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The St. Cecelia's Ball

It was just another St. Cecelia's ball, the official beginning of the Season. New debutantes would be perused by the men looking to marry and criticized by the mothers of other eligible daughters, especially those whose daughters were settling into second and third Seasons with little hope of marrying.

All across London, young women were anxiously awaiting the magic hour, hoping to make good first impressions, or perhaps catch the eye of a handsome gentleman (wealthy and titled being the preferable sort of gentleman to attract). Gowns had been chosen with great care, fashioned in the latest style from the best modistes London had to offer. Hair was styled in the latest fashion as well, often regardless of whether or not the style suited to the person. Being fashionable was all that mattered to most of London's young ladies.

Young men of comparable age were less likely to be occupied with thoughts of matrimony, as they considered themselves too young to be tied down and had years of wild oats to sow. They would wait until they were at least thirty before marrying, and possibly not until then if they could avoid it. Still, a ball of the magnitude of St. Cecelia's was bound to provide great amusement, as it often did.

As for the men who were of an age to marry and set up a nursery, there was less excitement than among the young bucks. Marriage was an obligation to them, though it was considered important to choose the right sort of wife (beautiful, wealthy, of good breeding and malleable being the sort of young lady preferred in such cases).

All throughout London, the finest prepared and waited.

The St. Cecelia's Ball was about to begin.

Anne sat before the mirror in her room, blue-green eyes staring blankly at the image reflected there. Her ladies' maid, Esther, busily arranged her auburn hair in a mass of becoming ringlets at the crown of her head. It was not the most fashionable hairstyle these days, as curls at the temple were preferred, but Anne thought they made her look even more ridiculous than she already did and had rebelled when Cordelia had tried to talk her into them. The curls would bob merrily when Anne danced...if she danced.

What nonsense. If? Robin will probably insist on dancing all evening.

"You look lovely, miss." Esther beamed with pride.

"Thank you," Anne replied absently.

"Lady Cordelia cannot hold a candle to you this evening."

Despite her apprehension when Del found out about Anne's decision to allow Robin to court her--which despite having nearly three weeks to do it, she still had not done--she smiled. Esther was altogether biased in her favour, having been with Anne since she was fifteen. While Mrs. Jenkinson had been her lady's companion, she had been her mother's employee and had agreed with Lady Catherine's estimation of Anne's poor health. Only Esther had seen the truth and dared to speak it, which had caused her mother to threaten to fire "the old biddy" on a weekly basis.

It had been Anne's pleading alone which had kept Esther her place, for which both were grateful. Anne had needed someone to understand her, and Esther had needed the employment.

"I am so glad you agreed to wear the aquamarine gown instead of that brown one you wanted."

"It was bronze, Esther."

"Ach! It was mud with shimmer. Old maids wear colors like that."

"I am an old maid."

"Nonsense. You are stunning."

"I am nearly five-and-twenty. Most of the ton considers me on the shelf."

"They need spectacles." Esther looked at her charge slyly. "And it seems as though that handsome Lord Denby does not feel you are on the shelf."

"He needs spectacles." Anne's eyes slammed shut, the crux of her problem returning with a vengeance.

"I was pleased to hear you are accepting his suit."

Anne whirled to face her. "Where did you hear that?" No one knew that outside of Georgiana.

Esther looked hurt when she said, "Miss Georgiana's maid overheard you two talking. And I must say that I was upset that I had to hear the news from that flibbertigibbet--"

"Oh, no!" Anne wailed. "Then Del knows."

"I cannot say for certain, but should it matter if she does?"

Anne turned back to the mirror, miserable. "She shall be furious with me."

"Why?"

"Because..." Anne hesitated, but Esther would accept nothing but the truth. "Because she is in love with Lord Robin. She was furious when he came to call on me. She would never forgive me if she knew I agreed to let him court me. I was supposed to continue to hold him off and let her win him."

The maid shook her head in disgust. "That one could stand to be disappointed."

"Esther!"

"I know you love her dearly, Miss Anne, but I cannot lie. The earl and countess produced a fine pair of sons. Lord Michael is everything a man could want for an heir. Mr. Richard was such a distinguished officer, and someday he shall make a fine master of that estate of his wife's. But those daughters..."

"Should I remind you now that they listen through the walls?"

"They know my opinion. They are spoiled rotten, the lot of them. The youngest four are hellcats in the making, although Lady Ariel shows a bit of good sense when she is not around her sisters. But as for Lady Cordelia, well, that one is the worst."

"Esther..."

"I be willin' to bet she's got ye in knots o'er this business." Esther, in her anger, returned to the accent of her youth. "Got the bleedin' sword of Dammerman 'angin' o'er yer 'ead."

"That is the sword of Damocles, Esther, and no, she does not."

"Anyone can see that ye've been upset 'bout somethin'." The maid swallowed and regained her composure before continuing. "Sorry, Miss Anne. I only speak the truth."

Anne put a hand to her head and tried not to think. It seemed easier to do than worrying.

In a gentler voice, Esther continued. "For once in your life, Annie, you have a chance at something special, something that is yours alone. Your mother never allowed you to live life or choose your destiny, and since her death everyone has wanted you to marry for some selfish reason or another. Robert Hamilton wants you as a man wants a woman, not for anything like your money or land."

"You are wrong, Esther. He is marrying me because I am an heiress. He has no fortune of his own."

"Pish tosh. The man could have married anyone and inherited a fortune."

Anne looked up again, startled. "What? But he has no--"

"His mother left him a sum of fifty thousand pounds to be his upon his marriage. Of course, the lady thought he would be marrying Mrs. Darcy, but it seems just as well that he did not."

"How do you know this?"

Esther smiled cheekily. "I have my ways." Her face turned serious after a moment. "Even if he did need a fortune, he would still be wanting you. I saw that young man's face the day he came courting. The last time I saw a man that besotted, I married him."

Anne knew the rest of the tale--the young man had died a year later in a freak carriage accident. Esther had never remarried.

"He is a good man. He would never have humiliated you like all the others did two years ago. I cannot see him doing that, and that was your objection to every offer of marriage you received last year."

Anne knew she was right. Even if they had not met in the Pemberley gardens before her debut, Lord Robin did not seem the type who humiliated people just for fun.

"How can I break Del's heart?"

Esther bit back the comment she wanted to make about Lady Cordelia's heart--or possible lack thereof. "How can she ask you to do this when it is clear as your nose that it's ripping you apart?"

"It is not as though I am in love with the man. I barely know him."

"You could love him."

"I do not know that, and neither do you."

"You shall never know if you give him up to that selfish child without giving him a chance to prove himself to you." Esther slid the final comb into Anne's hair and looked at the frustrated young woman. "And if you did not want to give him a chance, why did you agree to his suit?"

"I feared he would give up on me and move on to someone else, and Del would lose her chance. I have been over this so many times, Esther, and I see no other way to solve the problem."

Esther could think of a very simple way to end it, but the blazing intensity of Anne's eyes against the whiteness of her face made her reluctant to continue the conversation. "I have forgotten myself, Miss Anne," she said quietly. "Have a good time this evening."

Robin, Lysander and Rupert were fortifying themselves for the evening to come with a quick glass of brandy at Business. They were also privately celebrating Robin's triumph in Spain and his reversal of fortune.

"To Mr. Higgins," Robin said, raising his brandy glass in a salute to the gentleman who had restored his fortune.

"Amen," Lysander added. "I am surprised Blackstone gave up the information so quickly."

"I did not get it from him. I got it from her." Robin took a healthy drink and grimaced slightly at the initial burn. "Mrs. Kingston knew everything, and hoped to save herself at his expense by telling us all."

"What did you do with her?" Rupert asked.

"She mysteriously disappeared before we could turn her over to the constable," Robin replied. He sighed. "Though she was involved up to her eyebrows, she did make recovering my money much simpler than it might have been."

"And Blackstone?"

"He shall be rotting in prison for the better part of his life." Robin took another drink. "I am thankful that is all over."

"I am surprised that you have not announced the news to all of London," Lysander said. "I was certain you would want the ton to know that you are no longer suffer from bad luck."

Robin shrugged. "It has been an interesting experience for me, Lysander. I would not recommend it, but if you ever wish to know who your true friends are, manage to lose your fortune for a while. That should do it."

"I thank you for the idea, but I do not particularly like that way of discovering true friendship. I take it that is why no one yet knows of Blackstone's capture."

"Precisely, so I would greatly appreciate it if you would keep this information to yourselves."

"I would have thought at the very least you would tell Anne de Bourgh," Rupert said. "I asked her if she had heard from you, but she said she had not."

"I returned quicker than I thought I would. There was no point in sending a letter she probably would not have received before this evening anyway. I shall let her know when I think the time is right."

"Do you still plan to court her?" Lysander asked.

Robin frowned at him. "Of course I do. Why would I not?"

"I thought the only reason you were planning to marry was for the fifty thousand pound legacy from your mother."

