She had little to do, in truth. Julia’s presence denied her many responsibilities and she was finding it hard to fill the hours of her days. “After breakfast, I was going to read today’s paper if Valentine did not take it with him. And, if there are no callers, I will resume my embroidery.”
Melanie hoped no one came today.
Julia slumped against the bedpost. “Embroidery again? Please, please don’t suggest I join you in that.”
Melanie chuckled softly. Sitting still for the morning was not Julia’s favorite activity. And when she did turn her attention to her embroidery, Julia often ended up stabbing her needle into her finger more times than into the piece she’d been assaulting. The complaints were endless. “I would never suggest it. Perhaps we could convince Valentine to take you for a stroll along the shore when he comes back.”
“We have not decided on Lady Watson’s birthday gift as yet. Last year she was a miss and now she’s a baroness. I have no idea what to give her this year. Her party is the day after tomorrow.”
“Yes, I remember.” That was a party she wasn’t invited to, not that she didn’t understand why Imogen would exclude her. She didn’t deserve an invitation, not after the way she’d behaved. Walter might have suggested making up for past mistakes would be easy, but in her experience, it was terribly hard. She didn’t know how to even start with Imogen.
Julia twirled a red curl around her finger. “What about dance instruction as something to do today? You wrote your parents that you could help me prepare for the Oxford Ball next year and Imogen is sure to want to dance at her party. I should practice.”
Melanie winced. Dancing would deny her the quiet morning she’d been hoping for, but this was not her house anymore. Julia was mistress of it now and her own needs came second. “I told my parents a great many things. There really isn’t anything wrong with your method.”
“But I’m not as graceful as you.” Julia nodded. “You look very elegant when you dance. I don’t want to embarrass the family when we do visit Oxford.”
Melanie thought a moment. “All you really need to do is be a little less enthusiastic. You’re supposed to let your partner lead
you
, not you lead him around the dance floor.”
Julia winced. “I’ll have to practice. Valentine will be home soon. I want him to see that I’m trying.”
Melanie stared at Julia, a girl she’d once dismissed as hopelessly wild but now saw simply had lacked a good example to mimic and someone to please. She was willing to try to change a little and all because of Valentine’s love.
The discovery made her feel a trifle envious. There was no one she’d change herself for; well, not so far. There wasn’t one man who had sincerely tried to claim even the tiniest portion of her heart, and as had been pointed out yesterday, there might never be. That fact should comfort her, but it didn’t. After all, she was trying to avoid becoming a wife. “Very well, we can practice dancing today.”
Julia clapped her hands. “This is going to be so much fun. Thank you.”
Five
“You are not getting out of here without taking a turn,” Valentine whispered as the sound of the pianoforte once again filled the room with beautiful sound. The parlor had been cleared for dancing and Valentine’s wife was waiting in the center for a partner to come back to her, looking incredibly lovely and altogether anxious. Why Valentine wanted another man here was a complete mystery. He should want to be alone with his wife.
Well, more or less alone.
Walter cast a second glance at the other occupant in the room. Always lovely, always elegant and unruffled, Melanie Merton had largely ignored his arrival in favor of choosing music to play. “What do you need
me
for?”
Valentine frowned. “To keep Melanie company while we dance.”
He raised a brow. His head was still spinning from Valentine’s accusations yesterday that he was interested in Melanie. He most assuredly was not. Yesterday he’d done no more for her than he would have done for any of his friends’ sisters. And then today, he’d only stopped in on his way back from the vicar’s because he’d heard the music.
However, discovering an impromptu dance lesson in progress had been too amusing to walk away from immediately, so he had stayed a while. A decision now he should perhaps regret. “Will I be accused of having designs on her later?”
“Of course not. I don’t know what I was thinking to say that. You’re a good friend to all of us. I’m very lucky she’s so comfortable around you that you managed to find out what troubled her.”
“Fortunate timing. Nothing more. I caught her at a weak moment.” Walter shrugged.
“Please. A reprieve for my toes is needed,” Valentine whispered. “I don’t know why Melanie allowed this.”
“The Oxford Ball is important to your parents. Besides, how could Melanie say no to what your wife wants? It is Julia’s home now and this is how it’s supposed to be,” Walter murmured out the side of his mouth.
Valentine appeared startled by his observation and stared across the room. “Do you think she’s upset about that too?”
“How could I know, but it doesn’t take a brilliant mind to see the situation has changed due to your marriage. The ladies are smiling at each other still so I don’t believe there’s anything to worry about. Let me tell you now, though, that it is not easy to be the odd man or woman around newlyweds.”
He moved toward Julia. What could it hurt to stay a while longer? “Mrs. Merton, forgive my presumption but would you be agreeable to having tea sent in? Dancing is thirsty work and I understand you’ve had a very busy day so far.”
Julia Merton grabbed her husband by the hand and towed him back to the center of the room. “If you insist.”
“That is a fine idea, Mr. George,” Melanie said, glancing up swiftly at the squabbling couple then back down to the keys with a frown. “Or any moment there might be no marriage,” she muttered.
He laughed quietly so the warring spouses didn’t hear and hurried to find the housekeeper, who was more than happy to serve something very quickly to ensure the peace was kept.
When he returned, he caught Melanie staring at her brother and his wife as they bickered over whose fault the latest stubbed toe was with such a strange expression on her face that he froze. She appeared almost wistful. He hoped bringing up the past as he had yesterday hadn’t been a mistake.
Her head snapped around and she spotted him staring at her. She chose new music and set it precisely before her.
