heeding all the gossip she was receiving about the unknown persons who swam about the overheated room before her. She had grown by slow degrees from startled panic at the sight of so many exquisitely dressed people, to silent criticism of their obvious flirting and maneuvering, to contempt for their giddiness, to grudging admiration for their social grace, right back to startled panic when the imposing figure of Lord Leith had loomed up before her. She had long since reconciled herself to being an observer, an invisible person who could not be touched by anything but the warmth of the room, when he had startled her badly by asking her to dance. It had been the farthest thing from her min d and had chased away all judgment. She accepted that she was not the sort of female to attract such a gentleman, felt that there must have been some mistake, and knew only one thing for a certainty: that she could not stand up with him.
“Nonsense, Jess,” Sir Selby said. “You’ve more bottom than that. Never saw you frightened yet.”
“I shall dash off a note of apology,” Miss Eastwood declared staunchly.
“Saying what?” Lady Grantham asked acidly.
“That I am sorry I discomposed him, that I—”
“Discomposed him?” Lady Grantham hooted. “Alex? As if some chit refusing him a dance could even touch him! When he’s got the pick of the crop panting after him. No, you’re best off to forget it. But you’ve knocked all your chances into a cocked hat, my dear.”
“Ma’am,” Miss Eastwood said quickly in a gruff little voice. “I’m terribly sorry if I’ve overset your plans, but it wouldn’t do for you to think I’ve overset mine. For I’ve no illusions upon that head. It was kind of you to seek to assist me, but I well know that I’m not cut out for the social life. I’ve come to London solely to clear up matters of my father’s estate. I told you how it would be, and though I thank you, and truly, for your attempts in that direction, and for putting me up, I pray you understand that I know I’m not cut out to be a figure of fashion.”
It was a neat gentlemanly speech, but as it came from the lips of a young lady who had not even reached her majority, Lady Grantham only heaved a great sigh.
“Dear Ollie,” the young woman went on, looking over to Sir Selby, “I know you both meant it for the best, but as you see, I’ve made a muddle of it. It won’t do. When I wrote to you originally, I only wanted the direction of a good hotel. All your plans have been noble, letting me stay at Lady Grantham’s, attempting to introduce me to other young people, but I can only embarrass you further. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, O lli e, and I apologize sincerely, but I think you’ll agree that it’s best you let me find my own way.”
Before he could answer her, the coach rolled to a stop. As Lady Grantham alighted, still shaking her head, Miss Eastwood stayed Sir Selby for a moment. She whispered, with just the hint of a sob in her throaty voice, “Truly, Ollie, old friend, remember what Red Jack used to say, ‘A fellow can’t do more than his best.’ And you’ve done it.”
A moment later she was out of the coach and following her hostess up the steps.
Miss Eastwood excused herself quickly from a distracted Lady Grantham and took the stairs to her room with unbecoming haste. Once there, she commanded a sleepy lady’s maid. “Amy, pack. That’s right, and at once. I want us to be able to leave at first light. No, I’m not bosky. Just pack us up and be ready to come with me in the morning. We’re going to a hotel as originally planned.”
After her maid had left with a minimum of explanation offered and a maximum of doubt manifest in her expression, and after Miss Eastwood saw that her bags were neatly packed and stacked at the entrance to her room, she allowed herself to relax at last. She was a young woman of resolve and felt infinitely better now that she had things in hand at last
“Nonsense, Jess,” Sir Selby said. “You’ve more bottom than that. Never saw you frightened yet.”
“I shall dash off a note of apology,” Miss Eastwood declared staunchly.
“Saying what?” Lady Grantham asked acidly.
“That I am sorry I discomposed him, that I—”
“Discomposed him?” Lady Grantham hooted. “Alex? As if some chit refusing him a dance could even touch him! When he’s got the pick of the crop panting after him. No, you’re best off to forget it. But you’ve knocked all your chances into a cocked hat, my dear.”
“Ma’am,” Miss Eastwood said quickly in a gruff little voice. “I’m terribly sorry if I’ve overset your plans, but it wouldn’t do for you to think I’ve overset mine. For I’ve no illusions upon that head. It was kind of you to seek to assist me, but I well know that I’m not cut out for the social life. I’ve come to London solely to clear up matters of my father’s estate. I told you how it would be, and though I thank you, and truly, for your attempts in that direction, and for putting me up, I pray you understand that I know I’m not cut out to be a figure of fashion.”
It was a neat gentlemanly speech, but as it came from the lips of a young lady who had not even reached her majority, Lady Grantham only heaved a great sigh.
“Dear Ollie,” the young woman went on, looking over to Sir Selby, “I know you both meant it for the best, but as you see, I’ve made a muddle of it. It won’t do. When I wrote to you originally, I only wanted the direction of a good hotel. All your plans have been noble, letting me stay at Lady Grantham’s, attempting to introduce me to other young people, but I can only embarrass you further. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, O lli e, and I apologize sincerely, but I think you’ll agree that it’s best you let me find my own way.”
Before he could answer her, the coach rolled to a stop. As Lady Grantham alighted, still shaking her head, Miss Eastwood stayed Sir Selby for a moment. She whispered, with just the hint of a sob in her throaty voice, “Truly, Ollie, old friend, remember what Red Jack used to say, ‘A fellow can’t do more than his best.’ And you’ve done it.”
A moment later she was out of the coach and following her hostess up the steps.
Miss Eastwood excused herself quickly from a distracted Lady Grantham and took the stairs to her room with unbecoming haste. Once there, she commanded a sleepy lady’s maid. “Amy, pack. That’s right, and at once. I want us to be able to leave at first light. No, I’m not bosky. Just pack us up and be ready to come with me in the morning. We’re going to a hotel as originally planned.”
After her maid had left with a minimum of explanation offered and a maximum of doubt manifest in her expression, and after Miss Eastwood saw that her bags were neatly packed and stacked at the entrance to her room, she allowed herself to relax at last. She was a young woman of resolve and felt infinitely better now that she had things in hand at last