Rupert was now frowning, but not at Lysander. He realized that the man had a point, one that could ruin any chance he had of courting Lady Cordelia.

"It is true that I originally intended to marry for the money, but then I found Anne." Robin smiled. "I gave this a lot of thought while I was at sea, Lysander, but I can finally answer the question you asked before I left for Spain. The reason Anne interests me is because no other woman has ever made me feel the way she does. I think I am in love with her."

Lysander shook his head in disgust. "Love. Bah."

"Bah?" Rupert laughed. "That's a rather innocent curse from you, Lysander."

"I could say others, but I am trying to maintain my good mood. Love is for fools."

"This coming from a man who has never been in love," Rupert said. "'I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love.'"

Lysander laughed, but his laugh was harsh, bitter. "That is something you shall never see, Rupe, no matter how much Shakespeare you quote." He glanced at the clock against the wall. "And now, I think we should go. The ton awaits."

As Anne stepped into the ballroom, she was pleased to see that Lady Heathgow had somehow managed to turn the outside of the ballroom into a scene right out of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The lush scene detracted from the austere decor the room normally held, though due to the number of people present, it was difficult to detect unless one was standing by the wall.

"It is absolutely stunning," Georgiana breathed softly as she looked around. "And what a lovely little fountain to have right inside the door."

"It is just another ball," Anne said, bored. She tried not to glance at the fountain, for it would force her to remember the tradition that went with it.

"Anne!" Cordelia protested. "You know quite well that St. Cecelia's is special."

Anne shrugged. "I could care less about the start of this Season, as I shall not be around to see the end of it."

The earl, having heard his niece's declaration, was all set to object that she would d--n well be married before she did any leaving (not having agreed to let her return home after the holidays), but his good lady wife quickly made an innocuous comment about the ladies of the committee having outdone themselves this year, and he was obliged to add his compliments.

"We must stop here, Georgiana," Cordelia said, dragging the awestruck girl away from her brother and over to the fountain.

"Oh, Del, not this," Anne muttered.

"Mock me if you will," Cordelia said with a smile, "but it is a tradition and you would not wish Georgie to begin her first ball having broken it."

"What is the tradition?"

"All girls entering their first Season must drop a coin into the fountain. It is said that the first man they think of after tossing their coin is their one true love, and they shall never be happy with any other man."

Georgiana blushed. "Honestly, Del, what nonsense."

"Indeed," Anne said, smiling.

"Did you drop a coin?" Georgiana asked Cordelia.

"Of course I did. I would not wish to break with tradition."

"Who was the first person you dreamed of?" Anne asked.

"Er, well...um. Well, it was actually..."

Cordelia had never been the greatest of liars, and it was clear that she wished to say she had thought of Lord Robin. Which would be an easily-detected lie.

Georgiana looked at Anne's reaction but found nothing. "Clearly not who we are thinking of," Georgiana said quietly.

"Girls, there are people we are preventing from entering. Georgiana, toss your coin in the fountain and be done with it," Matlock said, annoyed.

Georgiana silently took the coin from Cordelia's hand and flipped it into the sparkling water. Unbidden, the image of a handsome young man danced before her eyes. She told herself it was a silly superstition, not to be taken seriously.

Lady Matlock smiled. "Now, Oliver, do not be so harsh with the girls. After all, yours was the first face I saw at my first St. Cecelia's ball, and look at us now."

Anne turned to see her stalwart uncle turning red--not unusual for him, but not due to her, for once.

He smiled sheepishly at his wife. "Ah, well. I knew there was something magical about that night. Now I know what it was."

Affection--from Uncle Matlock? It was almost unheard of for an earl to admit caring for his countess.

There were times, Anne thought with a smile, when the people you thought could never surprise you are able to do so.

The earl announced their presence to the butler, who immediately announced them over the din of voices. A number of male guests perked up at hearing Cordelia's name announced, but the Bad-Tempered Heiress' presence at her cousin's side made them a bit wary of coming close.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, and Miss Georgiana Darcy!"

By this time, Anne and Cordelia had reached the bottom of the stairs, where a few brave souls had gathered to greet Cordelia.

"Good evening," Cordelia said with a smile, though she looked disappointed. Anne knew she had hoped Lord Robin would be among her admirers.

Instantly, there were scuffles over who would dance the first with the beautiful young woman, and Anne took the opportunity to distance herself from the impending melee and grasp Georgiana's arm.

"What vultures," Anne said. "All over a silly dance."

"Annie, what if no one wishes to dance with me?" Georgiana's eyes were filled with fear. "What if--"

"You have nothing to fear, Georgie," Anne said reassuringly. "You are a lovely young woman with a healthy dowry. I have no doubt you shall soon have a group as big as Del's surrounding you." Anne motioned to their cousin, and indeed, the group had gained in number since Anne had left. "After your debut ball next week, you shall be able to look back and laugh at your fears."

"I do not think I would wish that. Just a gentleman or two would do for me."

"Were you thinking of anyone in particular?" Anne teased.

Georgiana blushed. "I shall not tell you who I saw when I tossed the coin until you tell me whose face you saw."

"I did not toss a coin," Anne lied. "I thought it was stupid even then."

"I know you, Anne de Bourgh. You tossed a coin."

"Well, it clearly did not work, did it?"

"You tell me."

It was then Anne's turn to blush. She could not have told Del, but...

"You saw Lord Robin, didn't you?"

Anne nodded once. "Who did you see?"

Georgiana turned away and mumbled, "Sir Lysander Overton."

"Sir Lysander?!" Anne gasped.

"No so loud, Annie," Georgiana hissed.

"I am sorry...but...Georgie..." Anne was uncertain of how to tell her cousin of Lysander's reputation. Even Lord Rupert had joked that his friend was nothing short of a rake. "I fear that...he has a dreadful reputation."

"He does?" Georgiana's eyes were huge.

"Nothing on par with a certain person we would like to forget. He does not go about ruining innocents, but he has a wicked way with widows." Anne saw the disappointment lurking in Georgiana's eyes. She felt very small for bringing it up, but Georgie had already had one disappointment in her short life. She did not deserve to have it happen again. "Of course, I could be wrong."

"I see," Georgiana said in a small voice, remembering how kind he had been to her during their carriage ride.

"Lord Rupert tells me he has a low opinion of love and marriage," Anne continued softly. "Georgie, I am so sorry."

"No. Do not apologize," Georgiana said. "You acted as you should by warning me against him."

"I should not have told you just as your first ball is to begin."

"It is just as well that you did, or I would have allowed myself to believe...well, it is nothing."

"Georgiana...there you are!" Cordelia had found them through the maze of her suitors. She had a handsome gentleman attached to her arm, and her eyes were shining brightly. "This gentleman has asked to make your acquaintance. Mr. Albert Breckinridge, Miss Georgiana Darcy."

The man's dark head bowed to Georgiana, who returned the kindness.

"It is a great pleasure, Miss Darcy, and if you are not already engaged, could I persuade you to dance the first with me?"

"I would be honoured," Georgiana replied, glancing at Anne;. Anne smiled at her. Mr. Breckinridge bowed again and walked away.

"He is quite a gentleman," Anne said. " A splendid way to begin your Season."

"Is he a friend of yours, Annie?"

"Not a particular one, but we are friendly acquaintances. He has a great interest in antique coins. He barely looks away from them, so it bodes well that he has taken time to notice you."

Out of the corner of her eyes, Georgiana noticed that Fitz was frowning at her. "I think my brother is upset by something. I should go to him."

"Nonsense. Your brother is only worried about you, and you are fine with us," Cordelia said.

"Nevertheless, I think I should...if you would pardon me?"

"Of course," Anne said, waving to her cousin Darcy and Elizabeth.

"My dance card is almost entirely full," Cordelia murmured after Georgiana had joined her brother and sister. "I deliberately saved the first for Lord Robin, and two others as well."

"I suppose all the arguing was over the name of the gentleman you saved them for."

"Yes. That awful Duke of Dorchester insisted I dance with him, regardless of whom I intended to dance with." Cordelia looked at Anne. "And I have bad news for you as well. I saw Lord Cassel leaving the card room."

"Lord," Anne groaned. "I thought after last year's disgrace he would be banned from the ball for good."

"That sort always manages to find their way back." Cordelia looked at her cousin with a gleam in her eyes. "Shall you not dance this evening?"

"Not if I can avoid it--and certainly not with Lord Cassel." Out of the corner of her eye, Anne spotted the short, squat nobleman peering about the room. She prayed he would not find her, but she knew she must stand out in her bright gown.

"But you look so lovely, Anne. It would be wasteful to--"

"The Earl of Denby! Viscount Axelby! Sir Lysander Overton!"

Many eyes turned to see the three gentlemen descend the stairs. Cordelia's smile turned brighter and her eyes gleamed a celestial blue. Anne decided it would be best to disappear, not only to hide from Lord Robin but also from Lord Cassel. Lord Robin would likely stop to say hello to Del. If given enough time alone, perhaps she would get her dance after all.

