Bridgette nodded slowly. “He will see us all present there and —”
“Therefore will not have any cause to suspect anything untoward from any of us when the note is delivered!” Lady Madeline exclaimed, getting to her feet quickly. “And all we shall have to do, thereafter, is to arrive at Madame Bereford’s establishment shortly after!”
Lord Millerton nodded fervently. “And I shall have some gentlemen from the League waiting outside Madam Bereford’s to ensure that neither Lord Chesterfield nor the Madame can escape.”
“Just ensure it is not Lord Pilkington,” Bridgette said, with a wry smile. “I am sure he has got far too many painful memories of the last time he stood outside a building!”
Lord Millerton laughed, reached out and pulled her close. “Wonderful, Lady Callander!” he exclaimed, his arms tight about her waist. “You are quite wonderful.” His lips grazed her forehead as he reluctantly let her go, his hands drifting away from her. “Then we have two days to ensure everything is prepared.”
“Two days,” Bridgette replied, aware of the warmth that whispered through her from his touch. “And then let us pray this will all be over.”
Chapter Twelve
“Might I say that you look quite beautiful, Lady Callander.”
Sebastian smiled at how quickly she reacted to his words, noting the blush to her cheeks, the demure way her eyes dropped to the floor. “I mean every word, Lady Callander, I assure you.”
“Thank you.” Her cheeks colored a little more but when she raised her eyes to his, they were filled with a deep tenderness that he felt push itself directly into his heart.
“You look very handsome indeed,” she told him, as he smiled at her. “I do hope you intend to sign my dance card?”
He held out his hand at once. “I would like to do so very much,” he told her, relieved that the waltz was still, as yet, untaken. “The waltz, Lady Callander?”
She nodded eagerly, and he wrote his name there quickly, as though someone might snatch it from his hand in a moment.
“And the quadrille,” he murmured, writing his name for a second time and wishing that he could take each and every free dance remaining, so that Lady Callander would not dance with another gentleman. “If there is time remaining for that.”
He looked up to see her eyes flare, only for her tiny, flickering smile to fade away, her gaze moving to something just behind him.
“Lady Callander!”
Sebastian froze, the sound of Lord Chesterfield’s overly cheerful voice sending a shudder through him. A shudder that had never once been there before he had begun to suspect that his acquaintance was involved in something untoward.
“Lord Chesterfield,” Lady Callander murmured, bobbing a quick curtsy. “Your ball is wonderful, if I might say so.”
Sebastian turned and smiled at Lord Chesterfield, forcing himself to be as relaxed and as assured as usual. “It is,” he agreed, as Lord Chesterfield grinned, his eyes dancing. “A most remarkable occasion, indeed.”
“I am delighted to hear you say so,” Lord Chesterfield replied, still smiling. “I am also thrilled that Lady Madeline is in attendance with you, Lady Callander!”
Sebastian tensed as Lady Callander looked back at Lord Chesterfield, her smile not even flickering. “But of course,” she cooed, sweetly. “Lady Madeline’s father
is taken unwell and I knew just how much she wished to be present this evening. I was glad to have her join me.”
Lord Chesterfield chuckled, reaching for Lady Callander’s wrist without even asking if he might peruse her dance card. Sebastian forced himself to remain calm despite the fact that he wanted nothing other than to shove Lord Chesterfield’s hand away from Lady Callander. He could tell by the shock on Lady Callander’s face that she was horrified at what Lord Chesterfield had done. A gentleman did not seize a lady’s hand and lift it in order to steal her dance card without even so much as a by-your-leave! And yet that was precisely what Lord Chesterfield had done, treating Lady Callander with such disrespect that it sent a flurry of anger swirling through Sebastian’s veins.
“The country dance and the cotillion,” he said, with a broad smile, finally releasing Lady Callander’s hand. “And look, now, the country dance is almost at hand!”
“I thank you,” Lady Callander said, with what Sebastian knew was a forced smile. “Two dances is very kind of you, Lord Chesterfield.”
He laughed, but it did not reach his eyes. Instead, Sebastian was quite certain there was something of a darkness within his gaze. He wanted to step in, to refuse Lord Chesterfield to take Lady Callander out to the dance floor but forced his lips to remain tightly closed, his eyes fixed to Lady Callander instead.
She was smiling gently at Lord Chesterfield, not even a hint of uncertainty in her eyes.
“I hope you have secured dances from Lady Madeline,” she said, a slight hint of teasing in her voice. “I should not like to take from her what should, I think, be hers first!”
Lord Chesterfield chuckled, the sound low in his throat. “She was the very first lady I spoke to,” he assured her, a slight dip of his head accompanying his words. “And yes, I have made quite certain that I have the dances I wish from her, although I must admit I wanted eagerly to take all of them for myself.”
Lady Callander smiled, whilst Sebastian felt a small unsettling kick in the pit of his stomach that both he and Lord Chesterfield evidently had the very same sentiment.