PoetsandPromises by Lucy Muir Page B

since I had not had the forethought to obtain your promise ahead of
time I no excuse to refuse,” Lord Sherbourne explained to Elisabeth with a
contrite expression. “Please accept my apologies and allow me to partner you
for the quadrille.”
    Elisabeth was relieved to see that Lord Sherbourne appeared
genuinely sorry to have failed to partner her for the first waltz. But although
she told herself it was petty and unworthy, she punished the viscount for his
defection by refusing to stand up for the quadrille, pleading tiredness. Lord
Sherbourne politely offered to sit the dance out with her and this time did
actually obtain her a glass of ratafia. Elisabeth took the glass with a pretty
smile of forgiveness, rather ashamed of her behavior. Punishment awaited, for
no sooner did Elisabeth put her lips to the glass than she was dismayed to see
Miss Thibeau and the comtesse approaching. Lord Sherbourne and the duke rose
politely as the two women stopped before them and Elisabeth tried to disguise
her consternation behind a polite smile of welcome.
    “Your Grace, Lady Parker, Miss Ashwood, may I present the
Comtesse de Fleurille and her niece Miss Thibeau,” Sherbourne introduced them.
“Countess, Miss Thibeau, the Duke of Norland, my sister Lady Parker and Miss
Ashwood.”
    As she murmured her greetings Elisabeth looked the two women
over carefully. The comtesse was a dignified-looking older woman clad in a gray
and purple striped gown and matching purple silk turban. Miss Thibeau was even
more striking up close than she had appeared at a distance. Her dark, curly
hair contrasted with her beautifully white skin and blue eyes and both were set
off by a fashionable pink gown trimmed with swags of ruffles and appliquéd
flowers. The heavily trimmed style that Elisabeth and Lady Parker had felt
would not be becoming on themselves seemed designed especially to set off Miss
Thibeau’s opulent charms. Once again Elisabeth felt to be quite the common
brown wren Mr. Hunt had termed her.
    After courtesies were exchanged, to Elisabeth’s dismay Miss
Thibeau and the comtesse took chairs next to theirs.
    “Miss Ashwood, I am very delighted to make your
acquaintance,” Evonne said to Elisabeth, avoiding mention of their meeting in
the park.
    Unhappy but honest enough to feel she was well served for
her prevarication, Elisabeth forced the conventional words from between her
lips. “And I am delighted to make yours.”
    Couples were beginning to take the floor for the second
waltz and Sherbourne asked Elisabeth to partner him as the duke politely
requested the same of Miss Thibeau. Thinking uncharitably that Miss Thibeau had
most likely come to join their party precisely so that the duke would ask her
to dance, Elisabeth accepted Lord Sherbourne’s arm onto the floor. As they took
their places and waited for the music to begin Elisabeth was hopeful that being
in Sherbourne’s arms for the dance would erase her hurt and restore her
confidence in herself as the woman to whom Sherbourne was promised. But the
waltz proved a disappointment for as Elisabeth whirled around the room in Lord
Sherbourne’s arms all she could think of was Miss Thibeau and how beautiful she
had appeared as she had danced with the viscount. The delicious sensation of
being in Sherbourne’s arms that Elisabeth had anticipated did not materialize.
When Sherbourne returned her to Lady Parker’s side after the waltz ended
Elisabeth thought ruefully that the course of her engagement with Lord
Sherbourne was not going to be as smooth as she had assumed it would be.
     
    Two days after Miss Earlywine’s come-out ball, Elisabeth
entered the morning room to find Lady Parker with a puzzled look on her face as
she perused a letter. She looked up at Elisabeth’s entrance.
    “Good morning, Miss Ashwood. I am most puzzled by this. I am
instructed to bring you and appear before the patronesses of Almack’s—but as
you must recall, I did not apply for