Thus Anne did not see Cordelia greet Lord Robin, only to have him give her a cursory glance before continuing after the alluring redhead he had seen with her moments before. Anne was far easier to track due to the stunning aquamarine gown she wore, an unusual color in this Season of pinks, yellows, creams and ivories.

Anne had almost reached the sanctuary of the gardens before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Good evening, Miss de Bourgh," an unctuous voice murmured close to her ear.

Anne almost groaned as she turned around. She wished she had stayed right where she had been--Lord Robin would have been much easier to deal with than Evan Brixton, Lord Cassel.

"Good evening, Lord Cassel," she mumbled, just barely remembering her manners enough to curtsy.

"That shade of blue looks rather interesting on you, though I have noticed that it is not a particularly popular shade. Still, I think I rather like a woman who prefers to wear what she pleases as opposed to what everyone thinks."

She somehow doubted he meant that.

"I noticed the crowd surrounding your dear cousin, Lady Cordelia. Such a shame that they do not see the beauty standing right beside her."

"Such a shame," Anne muttered. "Georgiana is just as beautiful as Cordelia. I hope that men do not ignore that simply because she is somewhat shy."

"I did not mean her, my dear Anne."

"Lord Cassel, please. I am not your dear anything. How many times --"

"Good evening, Miss de Bourgh."

Anne sent a small word of thanks to the Good Lord, who was clearly watching out for her this evening. Lord Robin stood before her, though the look on his face indicated that something was upsetting him.

"Lord Denby," she said formally, smiling at him as she curtsied. She looked over to see that Lord Cassel was glaring at the man, something unheard of in polite society. One did not glare.

The dislike seemed to be mutual, as Lord Robin was glaring at him in turn.

"Brixton," Robin said, deliberately not using his title.

"Hamilton," Lord Cassel returned the incivility. "Miss de Bourgh, I believe this is to be our first dance."

Anne nearly gasped in horror. "I do not recall your having asked me, Lord Cassel," she said.

"Surely you do."

"No. You insulted my gown and rather rudely called me by my first name. There was no invitation to dance."

"I would have gotten around to it. And as you have not been asked by anyone else--"

"I asked Miss de Bourgh for the first dance long before this evening," Robin interjected. "And she agreed."

"I see." Lord Cassel gave her one last furious look before turning and walking away.

Anne waited until he had disappeared back to the card room before starting to walk away herself.

"I thought we had come to an understanding, Miss de Bourgh," he said calmly. "And they did not include running away to avoid me."

Anne stopped, knowing that to continue would be futile. "I am sure I do not know what you mean," she replied.

"Of course you do. You were standing beside Lady Cordelia one minute, the next you were heading for the garden. I took that to mean you were avoiding me, although I may have been wrong. We have something of a history in gardens, if I remember correctly."

Anne blushed. "I had a personal matter to attend to."

"An awfully convenient one."

Was there no end to the man's gall?

"Did something happen while I was gone to make you change your mind?" Robin asked softly, fearing that Lady Cordelia had convinced Anne to give him up yet again. He hoped she would confide in him about her cousin. Then he could tell her that he did not love the girl and never would.

"No," she said, and he sighed. Perhaps someday...

"Excellent. Then you should have no objection to dancing the first with me." Robin moved closer to her, and the scent of violets assailed his senses.

The violet just became his favourite flower.

Anne knew there was some reason why she should object to dancing with him, but he was so close that intelligent thought was impossible. Something to do with Del, she knew that.

"I am afraid I have hurt my foot."

"I never knew you to be a coward, Anne. You were practically running to get away from me, so that excuse shall not work."

He was so close now that another step would put her in his arms. She could concentrate on nothing but him, and as far as she could tell, there was no real reason why she should not dance with him.

"I see I have no alternative," she said, trying to sound disappointed.

It was her utter lack of disappointment that gave Robin hope. Fleeing him was an instinctive reaction for her, nothing more. He smiled and took a step away from her.

"You know, you might make being courted by me sound more exciting than a death sentence. I have been told I am quite an attentive suitor."

Anne regained some of her equilibrium. "Who told you that? Mrs. Darcy, or your Italian princess?"

She had intended the question to infuriate him, but instead he laughed. "Both, actually." And then he had the audacity to wink.

The wretch. He knows what I am doing.

The orchestra interrupted their conversation by tuning their instruments, and Robin extended a gloved hand to her. "Miss de Bourgh? The dance is about to begin."

Yes, Anne thought grimly, thinking of Cordelia and remembering that she still had not told her of her decision. It is.

It took a great deal to silence the crush at a St. Cecelia's ball, but that was precisely what happened when the Earl of Denby led Anne de Bourgh to the dance floor. As quickly as the silence had fallen, the gossip began.

The Bad Luck Earl and the Bad-Tempered Heiress.

Dancing together.

Anne saw Georgiana's shocked expression as Anne stood next to her.

"Annie..." she whispered, "what--"

"He would not be put off," Anne hissed. "Where is Del?"

With a slow nod of her head, Georgiana motioned to the side of the room. Anne turned her head in time to see Cordelia's cold stare, the blue of her eyes matching the icy blue of her gown.

Her objections to dancing this particular dance with Lord Robin suddenly struck her. Del was against the wall because she had saved this dance for Lord Robin. Now she had no partner because everyone else was taken.

Del will never forgive me for this.

The music began--a sprightly country dance. Anne curtsied to her partner and then, from rote, began to dance.

"You are going to have all of London talking tomorrow," Anne told him as they made their way down the floor.

"Why is that?"

"You are probably going to be warned of my reputation when this is over," she added, ignoring his question in part.

"Again, I must ask why."

"Because I have one."

"That is not an answer, Miss de Bourgh."

"I am sure one of your friends--Lord Rupert, most likely--has taken the time to tell you of the nickname Society has given me."

"The Bad-Tempered Heiress, I believe." Robin looked at her as this part of the dance required them to stand in place. "And I heard of your reputation on the continent, and from Mrs. Darcy."

"She likes Cordelia much more than she likes me," Anne said quietly.

"I think your cousin shows a kinder side of herself to some people. She impressed Mrs. Darcy once, and Elizabeth has had no reason to change her opinion since." Robin was now standing where Anne had been moments ago, and he noticed the young woman staring at them, an emotion akin to anger in her eyes. "At the moment, she is not showing that side."

They once again changed places. Anne saw that the anger was growing.

"She seems more like a bad-tempered heiress than you at the moment," Robin added.

"I did not earn my reputation without cause."

"You almost seem proud of it."

Anne moved once again, briefly taking his hand, turning in a circle, then letting it go. "I do not think I am proud of being considered a shrew, Lord Robin. I do take pride in the fact that I have refused to become another mindless young miss without a thought in her head, and that I do not fear to speak my opinions. If that makes me bad-tempered to a Society used to having brainless, silent women, so be it." Anne whirled around in his arms for a moment, nearly losing her breath before they parted.

"I think you use your reputation as a shield."

"Why would I do that?" Anne once again took his hand and they moved in a circle before resuming their former positions.

"It allows you to reject people before they reject you."

Robin was preventing from continuing because they formed a circle with several other dancers for this part. When their circle broke up, and dancing resumed, he added, "It allows you to feel superior."

"I do not think myself superior. And in case you did not hear, they rejected me already."

"But in your second Season, they fell in love with you. You can be charming, you just choose not to be. They will love you again."

"I somehow doubt that. Society has a definite opinion of me which shall not change even if I had the inclination to change it."

"They would forgive the Countess of Denby almost anything."

Anne's eyes narrowed. "I have yet to accept that position, nor will I ever."

"We shall see."

Arrogant, presumptuous...ooh! What I would say to him if only we were alone!

But the thought of being alone with him only brought back memories of what had happened between them in the past. Perhaps being alone with him was not such a good idea, after all.

"It is far more likely that you shall be warned against me," Robin said as he took her hand and turned her about the floor. "People are no doubt speculating as we speak about my motives for courting you."

"As have I," she retorted.

"You know I am no fortune hunter."

"I did not know until recently that you were not," she mumbled.

"Oh? Did I not mention that I was to inherit fifty thousand pounds upon my marriage? Surely I did, so you would not think I was after you for your money."

"Not once."

"If I were to marry for money, I know that everyone here would tell me there are far easier ways of getting it--not that I agree with their opinion," he quickly added when he saw her eyes darken. "You are stubborn and hard-headed, but bad-tempered does not suit you."

"You are correct. There are far easier ways to gain a fortune. My cousin Cordelia, for example."

Robin noticed that Anne's gaze had wandered to the side of the room again. At the first opportunity, he turned to see Lady Cordelia's face.

She had abandoned any pretense of ladylike behaviour and was glaring at her cousin. He wondered why such a popular young lady would be without a partner for the first dance. Something fell into place just then, and he realized that she had probably saved the first dance for him, only to have him dance with Anne.

