LITMIR.BIZ

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not such a great lady, I need only enough time to change my gown.’

      ‘No, no, that will never do. Did you not tell Major Coale about the assembly?’

      ‘I did, but I do not think he attaches much importance to such things.’

      ‘Well, you must send a note over in the morning, telling him you cannot come.’

      Zelah shook her head.

      ‘I have not seen him since the day Nicky came to the woods to meet me. I fear he was not best pleased with me then, so I would not wish to antagonise him further. He might turn me off.’

      ‘Oh dear, I never thought, when you decided to earn your own living, that it would come to this. It cannot be right.’

      Maria’s voice wavered, she drew out her handkerchief to wipe her eyes and Zelah realised that she had scandalised her sister. In Maria’s world only her duty to her husband and family would take precedence over a social event. She said gently,

      ‘It is not so very bad, my love. If I was a governess already, I should not be able to dance at all.’

      ‘Oh, Zelah, if only it could be otherwise.’ Maria dabbed at her eyes. ‘If only you had not—’

      Zelah jumped up. ‘Let us not think of it,’ she said quickly. ‘I have a lifetime to regret a moment’s madness, but tomorrow I shall go to the assembly, where no one knows my past, and dance to my heart’s content.’

      Zelah went off to Rooks Tower the following day, promising Maria that she would return a little earlier to prepare for the assembly, but soon after she arrived Graddon came to inform her that the carter had brought more books for her.

      ‘Seems they were missed off his last consignment.’ They watched the crates being carried in and the butler shook his head. ‘Looks to me as if you’ll have to begin all your work again, miss.’

      ‘Nonsense,’ she replied bracingly. ‘All that is required is a little reorganisation … well, perhaps rather a lot! But it is not impossible. The first thing is to empty all these boxes.’

      The afternoon was well advanced when Major Coale came in to find her surrounded by books.

      ‘You look to be in your element.’

      ‘I am.’ She smiled, relieved at his friendly tone. ‘This is the remainder of the books you purchased from Lydcombe Park and they are by far the most ancient. There are many more classical texts here—including some in the original Greek and Latin.’

      ‘Can you read them?’

      ‘I know a little, but not enough to work out all these. I shall have to take them to Mr Netherby to translate.’

      ‘Let me have a look …’

      He pulled a chair up beside her at the desk and they began deciphering the texts. There was a great deal of hilarity when either of them made a mistake and they continued in perfect harmony until the chiming of the clock proclaimed the hour.

      ‘Goodness, I must go!’ cried Zelah. ‘It is the assembly this evening. Maria will be wondering where I am.’ She laughed. ‘Do you know, I almost think I would prefer to stay here, working on these texts?’ She added mischievously, ‘Is it something about this house that turns one into a recluse? No, no, Major, pray do not fire up, I was only teasing, when I should really thank you, sir, for helping me.’

      ‘So you will go away. You will become a lady for the night.’

      She bridled at that.

      ‘I am no less a lady for working here, Major.’ She rose and began to move the books off the desk.

      ‘Of course not. So what will you wear and who will you dance with?’

      She chuckled as she collected another armful of books from the desk. ‘I shall wear my lemon silk robe and as for dancing, why, I will dance with anyone who asks me!’

      After Zelah left Rooks Tower the house seemed very quiet. Usually this did not worry Dominic, but for some reason this evening he was restless, unsettled. By God but the chit irked him, prattling on as she did about company, and society and his obligations to his neighbours. He grinned. She had had the nerve to tease him, too, calling him a recluse. It was impossible not to smile at her impertinence. He shut himself in his study and tried to read, but it was no good. He prowled about the room, too restless to sit down. Perhaps he should look in at the assembly. All the local people would be there, and there were a few things that needed to be discussed, small matters that could be dealt with in a moment. With his usual decisiveness he strode out of the room and soon set the household on its ears, calling for an early dinner and sending Graddon to search out his dancing pumps.

      The Lesserton Assembly was crowded and good natured. Sir Oswald Evanshaw’s appearance had surprised some and dismayed even more of those gathered in the long room of the White Hart. There were plenty of resentful looks, but mostly everyone ignored him, not wishing to bring their disputes into the ballroom. Zelah was going down the line with a young farmer when his stifled exclamation brought her head up and she saw Major Coale in the doorway. Although he was not wearing regimentals his upright bearing proclaimed the soldier. He was looking grim, but Zelah knew that was merely his defence against the stares of the crowd. Mr Eldridge the MC was bowing, making him welcome, and as soon as the dance ended Zelah hurried over to her brother-in-law.

      ‘I wish you would go and greet Major Coale, Reginald,’ she urged him. ‘It cannot be easy for him, when he is so new to the area.’

      Reginald was inclined to hang back.

      ‘Dash it all, Zelah, I barely know the man myself. If Coale wishes to be introduced, then Eldridge is the man to do it.’

      Zelah gave him a little push.

      ‘But you are a relative, Reginald, albeit a distant one. And you are so well acquainted with everyone here that you are much better placed to introduce the major to his neighbours. Please, Reginald. I think it cost Major Coale a great deal to come here this evening. He is not likely to put himself forwards.’

      ‘No, with that hideous scar running down his face I suppose he is not,’ Reginald mused. ‘Very well, I’ll go and talk to him.’

      With that Zelah had to be content. She went off to dance again, but found her attention returning constantly to the major. She saw him conversing with Reginald and was relieved when they were joined by several other gentlemen. With some satisfaction she watched the whole group stroll away to the card room and she felt at liberty to give herself up to the enjoyment of the dance.

      Some of the young ladies present might bemoan the lack of eligible gentlemen at the Lesserton Assembly, but Zelah was not amongst their number. She wanted only to dance and her sister numbered sufficient married gentlemen amongst her acquaintance to provide Zelah with a partner for almost every set. She was therefore happily engaged on the dance floor for the best part of the evening. She was delighted to see Major Coale take to the floor, partnering Mrs Eldrige, and when the movement of the dance brought them together she gave him a wide smile.

      ‘You came.’

      ‘Yes.’

      She wanted to ask him if he was enjoying himself, but there was no time before she was swept off by her next partner. She watched him lead out a couple more partners, both older matrons, and realised that he was avoiding the young ladies who cast surreptitious glances at him and giggled if he went near them. Their insensitive behaviour angered her, but there was little she could do, so when her brother-in-law swept her off to dance again she tried to push the matter from her mind as he whisked her around the floor in a lively jig.

      Standing at the side of the room and watching the dancers, Dominic smiled to himself. Everyone was eager to improve their acquaintance with him, but not because he was the son of a viscount, that cut little ice here. They saw him as their landlord, or a fellow land-owner or even a farmer. Phillips, his gamekeeper, would be pleased to know Abraham Judd had trapped the fox that had been terrorising the local bird population

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