A Bride for the Season by Jennifer Delamere

She was not among the dancers, but that was no surprise. Lucinda tended to stick to the edges of a crowded ballroom, and James usually had no trouble locating her. Oddly enough, the only person he could not account for was Emily’s sister. Clearly Lady Cardington was not concerning herself at the moment with the whereabouts of her youngest daughter. Her corpulent frame was perched precariously on one of the chairs near a food table, and she was deep in conversation with the tall and shrill Mrs. Lady Cardington was hard to miss, though. No doubt he’d retreated to the large library to enjoy a cigar and brandy with the other old men who had no penchant for dancing.

He always craved something new, and tonight was no exception.Īs he finished his survey of the ballroom, James was happy to see that Lord Cardington, Emily’s father, was nowhere in sight. Groups large and small collected, broke up, and then re-formed, each taking a different dynamic from the people who were in it. There must be two hundred people in the room, yet it was not simply one block of people.

James’s gaze traveled across the glittering scene, taking in the dancers, the wallflowers, the matrons chatting by the punch table, and one young couple who were quietly slipping behind a large potted palm for a private tête-à-tête. No doubt it would have been heavily attended anyway-invitations to Lord and Lady Trefethen’s balls were always highly sought after. A mild evening after scorching-hot weather had lured many people out tonight. From this vantage point he had a good view of the ballroom. James remained by the open French doors, leaning casually against the wall as he watched Emily’s approach. Tonight, under the eagle eyes of her elder sister and her parents, who disapproved of James on the somewhat plausible grounds that he was an untrustworthy rogue, was just such a time. She was beautiful and vivacious, but she also knew how to be discreet when necessary. She paused to smile and return greetings from those she passed, so that her movement in his direction would not be noticeable to a casual onlooker. Plenty had fished for a marriage proposal, too, but their hints had been easy enough to sidestep.Įmily detached herself from the females giggling behind their fans and began to thread her way through the crowd. James had adored the company of such women for years, and he had yet to tire of it. There was a lot to be said for ladies whose primary aim was to look pretty, please the gentlemen, and have a good time while they were about it. She had been watching the dancing with a little cluster of debutantes who were almost as charming as she was. James Simpson sent a smile and a wink across the ballroom to Miss Emily Cardington and was pleased, as he always was, to see her reaction.Įmily blushed prettily and leaned in to whisper something to her friend.

A Bride for the Season by Jennifer Delamere