Why did Rupe not see her alone over there? Surely he would have danced with her if he had seen her.

Robin could not resist a small joke. "You must like me a little."

"What on earth makes you think that?"

"While you continue to express your lack of interest in me, you have encouraged me to marry any number of your cousins. I believe this is the second or third time you have mentioned Lady Cordelia."

Anne looked away almost guiltily. After a moment, she asked, "Why does that mean I like you?"

"You wouldn't recommend that I marry into your family otherwise."

"I have no feelings toward you. You would be suitable to someone like Cordelia, or my cousin Georgiana. You need a wealthy, respectable, sociable wife. I have only the wealth, and many men have come to the conclusion that money is not sufficient enough to mask my I'll qualities."

"You do not consider yourself respectable?"

"Not in the ways that matter. My manners are atrocious. I know far more than I should about running an estate. I do not do what Society says a lady should. I tried to play by their rules. Now I follow only my own."

"You don't have to be what they want you to be. I would not mind." The dance brought them close together. "Anne, as long as you were yourself, and not false like so many women are--like your cousin Cordelia, for example--you would be good enough for me. I want you to be yourself."

She nearly forgot to breathe.

"I want the woman who knows all about running an estate, who does not care what Society thinks of her, and has a real opinion of her own and does not fear being thought badly of for voicing it. I want someone who does not always agree with me. I want a real woman. Someone with--"

"Robin--"

"--fire and spirit. Someone who can experience an emotion deeper than childish frustration because someone else is wearing a prettier dress or is more popular or is dancing with the man she wanted to dance with."

"My lord--" Anne was ready to swoon as his face drew closer to hers. And she hated swooners.

"In short, Anne Ophelia de Bourgh, I want you. And I shall not end this courtship until it results in our marriage."

Anne wanted nothing more than for this moment to go on forever, until she realized what had happened to them. "Perhaps you should end the discussion, Lord Robin, as we seem to have stopped the dancing."

Robin looked around and noticed that the entire ball had come to an abrupt halt--because they had. Standing mere inches apart, looking at each other with enough heat to warm a thousand ballrooms.

He smiled inwardly. He could not have declared his intentions toward Anne any better.

Anne looked around her nervously. People were going to think she was going to marry the man at this rate! She did not even want to think of what Cordelia was going to say once she got to the end of the dance.

Robin noticed that she looked about ready to run. "You would not leave me now," he said.

Anne could not leave him. She had managed to bring attention to their present predicament, but the look in those handsome eyes of his made her want to stand there, if she could be assured he would always be standing in front of her.

"Forgive us," Robin said loudly. "We became engrossed in our conversation and forgot the music. Given the beauty and charm of my partner, I can hardly be blamed."

There was some laughter, and Anne turned bright red, which was only proper. She dared not look at Cordelia, who was going to murder her when she left the floor.

The dancing recommenced. Once Anne regained her senses, she asked, "Why me?"

"Why not?"

Anne could think of no answer to that, but the dance mercifully came to an end. Anne curtsied again and allowed him to take her hand to lead her away from the floor.

"Save me a waltz," he said before disappearing.

Anne immediately looked for somewhere to sit. A bench hidden among a potted plant would offer some protection from the gossips sure to fly in to ask questions, not to mention murderous relatives. She sat down with a sigh of relief and tried to get her emotions under control. She could not figure out what to feel right at the moment.

The one thing she was certain of was that she could not risk waltzing with him. Proximity had a disastrous effect on her senses.

"Annie?"

Anne had not realized that Georgiana was standing before her.

"Are you all right?"

"I do not know," she replied. "Where is Del?"

Georgiana motioned to the dance floor, where Cordelia had been led by her first partner of the evening.

"I cannot go back out there," Anne said. "He wants to waltz."

"I gather that you are having some trouble getting him to leave you alone?"

"Yes!" Anne would not repeat his words to her cousin here. There were too many pairs or ears and too many mouths--which were already talking about her.

"You have reconsidered his suit. Are you perhaps reconsidering your stance on becoming his wife?" Georgiana asked.

Anne thought of his reaction to him...and his words to her. She sensed that coming from him, the words were a promise.

"I barely know him," she murmured. "And I have not changed my mind about his suit. I am accepting only for--"

"You would not truly have accepted him unless there was something deep inside of you that wanted to accept." Georgiana sat beside her on the bench. "I think you should get to know him and decide whether or not he is the man for you. You have been so busy protesting that you do not like him, and feeling that you have to be noble for Del's sake, that you have not entertained the notion that he may be your perfect match. Or that he wants to marry you only because you keep putting him off."

"You think the reason he wishes to marry me is because I will not have him?"

"Possibly. Men are always intrigued by the hunt."

"How do you know this?"

"You told me, not two weeks ago."

Anne almost burst into laughter before restraining herself. "Del would have a fit. She is ready to stab me with a dull dagger right now."

Georgiana had given the matter a lot of thought, and seeing Lord Robin and Anne dancing together had given her a great deal of courage to do something shocking. Something bolder than she had done in four years, something that was going to cause a great deal of trouble between the three of them.

But having seen Anne and Robin together, Georgiana could not help feeling that what she was going to say was going to be for the best, for all of them. Even Del, someday.

"There comes a time when you need to stop worrying about what certain people think. Including your family."

"You don't have to be what they want you to be."

Robin had said that, after she told him she followed her own rules. She had lied to him when she said she did not care what people thought, because some people's thoughts of her mattered a great deal.

Del was one of them.

"Cordelia was closer to me after my disastrous debut than Fitzwilliam was to you after..." Anne stopped herself from blurting out Georgiana's secret. "She supported me through it. She never asked for anything in return. She was as giving as anyone. Now, she..."

"She is asking you to do something you do not want to do."

"Got the bleedin' sword of Dammerman 'angin' o'er yer 'ead."

Anne blinked back tears and at last admitted what everyone else already knew.

She did want Robin to court her.

It went against everything she had decided upon since her debut, but it was the simple truth. The man made her start thinking that perhaps she could be happy with a husband. He made her want to believe that she could love a man with everything in her soul. She had tried to tell herself that he was like everyone else, only a bit more charming. She had almost convinced herself that he was only being nice to her for her money and estate, that perhaps he would become a tyrant after they wed.

But in her heart, she knew that Robin was what he presented himself to be.

"I hate the idea of hurting Del as much as you," Georgiana was now saying, "but I do not believe she has ever truly loved Lord Robin. She never mentioned him until he returned to England. I doubt she remembered him until then."

"We cannot possibly know the state of her heart."

"Annie."

Anne looked out at Cordelia, who was dancing now. To everyone there, she seemed the light-hearted girl the ton had fallen in love with the previous Season, but Anne saw her with better eyes. She knew it was a facade. Beneath the laughing eyes and bright smiles, Del was seething.

"Robin has expressed no interest in her. He did not ask our uncle for permission to court her. Has he said anything about her when he is with you?"

Anne thought of his words to her earlier--that he did not want a false person like Cordelia.

What did he mean by that? Del is not false. She reads Shakespeare and Jonson and speaks three languages and is...

"He hasn't, has he?"

"No...Georgie, what are you saying?" Anne was not quite clear what her cousin meant by this.

"I think you should forget Del. You should let Robin court you, and if you find yourself in love with him, marry him. A man like him does not come along every day, you know."

Anne finally understood. Georgiana was on her side. There should not be sides in this issue, but there were, and Georgiana sided with her.

"You begin to understand," Georgiana said.

Anne nodded. "This may come to naught, and Del and I would fight over nothing. She may never forgive me."

"But at least you would know for certain. If you give him up because of Del, you would resent her in the end and always wonder what might have been."

Anne blinked back tears at the thought of feuding with Cordelia, but directly in her line of vision was Robin.

His eyes were on her, and her alone.

She had never had a man staring at her like this before. It was not the lustful look that Lord Cassel gave her. It was not the respectful look Lord Rupert gave her. Nor was it the contemptuous, mocking, fearful, gossipy look she received from most other men.

She could almost believe it was a loving look, and that sent heat rushing all throughout her. She had never inspired a look such as his.

"Annie?"

"God help me, Georgie," she whispered. "I think I'm falling in love with him."

The Seventh Dance

The seventh dance was a waltz. Lady Cordelia had hoped Lord Robin would ask her to dance at some point during the evening, and as he had all but declared himself an admirer of her cousin's, it would have been the polite thing to do. Lord Robin was a gentleman who remembered the little niceties, or so Cordelia had been told. However, except for his first dance with Anne, he had not appeared on the floor. He had not even approached another marriageable woman, much less asked her to dance. Not even Anne's cousins.

His unspoken preference for Anne was clear to everyone in the room, and became clearer when he escorted her back to the floor for a second dance.

