Shipmate: A Royal Regard Prequel Novella Read Free Page A

clumsily through a turn. “You put me to
shame, I’m afraid, though I am certain my skills are improved
merely by proximity.”
    “Er. Uh. Thank you?”
    When their dance was finished, mercifully
with no further need for words, Bella found herself unfortunately
thrust into the conversational fire at the refreshment table, with
Lord Holsworthy, Viscount and Viscountess Pinnester, and a glass of
lemonade.
    Before Bella was required to think of
anything to say, her aunt and uncle rushed across the room, and
Lady Effingale wrapped her arm around Bella’s shoulder.
    “My lords, my lady, I hope you will allow me
to introduce my niece, Miss Isabella Smithson.” Lady Effingale
kicked the side of Bella’s foot to initiate a curtsey, as though
she hadn’t already been introduced and made a perfect bow to each
in turn.
    Bella’s throat had closed at the attention
from strangers who so definitively outranked her, combined with the
likelihood of some new public humiliation at her aunt’s hands. The
viscountess kindly took her hand and made her compliments on her
embroidered dancing slippers, begging the name of the maker. The
ploy might have worked if Bella hadn’t answered without thinking,
“My aunt’s maid gave me the pattern, but I did the stitching
myself. The cobbler in the village set the soles.”
    Lady Effingale’s eyes flashed dangerous fire
at Bella, so she looked away, face flushed, only to see Lord
Pinnester’s eyebrow and lip curl upward in unison, until his wife
stepped on his toe and said, “I vow you are a finer needlewoman
than any in London, and it is so important to patronize the shops
in one’s home village.” She addressed no one in particular when she
asked, “Do you not agree?”
    “It is her first time at the Assembly
Rooms,” Lady Effingale apologized. “Isabella is surely tongue-tied
in the presence of such illustrious company.”
    Bella’s forehead furrowed. She was not entirely tongue-tied, and was certain, given the chance, she
could manage polite discussion with the viscountess, though
probably not her husband. Lord Holsworthy’s eyes twinkled in a way
she was sure must be scandalous, but he had neither said nor done
anything inappropriate, and every word he spoke seemed designed to
put her at ease.
    To fill Bella’s stricken silence, Lord
Holsworthy said, “I appreciate industry in a young lady. So many
place more stock than is seemly in feathers and furbelows, and have
little notion of a purposeful life.”
    Following closely on Aunt Minerva’s heels,
Charlotte dragged Alexander across the room, and another round of
bowing and curtseying ensued, while the Effingales and Firthleys
did their level best to all speak for Bella at once. No one wanted
to see her make a fool of herself. No need, when she had perfectly
good family members to do it for her. Lord Holsworthy refilled her
glass and spoke under the din, standing near enough she could smell
the pleasing scents of ginger and cardamom on his clothes.
    “I wonder, Miss Smithson, if you have ever
thought of traveling?”
    She choked on her lemonade, and he thumped
her on the back to clear the coughing from her throat.
    “Traveling?” she queried in a whisper. Find yourself a seagoing baroness or board your new flagship
without one.
    “I have spent my life at sea, and my travels
are the only things of which I can speak that might hold the
interest of a young lady. Though admittedly, she would have to be
quite unique indeed to find entertainment in my ramblings.”
    He was very sweet to be concerned about
whether he might bore her, when boring one’s conversation partner
was her stock in trade. He was kind to carry so much of the
dialogue among his friends, since she clearly had no idea what to
say.
    Since he had made the attempt to speak to,
not at or around her, like everyone else, Bella made the effort to
formulate an answer. “I find the idea of travel fascinating, though
I think it unlikely I shall be allowed to indulge