A Christmas Dance Read Free Page B

a stout, middle-aged maid exiting from a nearby room that “it goes round!” And then, to illustrate his point, grabbed the poor woman about the waist and danced her in a circle.
    The maid yelped in surprise. “Good heavens!”
    “Oh, no.” Patience moved forward, but the man had completed the revolution, deposited the woman on her feet and bolted down the hall before she’d managed to take more than a few steps. Unwilling to draw more attention to the matter than absolutely necessary, she checked her pace into a brisk walk. When they reached the maid, she was patting her chest and gaping at hersudden and uninvited dance partner as he disappeared around a corner.
    “Are you all right?” Lord Casslebury inquired.
    “Oh. . .Aye.” The maid gave a breathless laugh. “Aye. Didn’t do me any harm, that one. Don’t think he meant to.”
    “I’m sure he didn’t,” Patience agreed quickly, and just as quickly resumed her brisk walk down the hall.
    “You’re in a great hurry,” Casslebury commented as he stepped up to walk beside her. “Are you eager to see what he might do next?”
    It was her fondest wish to remain utterly in the dark on the matter of the old man’s behavior, but she hadn’t that luxury. “Naturally, I’m curious,” she responded in what she very much hoped was an offhand manner.
    They reached the ballroom just in time to witness the elderly man pushing his way through the tremendous crush. In his rush, he knocked over a footman carrying a tray of champagne flutes, but he seemed not to hear the shattering of glass on the ballroom floor, nor the angry shouts of guests at the unexpected shower of wine. He simply continued his advance into the room.
    “Oh,
no
.” Giving up all hope of appearing merely curious, Patience dashed forward and began to push her way through the throng of people.
    The man stopped suddenly at a small group of matrons, grinned broadly at a dour looking woman in a bronze turban, grasped her face with both hands, and planted a loud and rather lewd kiss on her lips. He was gone again before the lady could so much as raise a hand to slap at him.
    Next to her, Lord Casslebury appeared caught somewhere between amusement and disbelief. “Who the devil
is
that?”
    “I. . .” She elbowed her way further into the room. “I beg your pardon. I believe Mrs. Meldrin is motioning for me for me. I--”
    “I don’t see her.”
    She made a very broad, very vague wave in the direction of the front hall. “Over there. I have to go.”
    “Who is he--?“
    Another yelp sounded from somewhere in the room, along with another shattering of glass.
    “I’m sorry. I’m terribly sorry. I have to go.” Her heart in her throat, she turned away and left him.
    She hadn’t the faintest idea where Mrs. Meldrin might be, but she found Caroline at the edge of the ballroom looking rather pale.
    “Caroline, did you see--?”
    “Yes.” Her friend took her hand, gave it a reassuring squeeze, and led her into the front hall. “He’s gone upstairs.”
    “Oh, dear.”
    “I’m certain he’ll be fine. And guests aren’t paying him much mind.”
    “They paid plenty on the other side of the room. He knocked over footmen, broke heaven only knows what, and kissed Mrs. Lindsey on the mouth.”
    “Oh. Well.” Caroline winced sympathetically. “Father’s asked for the carriage to be brought round immediately. As soon as we find--”
    The elderly gentleman suddenly appeared at the top of the steps. Still grinning, he bounded down with the exuberance of a man half his age. “Bloody enormous place!” he exclaimed cheerfully. “How do I get out?”
    The moment he reached them, Patience placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Mr. Meldrin is having the carriage brought to the front. If you would sit for a minute, we’ll have you out and--”
    “No. No. Don’t trouble yourselves.” The man shook his head, and danced away from Patience’s grasp. “I’d something to do.