Lady Cordelia looked at her dance card. Though it contained the names of the most eligible bachelors London had to offer, one name was missing. And it had to be the name of the man she wished to see more than anything. She blinked back angry tears as the music started, and hastily retreated to a place where she could go unseen. It could be harmful to her allure if everyone noticed that last year's Incomparable, the ultimate Diamond of the First Water, was unable to get a partner for this season's first waltz.

Especially when her cousin Anne, the barely-tolerated scourge of the ton, could get one.

Cordelia watched as Anne waltzed in Lord Robin's arms, her blue eyes narrowed angrily. Something had changed between them this evening, and she could not figure out why or when it had happened. At the start of the evening, Anne had been her usual sarcastic self. She had denigrated the fountain and the tradition to Georgiana. She had even darted away when she saw Lord Robin approaching her. The two of them had disappeared and Cordelia had been unable to follow as a bevy of suitors waylaid her. When they reappeared, it was for the first dance. Even then, there had been no indication that Anne felt any differently about Lord Robin.

Cordelia felt ill. She had been betrayed, deceived! She saw the whole thing with clear vision and realized that she had been taken in by Anne. Her own cousin! Anne was one of the two people in the world she loved above all others, and Anne had betrayed her.

She tried to tell herself that perhaps the reason Lord Robin danced the first with Anne was because Lord Cassel was bothering her. Yes, she could see the gallant Earl of Denby doing that, rescuing Anne from that horrible man. But that would not explain why they had stopped dancing during the two first, and why Anne had avoided her ever since.

And it certainly would not explain why they were dancing now...a second dance...and a waltz, no less.

Cordelia could not understand what it was Robin saw in Anne. Any normal man would have accepted her refusal of his suit and found someone else. Anne had certainly given him no indication that she was interested in him, not even as a friend.

She tried not to be petty as she thought of her accomplishments alongside those of her cousin. Anne was pretty, a fact which most of London would agree on. But she, Cordelia, was beautiful. All of London agreed with that.

She could sing and play the piano with remarkable skill. Anne had learned exactly five songs on the piano and did not care to perform them--in public or private.

She was a lively, charming young woman. People in London adored her not just because she was beautiful and had a fortune, but also because she was a friendly person. No one could really say that about Anne. No one in Society would, after the way she had played them for fools last year. Cordelia smiled. She felt that so far, there was no reason why any intelligent man would choose her cousin over herself.

The thought cheered her so that she continued thinking in this vein. She was intelligent, but so was Anne. She was kind, but, in spite of what Society thought, so was Anne. She had a good fortune, but Anne's was better, since she was due to inherit a grand estate on her birthday.

Cordelia thought of the last one and stopped smiling. Was Anne's fortune the only reason Lord Robin wanted to marry her? It must be a good part of the reason. Still, there were other girls with generous dowries that he could have courted with much more ease, herself included, and it appeared that he wanted none of them.

He wanted Anne.

Cordelia saw her father standing across the room from her. He did not notice her, thank goodness. She did not think she could bear her father knowing her private shame. From where she sat, she could see him looking at Anne and Lord Robin. His expression was a bit dazed, but less so than the expressions of the people around him. Indeed, it might be her imagination, but Papa looked altogether pleased.

Why on earth should he be pleased? Can he not see that my heart is breaking? Can he not see that I am in love with Lord Robin, and that he is hurting me by letting the man court Anne?

A thought flashed through Cordelia's mind. Her father did not know the truth--that it was not Anne, but rather she, Cordelia, who was in love with Lord Robin. How could he know? It was hardly the sort of thing a young woman discussed with her father, until the joyous day a man came to propose and she received her father's consent to marry.

It made much more sense to her now. Not knowing of his daughter's true feelings, of course he would approve of Lord Robin as a suitor for Anne! At this point, anyone would do, so long as he was a better man than Evan Brixton. Having the suitor be Robin Hamilton was merely a bonus.

Cordelia thought everything through, and knew that if she were to tell her father had she was in love with Lord Robin...perhaps that might make her father encourage the man to court her instead. After all, he could not possibly allow his daughter's heart to be broken. Her father had given her everything she wanted in the past, and she did not think that things would change now.

Surely he would not deny her the one thing guaranteed to bring her great happiness.

While Lady Cordelia was able to keep herself hidden from most of the ton, she was unable to keep herself hidden from Sir Lysander Overton. He had made it a point to search her out when Robin walked Anne de Bourgh back out to the dance floor and had been rather pleased to see her angry expression.

The smile currently on Lady Cordelia's face confused him, and he frowned. He wondered what the young woman was planning to do now. With a good deal of disgust, he looked away before some innocent miss or other thought his scowl was directed at her. The last thing he needed at this ball was to offend someone.

Lysander knew all about women like Lady Cordelia. Everything had been given to her before she knew she wanted it. The idea of not getting what she wanted now was so remote that she reacted in much the same way as a thwarted child would. Women like Lady Cordelia were the reason he avoided the marriage market like the plague.

He would not even bother noticing her, except that her little mind had taken to disrupting the plans his oldest friend was making around Anne de Bourgh. Bad enough that it had taken Robin longer than an hour's conversation to convince the woman to be courted without her cousin butting in to disrupt things. Now that Robin had made progress, Lysander did not intend for him to lose it because of the whims of a spoiled brat.

Lysander looked around the ballroom, knowing that his every move was being watched. He saw no fewer than half a dozen young ladies glancing at him with unabashed curiosity, wondering if his reputation was true. He saw a particularly pretty brunette whispering behind her fan to a friend and looking directly at him.

Wondering if the reward of my fortune would be worth the risk of a loveless marriage, or "marrying below her station," no doubt.

His sharp eyes continued to peruse the ballroom, not caring for what he saw until they settled on Georgiana Darcy. The shy red-haired girl stood beside her brother and his wife. Without realizing it, his frown softened. The poor girl looked out of her element here, at this fancy affair. She would be much happier, he thought, at a simple country dance, among people she had known all her life.

Perhaps then she would be smiling, and those luminous, jewel-like green eyes of her would be sparkling, and her cheeks would have a light touch of pink--

Good God, man! Listen to yourself!

With a firm mental slap, he reminded himself that in spite of her reluctant manner, Georgiana Darcy was in London for the same reason every other young lady was--to find a husband.

And he was definitely not husband material. He was not even interested in being husband material. And even if he were, her brother would never consider him for his innocent young sister.

A beautiful young widow, just out of mourning, caught his eye. She was smiling knowingly. She was just the sort of woman he should be conversing with, but despite his head telling him to speak to her, his heart and feet put him on a path toward Miss Darcy.

Georgiana had noticed him, of course. She was not alone. Sir Lysander Overton was the sort of man women adored because he looked like an angel.

A fallen angel, perhaps, especially if Annie were to be believed. Georgiana tried not to tell herself that Anne had been teasing her. She would not do that, especially on something as serious as this. No, despite what she wanted to believe, Anne had been honest and Sir Lysander's reputation left a great deal to be desired.

If and when she married, she would marry a true gentleman. She knew exactly the sort of man she wished to marry. He would be a studious gentleman, one who had actually read Shakespeare and not merely memorized the romantic lines to woo women. He would be kind and gentle. He would be capable of loving someone other than himself. He did not have to have a great fortune--she had a nice one of her own. But she did not want to be married for money alone, which meant she would not marry a fortune hunter.

She was especially wary of fortune hunters. And rogues.

Georgiana thought she might like a man who was as shy as she was, but she knew that if he were, they would never meet. He would be too afraid to introduce himself--especially if her brother insisted on standing beside her at all times. So her perfect match would have to be a bit bold, but not too much.

Which meant that Sir Lysander was hardly the sort of gentleman she could ever consider marrying, because he was a rogue, did not seem like the intellectual sort, and was far too bold to suit her.

Although she would admit that he had been most courteous to her that day in the carriage, which indicated that he did care about other people besides himself. She could not see him caring enough about her to make her want to marry him, though.

Not that I wish to marry him.

Georgiana saw him walking around the edge of the ballroom, carefully making his way towards her.

Surely not. He cannot possibly be coming over here. Sir Lysander never dances with a young lady on the marriage market.

She was still trying to convince herself that he was not coming over when he stopped in front of her and bowed. "Miss Darcy," he said. "It is a great pleasure to see you this evening."

"T-thank you," she stammered.

Sir Lysander gave her his best smile and then turned to Fitzwilliam, who was glaring at them. "Good evening, Darcy."

"Overton."

"Mrs. Darcy, I am sure I am not the first to tell you that it is a great pleasure for you to be among us once again."

Elizabeth smiled warmly. "Thank you, Sir Lysander."

"And congratulations as well. Lord Robin tells me that your daughter is quite beautiful."

Flattery, Georgiana thought with a frown as her brother smiled. The man is as charming as an snake.

"None more so," Fitzwilliam said. "Thank you, Sir Lysander."

"I noticed you were not dancing, Miss Darcy, and I hoped that you would do me the honour of dancing with me now."

