Chapter Nineteen

One week later.

"Temperance, I am most displeased with you."

Temperance blinked in surprise as her mother came into the drawing room, seemingly oblivious to the presence of both Lady Hartford and the Duke himself.

"Displeased?" Temperance asked, uncertain as to why her mother had cause to be angry with her. "I do not see why."

"Because you are attending Lord Barlington's ball with a gentleman who is not Lord Barlington!" her mother exclaimed, though the Duke's eyebrows lifted in clear surprise at what she had said. "You should have refused Lord Calverton."

"And why should she have done that?" Lady Hartford asked, before Temperance could say anything. "That is a very strange thing to say, sister. I would have thought that you would have been pleased that your daughter had been asked to the ball."

"Indeed, my dear, I do think you are being a little harsh." The Duke, who had not had cause to say anything thus far and, indeed, over the last week had not said a single word of encouragement as regarded Lord Barlington, lifted his shoulders and then let them fall. "Lord Calverton is just as respectable a gentleman as Lord Barlington. Why would you be disappointed that such a fellow would ask Temperance to the ball?"

"Because he is not a Marquess! Lord Barlington is a Marquess and we have always said that we want our daughters to marry the very highest title we could manage."

"But you forget that Lord Barlington is not someone that your daughter is inclined towards," Lady Hartford said, spreading out her hands. "But Lord Calverton clearly is. Whether he is a Marquess or not, surely your daughter's own considerations ought to come first."

The Duchess shook her head. "That is foolishness, sister. You know very well that it is the responsibility of a mother to make certain that their child is given as great a situation as possible, regardless of their own seeming sensibilities." She gestured to her husband. "And you yourself said that you believed it would be good for Temperance to consider Lord Barlington again. "

"Yes, but that was before it became clear that Lord Calverton was interested in her company also," the Duke replied, a slight heaviness to his tone which grew all the more apparent as he continued to speak. "You may be determined for Temperance to marry a Marquess but I think that an Earl is just as acceptable."

"Thank you, Father," Temperance murmured, relief filling her as she saw her father smile. "Lord Calverton is much more pleasing to me than Lord Barlington, I confess."

"I quite understand."

"Though I do not and I will continue to encourage you towards Lord Barlington," her mother snapped, her face now flushed with obvious anger. "You are making a mistake there, Temperance. You could be a Marchioness rather than a Countess! I could be the mother of such a person and instead, you seek out the lower titled gentleman simply because you are unwilling to forgive Lord Barlington for one foolish mistake."

Temperance curled her hands tightly as she fought the urge to throw back an equally biting remark about Lord Barlington to her mother. To her mind, Lord Barlington was nothing but odious and she was beginning to despise her mother's clear determination to force them back together. It was not about her happiness, Temperance knew, but rather than her mother desired for all her daughters to be as well married as they could be, regardless of their own feelings. How grateful she was now for her aunt and even for her father, glad that he was not pushing her towards Lord Barlington also!

A scratch came to the door. "Lord Calverton has arrived," the butler told her, as the Duchess stamped one foot on the floor in obvious frustration.

"Let us go, Temperance," Lady Hartford smiled, as Temperance got to her feet. "We will see you both at the ball."

Temperance nodded and, ignoring the angry look on her mother's face, made her way to the door. She was more than ready to escape this conversation and instead, find herself again in the company of Lord Calverton.

***

"Well, for all that Lord Barlington has not been present in this area for long, he does seem to have thrown an excellent ball." Temperance grimaced as Lord Calverton shot her a look of surprised. "Loathe though I am to admit it, of course!"

He chuckled then, making her smile. "I confess that I am not at all eager to say such a thing about the fellow either, though this room is magnificently decorated, the food is marvelous and the orchestra are quite proficient!"

"Indeed," Temperance sighed, making Lord Calverton's lips twitch as she fought to hide her own laughter. "I will admit that I did very much want for this evening to be something of a failure, though that does reveal my rather cruel heart, does it not?"

Lord Calverton's smile quickly faded as he shook his head. "No, I would not say that there is any cruelty there, Lady Temperance. After all that has taken place, I quite understand it."

"And you do not think ill of me?"

