Mary frowned.
“Then your father must trust him,” she said.
Rose nodded and smiled as she recalled how fondly her father had spoken about the Specter.
“He does,” Rose said.
Mary resumed her pace, and Rose followed right behind her.
“Well, then who was the second man?” Mary asked. “He certainly could not be as intriguing as the Specter.”
Rose blushed.
“Intriguing in a different way,” she corrected.
Mary looked at her.
“Well, tell me, who is he?” she asked, growing impatient.
“Daniel Eaton, Earl of Elbrook,” she said.
Mary’s mouth fell open, and Rose thought she saw envy in her friend’s eyes.
“The Specter and an Earl, all within such a short time,” she said. “Perhaps it is you who will not need a coming out dance.”
Rose laughed.
“A short time, indeed,” she said. “I met them both the same night.”
Mary gasped again.
“I suppose next, you will tell me that you married a king last week, and forgot to invite me,” she said, putting her hand to her chest.
Rose gently and playfully nudged Mary with her fingertips.
“Wicked, wicked woman,” Rose said.
Mary joined her in her laughter. Then, she waved her hand delicately at her face.
“It is getting a bit warm,” Mary said. “How about we go somewhere for tea.”
Rose dabbed at the moisture that had just begun forming on her forehead.
“That sounds lovely,” she said.
The ride to the tea house was a quick one. When they arrived, Rose noticed that there were quite a few patrons there. It was not uncomfortably packed, but there was something of a crowd. That was why, when she felt a gentle pressure on her arm, she at first ignored it. She was certain that it was likely someone trying to make their way through the crowd just as they were. When it happened a second time, and the touch lingered on her arm for a few seconds, rather than vanishing immediately, she turned her head to see the source. She found herself looking into a pair of bottomless blue eyes.
“Lord Elbrook,” she said, both surprised and pleased.
“Good day, Miss Danvers,” Daniel said, taking her hand and gently kissing her knuckles. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Yes,” she said, feeling herself blush. “And thank you for choosing a different method for gaining my attention this time.”
Daniel laughed heartily.
Rose had almost forgotten about Mary, until her friend cleared her throat loudly behind her.
“Lord Elbrook, I would like for you to meet my closest friend, Mary Sanders,” Rose said. She stole a glance at her friend, who was now smiling sweetly and stepping closer to where the pair stood.
“Good day, Miss Sanders,” Daniel said, bowing to her with a warm smile. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Charmed,” Mary said with a giggle. Then, she smiled widely at Daniel again. “Would you care to join us for tea?”
Daniel smiled but shook his head.
“You are too kind,” he said. “But I have a meeting in just a few minutes. Please, accept my apologies.”
Rose tried to not let her disappointment show.
“That is quite alright,” Mary said. Rose could sense that she, too, was a little disappointed. “Perhaps some other time.”
“I would love that,” Daniel said. Then, he turned his attention back to Rose.
“There is a ball coming up in a couple of weeks,” he said. “Is there a chance that I might see you there?”
Rose gave a little gasp. She had been so busy with her own ball that she had almost forgotten about the ball she had promised to attend with her father, which was the ball to which Daniel was referring.
Rose felt Mary give her a nudge from behind, and she had to resist the urge to glare at her friend. She looked at Daniel and smiled again.
“Yes,” she said. “My father and I plan to attend.”
Daniel’s face lit up, so much so that Rose had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.
“Then I shall press my luck just a bit further,” he said, obviously excited. “Would you be so kind as to reserve the first dance for me?”
This time, Rose did laugh. His enthusiasm was beginning to remind Rose of that of a young child, and it was certainly infectious. Before she was even aware that she was going to speak, she nodded.
“Yes,” she said. “The first dance will be yours, Lord Elbrook.”
Daniel grinned and kissed Rose’s knuckles once more.
“I look forward to it,” he said. He looked at Mary once more. “And it was a pleasure to meet you.”
Mary curtseyed. With a final smile and cordial nod of his head, Daniel turned to make his way through the growing crowd in the tea house and out the door. Rose watched him leave, acutely aware of how fast her heart was beating.
When Rose turned back to Mary, her friend was looking at her, eyes wide.
“Lord Elbrook is quite handsome, indeed,” Mary said.
Rose blushed.
“Handsomer than Lord Varkus?” Rose teased.
Mary put her hand to her mouth with a quiet giggle.
“Perhaps as handsome,” she said.
Rose and Mary both laughed as they made their way to a vacant table.
***
After her day with Mary, Rose went home to dress to go to the theater to help her father that night. Running into Daniel had been a pleasant surprise, indeed, and she found herself smiling as Sarah helped her dress, as well as looking forward to the upcoming ball for the very first time.
She also felt a little guilty, however. She liked Daniel, to be sure, but her thoughts kept drifting to the Specter. She had not seen him again since the night she had met him, even though she had been back to the theater several times, and she kept hoping that she would get to see him again. She knew that it was not proper for her to have such an interest in the mysterious man. He was unknown to everyone in the ton, and he was an actor, as well. It was because of that very mystery about him that was feeding her interest, however, and society’s opinion of such a match did little to dampen that interest.
Once at the theater, Rose immediately began looking for the Specter. She even went to the veranda a couple of times, in case he was hiding out there again, as he had been the first time they met. However, he was not. Soon, her father noticed her preoccupation, and gave her a bemused look.