"I-I..." Georgiana looked into his gray eyes, thinking that this must be a trick. Perhaps someone had wagered him that she would not dance with him. Or perhaps he was trying to keep away from some marriage-minded mama who was trying to corner him and she was the only alternative he saw.

"Georgiana cannot dance at the moment," Elizabeth said in a hushed voice.

"Why ever not? I have never thought there to be a rule against lovely young ladies dancing in a public setting, even if I am their partner."

"There is, unfortunately, a barrier for her. She has yet to be presented at court, you see, nor has she received permission to dance the waltz." Elizabeth's voice was so low now that Georgiana could barely hear her.

"I see." Sir Lysander looked disappointed. "Of course, I had forgotten. My apologies, Miss Darcy. I hope I did not offend you but I had not even thought of that. Society is rather foolish at times, is it not?" He winked.

"I suppose it is," Georgiana confessed.

"Since I cannot have the pleasure of this dance, then perhaps I could gain your consent for the next?"

Georgiana glanced at her brother, who did not look especially pleased, and then at Elizabeth, who did even if she was surprised. Georgiana could feel the eyes of half the crush on the two of them. She could accept, and the entire ton would be talking about her and she could not be certain it would be good. Or she could reject him and...

"I...I thank you, yes."

Sir Lysander smiled at her and bowed. "Then I shall see you when this waltz is over, Miss Darcy."

He walked away, leaving her shaken and quite confused.

Lord Rupert Halliday was miserable.

Oh, not to Society's ever-observant eye. To them, he was standing amiably at the edge of the dance floor. He was standing quite close to a lovely young eligible miss. If the young miss had had anything else on her mind other than making the man she wished to snare jealous, he might even have struck up a conversation and convinced himself.

But probably not.

Rupert had arrived just in time to see Lady Cordelia's horde of suitors grasping at her dance card and arguing over who would dance with her. The crowd had cleared somewhat by the time he was announced, but when he had walked down the steps, just behind Robin, he had seen that she was staring at Robin alone. She did not even notice that there were other people in the room.

And he had seen her crestfallen look when Robin passed her by to catch Anne. He had even seen the anger in her eyes when Robin and Anne took their place for the first dance.

What is it about Lady Cordelia that made you fall in love with her?

Lysander's words echoed in his head. He had been unable to answer him that day, and it bothered him. It should have been an easy question to answer. Before their ill-fated carriage ride, he could have answered it.

But now...

Did seeing her in love with someone else make him love her less? Or was it the fact that she was in love with his best friend that bothered him? It would make it far more difficult to get her to love him, that was for certain. If he even wished to try to court her.

Rupert was thinking gloomily on his prospects when he spotted her. She was sitting on a strategically placed bench, staring out at the dance floor. He knew without bothering to check that she was staring at her cousin.

But why was she not dancing? Surely her dance card was full.

Rupert decided to be brave for once. He had nudged Robin in Anne's direction so that he could court Cordelia. Perhaps all he needed to do at the moment was be a friend and perhaps win her affections that way.

He walked along the wall, careful not to draw any attention to himself. It was easy to do when you were ordinary-looking in a crowd of glittering opulence. He had nearly been mistaken for the help twice.

"Good evening, Lady Cordelia," he said politely but discreetly, bowing to her.

She flinched and turned away from her view of the dance floor. "Lord Rupert," she said, equally polite but distant.

"I could not help but notice that you were not dancing," he said, then cursed himself for being a fool. For one thing, it was obvious that she was not dancing this, the first waltz. For another, it was rather rude of him to bring attention to the fact.

But Cordelia thought nothing of his comment. "I...I had an empty spot on my dance card."

"I had been hoping that you would be free, but after seeing that bunch before the ball began, I did not think you would be. May I have the pleasure of this dance?"

He clearly surprised her, for she was silent and blinked several times. "I would be honoured," she finally said, standing up and taking his hand.

Moments later, they were waltzing together. "Lady Cordelia," he began hesitantly.

"Yes." She was distracted. He realized that her feet were dancing, but her eyes were still seeking out Robin and Anne.

"I know the truth."

Cordelia made a strangled sound. "The truth?"

"Yes. It was clear to me the day we went for a drive that you were in love with my friend."

"I...I hardly know what to say."

"He is smitten with your cousin, you know."

"Has he said that to you? In those exact words?"

Rupert cursed himself again. He was the greatest fool God ever put on this earth! Why had he set himself up in this manner? He had known she would wish to talk about Robin and Anne.

"It is most disheartening," he mumbled, not realizing that he had spoken those words aloud.

"Is it?" Cordelia smiled at him. "I thought you might think that way."

"What way?" Rupert was confused.

"You are in love with my cousin!" she announced proudly. "I knew you were. I told Anne that you were in love with her, but she would not listen. If only she had! Then perhaps..." She sighed. "But it is too late now. You said it yourself. He is smitten with her, and it appears that she is smitten with him. We can do nothing."

Rupert had the feeling that she was leading him somewhere, and he was not altogether certain he liked it. But despite his misgivings, he did not correct her assumption.

"Unless...no. Never mind."

"Never mind what?"

"If your friend is happy with my cousin, we should accept that and move on."

"That was--" Rupert realized what she was going to suggest. She wanted him to help her come between Robin and Anne. "That was my feeling exactly."

"Oh."

He had disappointed her. Her blue eyes were dim, her mouth pursed in a pout.

What is it about Lady Cordelia that made you fall in love with her?

At the moment, he was not sure he knew.

"I do not like it," Fitzwilliam Darcy muttered for the fifth time, as the waltz continued.

"For goodness' sake, Fitzwilliam, you make it sound as though he asked to marry her right this instant. The only thing he wanted was to dance with her." Elizabeth sighed and hoped that their conversation was not being overheard. She had little doubt that it was, however.

Georgiana had excused herself, leaving her brother and sister-in-law to discuss freely (or as freely as one could in such a place as this) Sir Lysander's offer of a dance. Darcy had hoped to have more privacy by leading his wife to the dance floor.

"Elizabeth, you know that the man has a dreadful reputation."

"Only with widows and...the like. It has never been said--"

"But Georgiana is innocent! And she is far too vulnerable to have her heart broken a--" He closed his mouth quickly, before he revealed too much.

"I am sure that by now, Georgiana is well aware of his reputation. She has been stopped four times on her way across the ballroom."

"Good. Then this shall be the only time she dances with him."

"Of course, dear." Elizabeth was beginning to worry. If he was this protective of his sister, how bad would he get eighteen years from now when Gracie made her debut? She would have to remember that she was allowed to remind him not to be a fool.

She thought he might learn the lesson if she beat him over the head with a stick.

Robin and Anne glided by them a moment later. Robin looked pleased, while Anne's face was almost radiant.

"It is most remarkable," Darcy murmured as they danced away from them. "Who would ever have imagined that he would choose to court Anne?"

"Certainly not I," Elizabeth agreed.

"Did he tell you why he decided not to court Cordelia? He seemed eager enough to meet her the night we arrived in London."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, he never did tell me why. Indeed, I was certain would ask for your uncle's permission to call on her after we were invited to dinner, but he asked for Anne instead."

"It was odd. When Cordelia entered the room that evening, he seemed stunned. He said he remembered her, but I could not recall that they ever met more than once, for a few minutes. She was but fourteen or fifteen when...that summer. I would have an easier time believing he remembered Anne."

"Which is just as unlikely, considering that Anne was under her mother's rule at the time. He said that he only remembered Anne as a wallflower but had heard of her reputation." Elizabeth glanced at Cordelia, who she noticed had appeared on the dance floor with Viscount Axelby. "I noticed his reaction to Cordelia, but his reaction to Anne was even more startled than when he saw Cordelia. Do you know what I think?"

"What?"

"He actually remembered Anne. Cordelia looks enough like her that they pass as sisters, so that seeing one would make him think he was remembering the right person. Then when Anne arrived, he knew he was mistaken."

"Which brings us back to the question--why would he remember Anne?"

"I don't know." Elizabeth puzzled over it a moment before she remembered something. "I think I know! Do you remember that we, uh, well, you recall what happened the night of the engagement ball."

"Vividly, my dear Mrs. Darcy." He smiled.

Elizabeth grinned. "I love it when you call me Mrs. Darcy, but do not distract me." Elizabeth whispered in his ear. "We do not know what happened after we left."

Fitzwilliam thought about that a minute. They had left the ball rather abruptly that evening after Lydia's announcement and subsequent revelation of Georgiana's intended elopement. Anne had pretended to be Georgiana that night so no one would suspect the truth--and also so that George Wickham would have one less thing to bargain with at the end.

"You think they may have met then?"

"I do."

"But surely he would have remembered that the person he met was Anne de Bourgh, not Cordelia Fitzwilliam. And Cordelia was introduced to him before Anne appeared."

