“And you’re hoping Lord Elmwood courts you?” Annabelle ventured, frowning.
Elspeth lifted her chin. “The papers are already hinting he may be the catch of the Season. If that’s true, I want him.”
Annabelle’s nostrils flared. If she’d had any idea how calculating and cold this young woman was, she wouldn’t have introduced her to David in the first place. “I hate to be the one to inform you, dear, but perhaps your mama has been remiss. Gentlemen ask the ladies if they are interested in courting, not the other way around. It’s not a particularly fair arrangement, but’s it’s the way of the ton.”
Elspeth stopped and pulled her arm away from Annabelle’s. “I’m quite certain you don’t miss my meaning. Lord Elmwood is the Season’s catch as far as bachelors go, and I am the Season’s catch of debutantes. We’re clearly meant to be together.”
Annabelle had to struggle to keep her face blank. The chit was mad. It was as if she was trying to claim David. As if such a thing were possible.
“Besides,” Elspeth continued. “Everyone knows you’ve been dead set for years now on becoming a spinster. You cannot possibly mean to finally go husband-hunting this Season.”
Annabelle’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her palms tingled. She’d like nothing better than to slap the impertinent young woman—but that would be unseemly. And Annabelle was not new to the intrigues of the marriage mart, even if they weren’t usually quite this egregious. No. The best way to handle a schemer like Elspeth was to make her worry.
“Perhaps the choice of gentlemen in the other Seasons wasn’t to my liking,” Annabelle said, ensuring a sly smile spread across her face this time.
“Fine.” One of Elspeth’s golden-brown eyebrows shot up. “Then the game is on. I do hope you’re not too old to handle it.”
This time, Annabelle couldn’t help herself. Her jaw dropped momentarily and her face heated. “You should hurry back to your mother, child. She might be looking for you.”
Elspeth turned to look over her shoulder at her mother and the gentlemen who were patiently waiting for her. “Yes, along with half the eligibles in London. I do hope you’ve enjoyed your years as the most coveted debutante, Lady Annabelle. They’ve come to an end.”
Annabelle glanced back at her own group, which David had just rejoined. “Good night, Lady Elspeth. I’ll be certain to tell Lord Elmwood you sent your regards.”
Elspeth narrowed her eyes on her, while Annabelle turned on her heel and walked away.
Chapter Fifteen
David watched as Annabelle came walking back toward where he stood with Marianne and Lady Angelina. He’d just finished dancing with the last of the three ladies they’d introduced to him. Annabelle was right. All three ladies were lovely and seemed clever and well-mannered. Of course, he would need to spend more time with each before deciding if he was truly interested in courting any of them.
Lady Heloise seemed kind and guileless. Lady Titiana was more reserved, but poised and witty. Lady Elspeth had seemed particularly eager to meet him, and appeared to know the most about him. She’d asked him more than one question about Brighton. She was probably the prettiest and most talkative of the lot, though her beauty didn’t compare to Annabelle’s.
“Did you enjoy your dances?” Annabelle asked him the moment she returned to his side.
David bowed to her slightly. “I did indeed. Were you dancing too?”
Annabelle poked a finger in her coiffure. “No, actually. I was taking a walk around the room…with Lady Elspeth.”
David’s brows shot up. “Lady Elspeth? Did she happen to say anything about me?”
“Ah, ah, ah,” Annabelle said as she took a flute of champagne off the tray of a passing footman. David and Marianne did the same. “A lady never discusses her private talks with other ladies.”
“I see,” David asked, but he couldn’t help but wonder what Lady Elspeth had said to Annabelle. Had she told her he was an unredeemable mess? He supposed that news would spread like wildfire through the ballroom if so.
“David,” Marianne interjected. “Do you fancy any of the ladies you’ve met tonight?”
David took a sip from his flute. “Fancy them? I just met them.”
Marianne waved a hand in the air. “I only meant do you find any of them to be particularly attractive, either in countenance or bearing?”
David shook his head. “They were all quite lovely. But for all I know, they don’t fancy me.”
“Don’t be difficult, David, just answer the question,” Marianne replied, a smile covering her face.
“Very well.” David sighed. “Lady Elspeth impressed me. She asked me about my time in the army and our lives in Brighton.”
Was it his imagination or did Annabelle frown? He was about to open his mouth to praise something about Lady Heloise but a familiar-looking man with dark-blond hair in fine-cut evening attire came striding up to them.
The man bowed to Annabelle. “My lady. Good to see you again.”
Annabelle made a perfect curtsy. Her face remained completely blank. “Lord Murdock.”
Murdock! Of course. He looked different in his formal evening attire, but he was the same man who’d been discussing the bets on Annabelle’s marriage status at White’s.
“I’d hoped you had reconsidered and would do me the honor of dancing with me, Lady Annabelle,” Lord Murdock said.
Reconsidered? That must mean he’d asked Annabelle to dance earlier, and she’d turned him down. That was interesting.
This time Annabelle smiled at him prettily before saying, “It would be my pleasure, my lord.”
Murdock gave them all a self-satisfied smirk, while Annabelle handed her champagne flute to her mother. Lady Angelina’s eyes were wide as tea saucers watching Annabelle leave their little group.
David observed them with a decided frown on his face as they made their way to the dance floor. That blowhard had bet money on whether Annabelle would marry this Season. Did he intend to be the lucky groom?
The moment the couple began the waltz that had just begun to play, Lady Angelina turned to Marianne. “That’s strange. I haven’t seen her accept a dance with a truly eligible gentleman in an age.”
“Really?” Marianne asked, her gaze glancing from side to side. “Do you think she’s finally interested?”
Lady Angelina’s eyebrows shot up. “I don’t know, but Lord Murdock is considered by many to be the best catch in London, especially now that Beau, Lord Worthington, and Lord Kendall are all betrothed.”
“Hasn’t he been after her all these years? She’s shown no interest before, has she?” David interjected, suddenly feeling out of sorts. He glared at the couple on the dance floor.
“He was recently tossed over by Lady Julianna Montgomery, who is now engaged to our dear Lord Worthington,” Lady Angelina added.
“Oh, yes,” Marianne replied, frowning. “I remember that name now. Julianna told me he threw a fit when she jilted him. He sounded quite unpleasant.”
“It was quite a scandal last autumn,” Lady Angelina said, nodding. Then she lifted her light brows. “But a handsome, rich marquess is always welcome back to the marriage mart. I do hope Annabelle has changed her mind about allowing him to court her. They make a lovely pair, don’t you think?”