When he shook his head again, Temperance found herself smiling with relief, glad to know that his opinion of her had not faded by such an admittance. She wondered for a moment, if there had been anything other than the hope of saving her from Lord Barlington that had come with his request to accompany her to the ball. She herself had to admit that she found Lord Calverton's company more than a little wonderful and, if the truth were to be known, she was beginning to find herself rather drawn to him. He was a very handsome fellow, with a softness about his character which, despite his often serious expression, brought with it a tenderness of heart. The way he had sought to protect her, the way he had come to her defense time and again and the urgency with which he had responded to her prompting had made her all the more eager for his company. Dare she let herself think that there might be something of a return of her consideration of him? Dare she believe that there was something more to that?

Temperance took in a deep breath and then released it again, aware that she would soon have to step out of the shadows of the back of the room and out into the company of the other guests.

"Should you like to dance this evening, Lady Temperance?" Lord Calverton's voice was soft, a gentleness there which made her heart quicken. "I can understand that you might wish to hide away for the remainder of the evening, however, and if that is the case, then I will be more than delighted to stand with you. Though," he continued, a smile beginning to pull at the sides of his mouth, "I think that you should step forward in courage, regardless of the fact that Lord Barlington is present."

"And despite the fact that others will gaze at my face and whisper about it?" Temperance murmured, feeling the heat in her face grow all the more as Lord Calverton's smile became sympathetic. "I will not pretend that I am unaware of my scar, Lord Calverton. You have been very good not to mention it, but – "

"There is nothing to say," he interrupted, gently. "That scar does not define you. It does not tell me who you are nor what your character is like. Those are things that I have been able to determine simply by being in your company – and I confess to you that what I see is nothing but beautiful."

Temperance smiled quickly, her heart slamming hard against her ribs, a warmth beginning to flood her core. She did not know where to look, finding herself a little uncertain when she let herself glance in his eyes. Was he speaking as a friend might, seeking only to encourage her? Or was there something more there?

"I am sorry for the times you have been rejected or made to feel as though you are worth nothing because of what you bear upon your cheek," Lord Calverton finished, taking a small step closer to her, his voice only a little louder than a whisper now. "I can assure you, I am not someone who would ever do such a thing. I think very highly of you indeed, Lady Temperance. I think you are the most marvelous creature I have ever had opportunity to meet and I count myself blessed for the time we have spent together thus far."

Temperance lifted her chin, Lord Calverton's words bolstering her courage. "Then I shall dance," she stated, taking her dance card from her wrist and offering it to him. "Though it has been some time since I have stepped out and therefore, I am a little concerned that I might make some mistake!"

"Ah, there you are!"

Temperance's hand froze on her dance card as she held it out to Lord Calverton, her stomach twisting hard as Lord Barlington came to join them. He reached for the dance card only for Lord Calverton to quickly take it from Temperance's hand.

"I believe that Lady Temperance was offering her dance card to me, Lord Barlington," he said, a little smartly. "You would not be rude enough to snatch it from me, I am sure!"

"Oh, of course not. "

"And as Lady Temperance has just stated, she may only wish to dance once or two dances." Lord Calverton quickly wrote his name down on two dances and then handed the card back to Temperance, his gaze steady as he gave her a small nod as though to encourage her to remain steady against the face of Lord Barlington's insistence. "Which, of course, is the lady's prerogative."

"And I have no wish to dance with you, Lord Barlington," Temperance interjected, looking into the face of her once-betrothed and lifting her chin a notch. "I have no interest in even continuing a conversation with you, which I am certain you understand."

"I do not understand in the least!" Lord Barlington exclaimed, his expression growing dark with either confusion or anger. "I have done all that I can to beg for your forgiveness for my foolish actions and yet, you seem determined to hold it against me! You will not even tolerate my presence? How can that be?"

"Because you hurt my heart a great deal, you pained my soul and the consequences of your actions lingered long into my life. Though I have begun to recover from it now, thanks to new acquaintances." Temperance let her gaze drift to Lord Calverton and, seeing his hazel eyes soften, let herself smile. "I look forward to our dances, Lord Calverton."

"As do I." He smiled and then offered her his arm. "Since we are at the ball together, Lady Temperance, might you walk with me around the room? It would be of interest to me to see which of the other gentry are present."

She nodded and took his arm at once, not so much as glancing at Lord Barlington again. She heard him make some sort of guttural exclamation, something deep in his throat, but she did not so much as throw him a look. Instead, she felt her heart fill with a great and almost overwhelming respect and affection for this gentleman, the one who had – yet again – protected her from Lord Barlington. Not only that, he had given her the courage to speak openly, honestly and firmly and, in doing so, had helped her push Lord Barlington as far back as she could.

Whether Lord Barlington would be willing to give up as yet, she did not know.