"Oh. I had not thought of that. Well, in that case, I cannot imagine what is going on." Elizabeth smiled. "All I know is that if Anne is the person who makes him happy, then I wish him joy."

"As do I," Darcy said. "But I still cannot help wondering..."

They continued their conversation and their waltz.

Oliver Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, was ready to burst with pleasure--and pride. For the first time since he had become Anne de Bourgh's guardian, the girl was pleasing him. She looked lovely, she was not making a spectacle of herself, and it appeared as though she was at last going to settle down and make a match with Lord Robin Hamilton.

Which meant that he could, at last, consider making a match for Cordelia.

Matlock looked about the ballroom for his eldest daughter but found her nowhere. He frowned at the thought of her missing the first waltz of the Season, but decided that it was nothing to be overly concerned about. He had seen the pack of young gentlemen surrounding her at the start of the evening. He was certain her dance card was full, and she was simply taking a break. She could not have known that this would be the first waltz.

"Anne looks lovely out there," Lady Matlock murmured as she returned to his side, bringing him back to his original thought.

"Indeed she does, Lissa. A credit to her mother and to us."

"I have been besieged by the wagging tongues in the crowd, all wanting to know about Lord Denby and Anne. They are all quite amazed that he has shown such a marked preference for her."

Matlock smiled at his wife. "To be quite honest, I still have trouble understanding why he came to court her, but I hope it shall never be said that I turned away an opportunity to find my niece a suitable husband."

"Of course not, dear." Lady Matlock's eyes searched the dance floor, as did her husband's.

Matlock was pleased to notice that Cordelia was dancing. He must have missed her earlier. It took him a few seconds to place her partner--Viscount Axelby, the heir to the Earl of Hemmings. A solid fortune, of good family, and one of the most honest, genuine people he knew. That might not be a bad match for his daughter...

"Matlock!"

The earl turned to see the Duke of Dorchester heading his way. He beamed. Simon Wolcott came from one of the oldest families in England and was distantly related to the King. Although he was a good deal older than Cordelia, he hoped that an arrangement could be reached once Anne was married to Denby.

He suspected that Cordelia would relish being a duchess. And it was not as if Dorchester were unattractive. He was simply a good deal older than her.

"Good evening, your grace," he said warmly.

"None of that nonsense for us, eh, Matlock?" Dorchester winked. "I suspect that soon we shall be quite close, once you get that--lovely niece of yours married off."

"We may well be," the earl said, looking at Cordelia as she danced. And once again, he caught sight of Anne and Denby just as the dance ended, and he smiled. "Quite soon."

The Unpleasantness in the Garden

With the seventh dance over, Anne was not surprised to find herself relieved...but at the same time, she felt oddly disappointed. The relief, she knew, was due to the fact that custom dictated that a young couple only danced twice together unless there had been a declaration of some sort, or there was the expectation of a declaration. This meant she no longer had to worry about Lord Robin wishing to dance with her.

The disappointment, she realized with a shock, was also due to the fact that she was not going to be allowed to dance again with him.

Anne was forced to put both emotions out of her mind when the wave of curiosity-seekers located her. The first to reach her was one of the worst gossips of the ton, Lady Markinson, the mother of two marriage-aged daughters who had heard of Lord Robin's difficulties. It was well known that she had hoped that he would make a match with one of them.

"Miss de Bourgh!" Lady Markinson exclaimed.

"Good evening, Lady Markinson," she replied with a small smile. The lady was not one of Anne's admirers, and would be less so now.

"I was not aware that you were acquainted with Lord Denby. When did this occur?"

"Lord Denby and I have known each other for nearly three years," Anne lied. "We met at his engagement ball at Pemberley."

"I see. And how long have the two of you been on such...friendly terms?"

"I am not certain what you are asking, Lady Markinson."

By this time, several of Lady Markinson's friends had joined her. Anne felt alone, surrounded in an enemy sea. She did not like the feeling.

"Well, first you bring the ball to a complete halt when you stopped on the dance floor, then you were waltzing together...heavens, I did not think two people could get that close!"

Anne felt a stinging in her cheeks. She had not thought they had been particularly close, and she had been aware the entire time of how close he had been. On any other occasion, she would have said half a dozen things which would have offended Lady Markinson and her friends. She would have taken her usual place as a harridan. But the uncertainty of her situation, coupled with her newly acknowledged emerging feelings for Lord Robin, left her with nothing to say.

Fortunately, someone else knew just the thing to do.

"I did not think they were close at all," Anne heard someone at the back of the group say. The surprise of someone disagreeing with Lady Markinson had the women stunned enough to let Mrs. Darcy through. With a warm smile at Anne, she turned to face the other women. "She was no closer to Lord Robin than your daughter was to her partner, Lady Markinson."

"Well, I never!"

"Apparently not," Mrs. Darcy replied.

Lady Markinson opened and closed her mouth several times, her complexion splotched with red. "It was most unseemly," she finally said.

"Why?" Anne finally asked. "Why would be unseemly for me to waltz with a man?"

"Well...well...you are...well, Miss de Bourgh, to be perfectly honest, you are a bit set in your ways," Mrs. Crosby said, coming to her dear friend's aid.

Anne knew what the woman was getting at, and being insulted in such a way snapped her uncertainty. Questions about Lord Robin she could not answer comfortably. Innuendoes about her age she could.

"I am set in my ways, am I? What ways would those be, and why should those ways make it wrong for me to dance with someone?"

Anne noticed Mrs. Darcy smiling even wider than before.

"You are an old maid, Miss de Bourgh. There is no need for shilly-shallying on this point. It has become well-known that you shall never marry. Lord Denby, however, is in want of a wife." Lady Markinson looked smug.

Anne paused for a moment, allowing the woman to think she had won. Then she said, "You have stated three things of which everyone here is well aware, and yet you still have not given me a logical reason for why I should not dance with him. We have known each other for quite some time. We find each other's company agreeable. He has even gone so far as to gain my uncle's permission to come courting...as well as my own."

There arose such a gasp from the assembled ladies that Anne laughingly thought there might not be any air left in the room.

"A man of Lord Denby's stature needs a young, biddable wife. A young lady he can mold into being the sort of wife he wants. She must have excellent social skills. She also needs to have a considerable fortune. In short, Miss de Bourgh, he needs--"

"I am curious to know how you came to the conclusions you did about what Lord Robin needs in his future wife," Anne said, cutting the woman off. "For it seems to me that if he wanted a young lady such as you described, he would have nothing to do with me."

"Can you deny, Miss de Bourgh, that you--"

"I shall deny anything, Lady Markinson, where it concerns the private matter of Lord Robin and myself. I know very well that your interest in this matter is not entirely unbiased. You have two unmarried daughters, do you not?"

Another gasp arose from the women, and Anne smiled.

"It would seem to me that you have a great interest in discrediting me in Lord Robin's eyes. If that was your mission in coming to seek me out, then I am afraid you shall be disappointed. He knows of my imperfections and he does not care. I would even venture to say that he likes me the better for them."

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner. Your mother may have had opinions of her own, but she was able to keep them to herself. You should have learned from her example."

"If you had truly known my mother, you would have known that she never kept an opinion to herself. If anything, I think I am carrying on her tradition of speaking my mind. I think she would even be proud if she were still with us today. I can only hope that I do not also acquire her habit--which seems to be a widespread one--of intruding in affairs which are none of my business."

Anne heard a muffled laugh behind her. With the most dignified curtsy ever performed, Anne turned her back and walked away from the woman, whose mouth was gaping. What surprised her was the lack of censure she saw on people's faces as she walked past them. Too many people had been the victim of Lady Markinson's poisoned tongue, she figured, for anyone to be upset with her this evening.

Anne had just taken a glass of punch when she saw Mrs. Darcy walking toward her.

"Well done, Anne," she said, beaming.

"Thank you."

"You certainly have made this St. Cecelia's ball one to remember. There are many people, myself included, who would like nothing more than to make that woman look ridiculous. That you succeeded is nothing short of remarkable."

"I wonder that no one else has ever bothered."

"Because no one else wished to see their place in society crumble."

Anne took a sip from her glass. "I suppose that having no real place in Society allows me to say what I wish." Taking another drink, she decided to ask a question. "Why have you never bothered?"

Mrs. Darcy reached for a glass of the punch for herself. "Quite honestly, I cannot remember. Most of the time, I do not care what people such as Lady Markinson say. There was a time when that was different, but not anymore." She searched about the ballroom. Anne followed her gaze and saw Mr. Darcy. "I had Fitzwilliam to support me when I came back to London."

"Most people do not have my cousin."

Mrs. Darcy smiled. "You know, this reminds me very much of a conversation I had with Lady Grace during my first Season."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I was nervous about making a fool of myself in front of polite society, and she told me about how nervous she had been when she had first come to London. I told her that she, at least, had Robin's father. I did not have anyone. She told me that I had her, and that should be all I needed. And she was right."

"She was a great lady," Anne said. "I wish I had known her better."

