Olivia Atwater

He has the face of an angel, and the tongue of some foul... dockworker.”

Dora found it amusing that the countess apparently considered dockworkers to be an appropriate foil for angels. She was briefly distracted by the notion that hell might be full of legions and legions of dockworkers, rather than devils.

“I’m not certain what I did to insult you, my lord,” she said. “Have I offended you somehow, or am I simply conveniently-placed while you are otherwise upset?”

“...women who don’t understand personal boundaries always offend me,” Elias said finally. “Dim-witted people offend me even further.”

“Oh dear,” Dora said mildly. “That must be very difficult indeed.”

Already, the fair-haired man had begun to turn away from her—but he glanced back at that. “Pardon?” he asked. “What must be difficult, exactly?”

Dora smiled at him politely. “Being offended at yourself so very often,” she said. “That seems a sad way to live, my lord.”

Albert guffawed. “Oh,” he said. “She’s got you there, hasn’t she?”

Dora looked down at her food. It occurred to her only belatedly that the countess and her aunt had decided she ought to marry Albert, and never once consulted her on the matter. She wasn’t entirely certain how to feel about that.

He is quite kind, she thought. Though I only met him briefly. And it is a terrible shame that so many mamas and their daughters have been avoiding him only because of his arm.

But the idea that Dora was to be pawned off on Albert distressed her in a very vague manner. It did not seem right that he should be used in some scheme to snare his older brother. Besides which, Dora was quite certain that she did not have the capacity to properly feel love for anyone, and a man as sweet as Albert did deserve to be loved.

“What a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ettings,” she said. “Albert has spoken very highly of you. I hope we shall get the chance to speak further as the evening goes on.”

This was all very positive news, so far as her aunt and the countess were concerned. Dora rummaged up another smile. “I’m very flattered, Lady Carroway,” she said. “I shall try to live up to his praise.” She glanced at Albert, and added: “You weren’t too complimentary, I hope, or I shall have an impossible task ahead of me.”

Albert laughed and took her hand to bow over it. “I will measure my compliments in the future, Miss Ettings,” he said.

“Elias,” Albert greeted him, as they headed closer. “I see you have already driven away Lord Ferring. I think that must be record time for you.” He released Dora’s arm, and gestured towards her. “I have brought you a greater challenge.”

Elias arched one white-blond eyebrow. “I see that,” he drawled. “And what is it you wish for me to do with your dog, Albert? Shall I take it outside for a walk? Need I fetch it some treats from the table?”

Dora tilted her head at him. “You could try and teach me to speak,” she said. “But I fear that my diction is already better than yours, Lord Sorcier.”

Albert laughed, already sounding pleased. “I thought that you might take Miss Ettings for the first dance,” he said. “As soon as my mother decides to start things off.”

Elias narrowed his eyes at both of them. “I am not fond of this conspiracy,” he informed them. “One of you at a time is already bad enough. Two is quite intolerable.”

Dora turned innocently towards Albert. “Le sorcier insinue que nous serions intolérables,” she observed. “Quelle ironie.”

Albert shot her a delighted look. “Mais il a raison, non?” he replied. “Si nous parlons français, ce n’est que pour le contrarier.”

“Oh, that is beyond enough!” Elias fumed. “If you are going to insult me, at least have the decency to do it in the King’s tongue! Why did we even fight a war with the French, if not to keep them out of England?”

“Insult you?” Dora asked. “Why, we were doing nothing of the sort. I seem to have committed a faux pas, speaking in a language which eludes you. You have my deepest apologies, Lord Sorcier.” She drew out the French of his adopted title, with a perfectly sanguine expression.

“I appreciate your engagement in my troubles, Lord Sorcier. I hope you do not go to too much trouble on my behalf.”

“I go to exactly as much trouble as I like,” Elias told her, with another wry half-smile. “And none but the Prince Regent can force me to do otherwise, I assure you.” He paused. “Sometimes even he has his difficulties.”

“There is one new pregnant woman, unfortunately.”

“Unfortunately?” Albert asked, as he approached one of the beds. “Why is that particularly unfortunate?”

The workhouse master gave him a long-suffering sort of look. “Newborns can hardly do useful work to earn their keep,” he said. “It’ll be nothing but a drain on us as soon as it is born.”

“How terrible for you,” Dora said evenly, before she could stop herself. Albert shot her a sideways glance, but she saw a mute, frustrated agreement behind his normally-warm eyes.

Albert’s mother looked desperate now to change the subject again. But before she could interject to do so, a footman stepped into the dining room and cleared his throat. “Lord Elias Wilder, for Mr Albert Lowe,” the servant informed them.

Lady Carroway’s mouth dropped. “What, in the middle of dinner?” she demanded. “Why on earth would you let him in, Chalmers? You must tell him we are already entertaining!”

“The warmth of your welcome remains unparalleled, Lady Carroway,” Elias said dryly.

“Be reasonably kind to Miss Ettings,” he told Elias. “And I shall see about your book first thing tomorrow morning.”

The Lord Sorcier hissed in an irritated breath. But he shoved to his feet and offered one gloved hand out towards Dora. “I would like the record to state that I am doing this only under great duress,” he told them both.

“You may note it on my dance card later, if you like,” Dora told him. She took his hand, feeling odd as she did so. It was quite rare that she had any dance partner at all, though men did sometimes ask her out of pity. For all that the Lord Sorcier was clearly displeased at the notion, his hand was warm, and he was appropriately gentle with his touch. He smoothed the obvious scowl away from his features as they headed out onto the floor, and for a moment, Dora daydreamed that she was dancing with a handsome young man who wanted to be there with her.