Anne Herries - Married By Christmas

‘I am sorry to have missed you this afternoon,’ Jo said. ‘I was not aware that we were to have guests for tea.’

‘Oh, it did not matter,’ Chloe said. ‘I am glad to meet you, Miss Horne, for it is nice to have lots of acquaintances, is it not?’

‘Yes, I dare say,’ Jo answered. ‘This is our first visit to the Assembly. I have met only a few friends of Lady Wainwright thus far—and please call me Jo, if you will.’

‘Oh, yes, that is so much better,’ Chloe said. ‘Shall we walk about a little together, Jo? Now that you are here I need not stay with Mama all the time and I want to see what is going on.’

‘Yes, why not?’ Jo said and the two girls walked away from the older ladies, gazing about the room with interest. It was a very large room and had only just begun to fill up. At one end there was another door, which led into what Chloe told her was the refreshment room, and another after that where ladies might go to refresh themselves. A small curving stairway led up to a second floor and there were seats and small tables set out so that chaperons and those who had come merely to greet friends and observe might do so in comfort. ‘Have you been here before?’

‘Oh, no,’ Chloe said. ‘I have been sort of out for a few months, for I attended some private balls at the homes of neighbours and friends, and my own ball will take place when I am eighteen next month. How old are you, Jo?’

‘I was eighteen this spring,’ Jo told her. ‘Do you have any sisters, Chloe?’

‘No, only a brother, who is a year older,’ Chloe replied with a sigh. ‘I have always thought it would be nice to have a sister—do you have one?’

‘I have two,’ Jo said. ‘Marianne is nineteen and was married only a week or so ago, and my sister Lucy is not old enough to come out yet.’

‘Oh, yes, I believe Lady Wainwright told Mama that your elder sister had married the Marquis of Marlbeck.’ Chloe turned her wide eyes on Jo. ‘How fortunate she was to make such a good match. I hope that I shall be as fortunate, though I am not sure…’ She frowned. ‘I have met someone I like, but I am not sure that he likes me. He is four and twenty, and I think he may not wish to be married just yet.’ She sighed and pulled a wry face. ‘Mama says there is plenty of time, for she intends to take me to London next spring for a season, but…’ She shook her head. ‘I should so like to fall in love, should you not, Jo?’

‘I am not sure what being in love is,’ Jo said truthfully. ‘I love my family, of course—but to be in love with a gentleman would be something quite different, I imagine.’

‘I think it is the most wonderful—’ Chloe caught her breath, and suddenly her face lit up with excitement. ‘Oh, he is here.’

Jo’s gaze followed the direction of her new friend’s. She could not see who Chloe was looking at for a moment, and then she saw a gentleman who had apparently just entered the ballroom. He was perhaps a little under six feet in height, of slim build with dark brown hair, and as he turned to look in their direction, Jo realised that she had seen him before. He was the gentleman who had come to her aid in the inn yard and then, only that morning, asked if he might buy the singing bird for Lucy! Mr Hal Beverley!

‘He has seen me,’ Chloe said and smiled. ‘He is coming this way.’

Jo said nothing. She watched the gentleman make his way towards them, and her pulses raced, but at the last moment, her attention was turned to a young man who addressed her from her right.

‘Miss Horne,’ he said as she turned towards him. ‘You may recall that we met at the Pump Room when you accompanied your aunt there two days ago?’

Jo turned her gaze upon him, struggling to recall his name. Her aunt had introduced them, but she had not been paying much attention, which was very rude of her. He was perfectly polite and quite respectable, though his sandy hair and pale eyelashes were not particularly attractive.

‘Good evening, sir,’ she said. ‘How nice to meet you again.’

‘Will you dance, Miss Horne?’

‘Yes, thank you,’ Jo said, accepting his hand as she struggled to remember his name. ‘Mr…Tanner.’ She felt relieved as it came back to her. He was the nephew of one of her aunt’s oldest friends, she recalled, and one of the few younger gentlemen of her aunt’s acquaintance. ‘How kind of you…’

Jo saw from the corner of her eye that Chloe was now dancing with Hal Beverley. She was smiling up at him, and he seemed to be responding in an equally pleased manner. Jo did know why that made her feel a little envious, for they made a handsome couple and were clearly good friends.

Jo’s dance with Mr Tanner was enjoyable, for though he was not the best of partners he did not tread on her toes. She thanked him when it was over and rejoined her aunt, who had moved on to another of her acquaintance. Jo was not asked for the next dance and stood with her aunt watching the more fortunate girls who had partners. Her toe tapped in time to the music, but she was content enough for the moment, and did not expect that she would dance every dance. After all, there were so many pretty girls for the gentlemen to choose from. However, just as the third dance was about to begin she heard her name spoken and turned to find herself looking at Chloe and the gentleman she had been dancing with earlier.

‘This is Mr Hal Beverley,’ Chloe said. ‘He says that he does not know anyone else here this evening, and as he cannot dance with me all the time, I suggested that he dance with you, Jo.’

‘Miss Horne,’ Hal said and grinned as she made him a little curtsy, a hint of mischief in her face. ‘Will you take pity on me for this dance? I find myself a stranger here, apart from Chloe and Mrs Marsham.’

‘Oh…’ Unaccountably, Jo’s heart fluttered. ‘Yes, of course. How kind of you, sir.’ She gave him her hand, allowing him to lead her out on to the floor. Chloe was following with another partner—a rather dashing young man in a scarlet uniform.

‘I do not think it particularly kind,’ Hal said, his eyes quizzing her. ‘It is odd that I should know so few of the company here this evening—but I believe that at this time of year mothers bring their youngest daughters for a taste of social life, before they have their first Season in town.’

Looking up at him, Jo surprised laughter in his eyes. ‘You are perhaps used to more sophisticated company in London, sir? I dare say the company in Bath is a little slow for your taste.’

‘Perhaps,’ he agreed, but his bold look mocked her. ‘I was fortunate that Chloe had a friend or I should have had to sit this dance out.’

‘Oh, I think you might have found someone willing to introduce you to some of the other young ladies, sir.’

‘Yes, but I am not sure that I wish to dance with any of the other young ladies here, Miss Horne.’ He was giving her one of his wicked smiles again!

Jo hid her amusement and gave him a straight look. ‘I cannot think why, for there are some very pretty girls here tonight.’

‘Indeed, you are right. I would not doubt it for a moment.’

‘Then why—?’ She shook her head, her eyes sparkling. ‘No, do not answer, for I am sure I should not have asked.’

Hal chuckled. ‘I see no reason why not,’ he said. ‘I do not know why it should be, but I find that very young ladies either talk endlessly about nothing of consequence or say nothing at all—and I am not sure which is more tedious.’

‘Pray tell me which category I belong to,’ Jo said, her chin up. ‘Then I may amend my behaviour.’

‘Oh, I do not think that you belong to either,’ Hal told her, a teasing glint in his eye. ‘Indeed, my experience tells me that it cannot be so, for we are already acquainted, are we not?’