"She would have liked you."

"I very much doubt that."

"If she approved of me, the daughter of a cook and a coachman, for her son, she would have been even more thrilled with you. You are feisty, opinionated, and you do not allow anyone to dictate your behaviour. Lady Grace liked those qualities, because they were reflected in herself."

"Do you really think that?"

Mrs. Darcy nodded. "Anne, I know that you have said you shall never marry. I know your reasons and I cannot fault you for most of them. But Robin is an extraordinary man. I know that better than most people here."

"I am well acquainted with his attributes, Mrs. Darcy."

"Then you know how hard it is for him to shut out his pride in order to court you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because everyone thinks he is marrying you for your fortune. While I do not deny that money is a factor, I have sensed recently that he would marry you regardless of fortune. You may not be aware of this, but should he marry--"

"He shall receive a legacy from his mother. I did hear about that."

"Then you know that he does have his choice of marrying whomever he pleases. He wants you." Mrs. Darcy lowered her voice. "I know him. He has become wary and cautious when his heart is involved. In his life he has loved two women, neither of whom truly loved him in return."

"I think you care for him a great deal."

"You are trying to avoid the issue, Anne. You know that I care for him, but I did not love him as he deserved."

"And you think I can?"

"I think you have the power to make him extremely happy. And I think he has the power to do the same for you." Mrs. Darcy looked as though she would like to discuss it further, but her smile faded and she said, "Oh, dear. It appears that Lady Markinson has sent a new fleet to bother you about Robin."

"I do not think I want to discuss him with anyone else."

"I would not want to, either. If you would like to make a sudden exit, I shall delay them long enough to not make it seem as though you were running away."

"Thank you, Mrs. Darcy." Anne would have liked to have said something further, about how she had not thought Elizabeth Darcy liked her, or at the very least, preferred Cordelia over her, but there was no time.

Anne hastily walked away from the table where the punch bowl sat and worked her way out of the room. She finally reached the gardens and sat on a bench nearly hidden by shrubbery. She thought about Robin's comment on their history in gardens.

Perhaps, she thought with a smile, he might find her again.

Anne's flight from the ballroom did not go unnoticed. Lady Cordelia had been awaiting a chance to speak to her cousin about what she saw as her ghastly betrayal. Had it not been for the fact that she was in a public place, she would not have hesitated to call Anne out instantly, but she did not wish to have people talking of her the way they talked now of Anne.

She almost missed finding her cousin due to the shrubbery surrounding her. Cordelia saw the smile on Anne's face and the dreamy look on her face. She looked happier than she had in the past few weeks, and it made Cordelia's stomach twist into a knot. How dare Anne look so contented, when she had shattered all of her dreams!

Looking about her to make sure they were alone, Cordelia finally said, "You wretch."

Anne blinked several times and looked at Cordelia with surprise. "Del...I have been needing to tell you something for a while now."

"Apparently, you decided to let your actions speak for you." Before Anne could say anything, Cordelia continued. "I could have readily believed that any other woman in the ton would betray me, except for you."

"I did not mean to hurt--"

"How could you do this to me?" Cordelia winced to hear the shrill sound of her voice. She had told herself she would remain calm, perhaps raising her voice to let Anne know how furious she was with her. "You, of all people? You know how I feel about him! I confided in you, and this is how you repay me!"

"Del, please, I did not intend to..."

"And he felt the same about me. I saw the look in his eyes when we met. It was as though he had been struck with a thunderbolt...like he had never seen a woman before...it was magic."

Anne sighed. For some reason that Cordelia could not fathom, she looked sympathetic.

"He thought you were me," Anne said quietly.

You must be joking. No one who has seen the two of us together could mistake me for you. Cordelia laughed.

"I did not want to have to tell you this, but Lord Robin and I met three years ago in a rather memorable fashion. I did not give him my real name and so he did not know it was me until we saw each other again."

"He did not remember you. He remembered me. He said he remembered me."

"Only because he thought you were the girl he had met three years ago."

"Why would he be confused on the issue? How did the two of you meet?"

"In the gardens at Pemberley," Anne confessed. "The light was not good and he could not be completely certain of my true identity. Later, when I dressed as Georgiana so no one would know she was missing, I kept far away from him. And...the other reason he thought it might be you was that he had my mother's necklace."

"What necklace?"

Anne looked pointedly at Cordelia's neck. Unconsciously, her hand rose to play with the gold cross on a chain that she had been given for her sixteenth birthday. Every girl born to an Earl of Matlock owned one.

"I fail to see how that would have--"

"Mother's initials were engraved on the back, just as yours are on that one. He believed the necklace belonged to me, and that the initials were mine, until we met again."

The initials of Catherine Fitzwilliam. Cordelia realized that Anne was telling her the truth.

"Then I have been betrayed from the very beginning," Cordelia said softly. "You knew the truth, that he never had any interest in me at all, and yet you let me hope...you let me think you were going to help me."

"No. I told you, I did not mean for this to happen."

"You came here this evening, knowing this. You only pretended not to want Lord Robin to court you."

"That was not a lie, Cordelia. I tried to discourage him, but it did not work. Finally, when I feared he would go to someone else, I agreed to let him court me."

"Your actions of this evening have not been those of someone who had consented to being courted. You did not even look reluctant to tell those ladies that you were not interested in Lord Robin. Why did you choose tonight, of all nights, to agree to his suit?"

Anne did not speak, and Cordelia knew what her answer was going to be. She thought back to that awful carriage ride with Lord Axelby, and how every time Lord Robin and Anne had leaned close together to speak how she had hated her cousin.

"I could not summon the courage to tell you," Anne said. "I agreed before he left for Spain. Even then, I was doing it for you."

"You are lying. It was all for yourself."

"No!" Anne looked stricken. A small part of Cordelia wanted to feel sorrow at her cousin's pain, but it was blocked by all the anger. "It was not until tonight when G--when I realized that I was lying to myself. I told myself that I did not want to be courted by any man, that I did not like Lord Robin, but the truth is...I like him. I want the chance to be courted, just as you do."

"Of all the men in England, you had to choose the man I love."

"You make it sound like I deliberately set out to hurt you. I did not. I wish you would realize that. I have been agonizing over this for several weeks."

"And all the time you were supposedly suffering, you were playing me for a fool."

"No, I did not."

"You lied to me. You betrayed me. You do not care for me at all." Cordelia felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

Anne's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she said, "I do care for you, Cordelia. And it is because I care--"

"Do not give me the 'this is for your own good' rhetoric. I know that Lord Robin is what's best for me. I love him. I think if given a chance, he would love me. But you have been in the way the entire time, blocking his path to me."

"He has never had a path to you, Del. Why can you not see that?"

"Why can you not do the right thing--for all of us?"

"Because I cannot live my life knowing that he cared for me, might even have loved me, and I turned him away..."

Cordelia's mouth thinned. "You are being selfish about this, then?"

"I am not going to back down from my decision, if that is what you are asking. I do not see it as being selfish. I am sorry if you do."

"You are not sorry at all...and we shall see what Papa thinks of this mess!" With that, Cordelia turned briskly and walked back into the ballroom.

For several minutes after Cordelia left, Anne choked back sobs, lest someone overhear her and come to see what was going on. The last thing she wished was for someone to see her in a weak moment and perhaps attribute it to Lady Markinson's unkind words.

We shall see what Papa thinks of this mess.

Anne wondered what Cordelia thought Uncle Matlock would do if she went to him and told him that Anne was being selfish because she wanted to be courted by a nice man who might be in love with her.

Under ordinary circumstances, she might have laughed. Had the girl in question been anyone but her cousin, she would have no trouble finding humour in the situation. Unfortunately for her, it was Cordelia who was hurt, Cordelia who had made that threat, and Cordelia who was likely going to drive a wedge into the heart of the Fitzwilliam family by doing so.

Anne had little doubt that most of the family was going to take Del's side in this. Lady Melissa would wish to secure her daughter's happiness, as she was a romantic at heart. The brats would probably side with Del, as she was their sister. Mr. and Mrs. Darcy...well, Anne would once have said that they would side with Del as well, since Del had been a particular friend of Mrs. Darcy's when they had been visiting Pemberley last summer. But this evening Mrs. Darcy had come to her rescue and had encouraged her to consider Robin's suit. Perhaps she would not side with Del after all.

But the person who worried Anne the most was her Uncle Matlock. What would he say when Cordelia told her side of the story? She was her father's favourite child, next to his sons. Del clearly believed that her father would not deny her anything she wished, no matter who it hurt. Would her uncle tell Robin he was no longer permitted to court her but if he wished, he could court Cordelia? Anne did not think it would happen but she did have to consider the possibility.

There was one thing of which she could be certain. Despite everything in her head telling her that she was wrong, Anne's heart told her she had made the right decision. She deserved a chance with Robin, and she was not going to let Cordelia stand in the way of that.

Continued In Next Section