He stopped close to her and she began to play, one eye on the keys, one on her brother and sister-in-law as they fumbled through the steps of a waltz. Over the years, Imogen had dragged him to many a public recital, but the ones he had enjoyed most always included Melanie’s performances. She played so effortlessly he couldn’t help being impressed, even when he’d wanted to find fault with her for that too.
Valentine winced and started to hop. The music ceased.
“Forgotten how to dance, Val?” he teased.
The look Valentine sent him was pure irritation. “I would dance perfectly well if my wife would let me.”
That remark brought a chill into the new bride’s expression. He moved nearer to them, puzzled at how two people so obviously in love could not perform the simple function of dancing together. Julia was one of his favorite partners. She wasn’t at all relaxing, but she certainly did know the steps of every dance.
He bowed to her extravagantly and held out his hand. “May I?”
Val backed away quickly with a disgusted scowl and Melanie commenced to play once more. As he’d expected, Julia followed his lead but he did need to keep a firm grip and force her to bend to his pace and style of dancing. After a few turns about the room, he bent his head. “You’re doing well,” he whispered.
“Tell
him
that,” she grumbled.
Her posture changed after her words and he quickly guessed she was much too tense to enjoy herself. When he’d danced with her before the marriage, she’d been bubbling over with excitement at every step, but now she was trying much too hard. “My dear, could you ease your grip on my hand the tiniest amount? You have nothing to prove to me.”
She bit her lip and glanced past his shoulder to where her husband stood waiting with such a tortured expression that he brought them to a halt again. She winced and whispered, “Do you think he regrets he could not have done better?”
Walter had thought the marriage had ended Julia’s doubts, but apparently not. “Stuff and nonsense. Since you are asking me, I think you are exactly what he needed in a wife. He’d be much too boring otherwise.”
“I’ll never be as elegant as Melanie.” Her shoulders sagged. “I’m a disaster.”
“If you were beyond help, he would probably love you more.” He glanced up and met Melanie’s gaze over Julia’s shoulder. “He would be a fool to want you to mimic her. You have as many worthy accomplishments as she does.”
Julia blushed. “I wish I’d had you for a brother instead of Linus. Imogen was so lucky to have you in her life.”
“She would laugh to hear you say such an outrageous thing and come after me with pins to deflate my ego.” He smiled as he caught Melanie watching them, her frown proving she was trying very hard to hear their conversation. “My sister only sees my faults.”
“What are they again?” Julia asked and then laughed, and the moment of dissatisfaction on her part appeared to pass.
After a time, Melanie surrendered her position at the instrument to Valentine and as he took up the tune, she stepped up behind Julia. “Relax your shoulders, Julia dear.”
Julia took a breath and her shoulders dipped the smallest amount. Walter’s ability to lead seemed now less of a struggle with Melanie guiding his partner.
He nodded slowly, pleased with the change. “You see, only a little adjustment is needed. Dancing, like marriage I suppose, is an act of faith and compromise. Just be yourself and all will be well.”
Melanie’s eyes widened momentarily at his bold words. He’d seen enough of marriages, good and bad, to make that suggestion. When two parties in a marriage refused to yield their opinion and make allowances for an opposing point of view, the union always suffered for it.
He spun them to a gentle stop. “Valentine, your turn.”
Julia’s shoulders sprang back up.
Melanie moved back into position behind Julia, set her hands on her shoulders until Valentine had taken his place. Walter did not play an instrument so he clapped out a beat he hoped they could move easily to. With Melanie’s help, the newly wed couple’s next steps seemed a great deal smoother. Melanie joined him near the windows soon after and watched the pair in comfortable silence.
He leaned close. “What do you think?”
“They need to practice more often together, but I think they’ve made progress. Thank you for reassuring her.”
“My pleasure.” He paused a moment as the Merton’s spun by. “Shall we join them?”
“Here? There’ll be no accompaniment.”
He ceased clapping but the newlyweds continued despite the silence, at last in harmony on the dance floor. He hoped it held. “Why not? If we join them, surely they will keep dancing too. Besides, we’ve danced together since you were six. I imagine we could do it with our eyes closed.”
He brought Melanie into his arms, perfectly ready to dance in their usual fashion. Melanie was a very good dancer, she let him lead, and he found her rather a soothing partner.
Her eyes fluttered shut as they moved and he was astonished. “What are you doing?”
“Testing your theory.”
A few turns later, he was surprised to feel himself grow self-conscious. He was used to her trust on the dance floor, but not her complete surrender to his control. As they moved around the room silently, an urge to tug her closer into his arms grew. Her eyelashes were very long and dark across her cheeks. He widened his fingers on her back and with a subtle pressure, drew her closer than he would normally do in public. A small huff was all the rebuke he received and he made no further changes.
She glanced up at him at last and licked her lips.
A shock of pure desire filled him and he tightened his grip on her hand as every futile, improper thought he’d ever harbored swamped him at once. He should not, could not, think that way about her. Not ever. He tore his gaze away to stare over her head until the feelings passed.
When the rattle of the tea tray forced them apart, Melanie rushed away to serve everyone and he was very glad for the distance. She didn’t look him over with a frown when she delivered his cup, but he thought her strangely agitated.
He couldn’t understand what had changed to make him feel desire for her, of all women. It made him feel uneasy and strange and self-conscious. He wasn’t the sort of man she would look at twice, and neither should he consider
her
in that manner. There was much about her he didn’t like, particularly her prickly, cutting demeanor.
When she sat, she chose a chair far away from him but kept peeking at him. Had she guessed the direction his thoughts had taken?
He worked hard to suppress his confusion as he sipped his tea, made exactly as he liked it without the bother of being asked to decide what went in. He stared at the cup a moment, realizing Melanie drank hers exactly the same.