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By the end of the rown bold enough toan approving nod fro upon herself so intense a scrutiny fro man present that she felt a blush heat her cheeks

Finally, to Amanda’s disappoint the ladies to withdraw ‘We’ll grant you gentlemen one brandy,’ Lady Ravensfell said, ‘but with the ball soon to folloe’ll expect you shortly in the salon’

Still gloith enthusias salon To her delight, for she hoped to hear an, by the tiowns in the retiring roo into the parlour

Froreet his e spied her and walked over, Lady Ravensfell on his arm

‘Miss Neville, I hope you weren’t too bored by the dinner discussion,’ her hostess said ‘These gentle but politics’

‘On the contrary, !’ Aeto the discussions that I was a very poor dinner partner’

‘Miss Neville, you cannot believe I would be so unchivalrous as to assert any such thing!’ Lord Trowbridge protested ‘Mainable’

Lady Ravensfell gazed at her for so long, Amanda felt alarm spiral in her belly ‘I believe she is,’ her hostess said at last

At that moment, the butler beckoned to their hostess ‘I hope you will enjoy the ball as well, Miss Neville If you’ll excuse uests arrive’

Lord Trowbridge was called away also Unwilling to approach any of the senior officials or their wives on such slight acquaintance, Auests, waiting for Lady Parnell to finish conversing with a soentleman she identified as Lord Melcombe

Oh, how pleased and excited Mama and Grandht! Sain all the fascinating snippets of inforained fro policy

‘Pressed into silence by all this weighty discourse, Miss Neville?’ a voice at her elbow enquired

She whirled around to find herself facing the young man who’d nearly stared her out of countenance at the dinner table From Lady Parnell’s whispered commentary before dinner, she recalled that he was a cousin to Trowbridge

‘Not at all, Mr Hillyard I found the discussions fascinating’

‘Ah You’ve passed the test, then’

‘Test?’

‘If you want to retain Lucien’s favour, you must be up to snuff in the political arena Froe was certainly watching you like an Oxford don with his prize pupil I must confess, I was impressed myself Seldom do I find a chit worthy of the hyperbole when I hear some new nonpareil praised to the skies In this case, you may deserve the accolades’

Some ‘new nonpareil’—did hediscussed in such irreverent terive him a sharp set-down, but since that was ihty discourse”, if you please’

Hillyardladies would be thrilled to have set the ton buzzing even before their first appearance at a society ball I predict the speculation will increase even ht Poised and intelligent, as well as beautiful and well dowered? I ht have to enter the lists myself’

‘Please don’t go to any unaccusto he would leave and skirting as close to insult as she dared

‘Ah, a razor wit as well—better still But you needn’t fear I will plague you Lucien would never have let his mama invite me if I were considered a contender for your favour For one, I’ man Even should I be tempted to join the fray, Lady Parnell would never countenance your dallying with a man of my inadequate funds and…scandalous reputation’

Was he trying to shock her with his unsettling conversation, as he’d tried to rattle her by staring at her during dinner? Torn between anger and exasperation, she said, ‘I ht be only a simple country miss, but even I know Lady Ravensfell would not have invited a ue’

‘A reasonable assu not only kin to the Trowbridges, but wholly dependent upon theh not to alienate the providers of ht under his nose’