧАТЬ