It was almost painful for Gabrielle to have to focus on the trivialities of society this evening. She wanted nothing more than to get a few minutes alone to put her thoughts in order. She had never expected to see that face again, and certainly not here of all places. She forced herself to smile as her host’s guests came to exclaim over her, the poor French emigré with not a friend or possession in the world. She was told over and over how lovely she looked. When she had expressed little interest in selected a dress for the evening, Sir Percy had seemed shocked and had proceeded to make the choice himself. She had to admit it was exquisite. But her mind was on matters of a completely different nature.
“May I present Mademoiselle Gabrielle Jolin.” She became aware that Percy was next to her, with another of his friends. “This is Henry Leggett and his fiancée, Miss Alexandra Williams.”
She was instantly alert, as she offered her hand to the young gentleman in front of her. She had almost forgotten her main goal for the evening, but seeing this face brought it back to her. She was absolutely certain that this was one of the men who had helped to rescue her from France. The light in the cabins of the ship had not been good, but the profile was unmistakeable.
“It’s a pleasure, mademoiselle,” he said earnestly. “I trust Percy is taking care of you, and I am glad you are safely out of Paris.”
More of Percy’s friends stepped up to be introduced and Leggett and his companion moved off. She tried to follow their path across the room while smiling and curtseying to the other men and women before her. She had to find a way to speak with him. Finally the receiving line dwindled and she excused herself from the group.
Before she could locate the couple, though, the musicians who had been setting up in the corner of the room began to play. “At last!” she heard Sir Percy exclaim as he rushed to the center of the room. “I have been dying for a minuet all evening.”
The crowd began to move to the edges to create a dancing space. She was about to continue her search when a hand appeared before her. She followed the connecting arm to its source and discovered Sir Percy himself. “Might I have this dance?”
Not able to think of any good reason to decline, she took his arm and followed him into the twirling couples. They danced for a moment in silence, as she tried to continue scanning the room for Leggett.
“Is something wrong?” Percy asked at length. She turned to look at him and found his eyes fixed on her face with an uncharacteristic pensiveness. “You’ve seemed preoccupied all night.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve appeared rude,” she answered, trying to make light of the question. “It is just difficult, not knowing another soul here.”
“That hasn’t bothered you so far,” he replied. “Everyone in the house is smitten with you. Mary tells me she can’t get you to stop talking.”
He wasn’t going to let this go. “I guess I’m just not used to such distinguished company,” she offered, turning her eyes back to the crowd.
“Does this have anything to do with earlier this evening?”
Did he mean the painting? She had hoped it hadn’t made that much of an impression on him. “I don’t know what you mean,” she answered, glancing back to gauge his reaction to the response. He did not look pleased.
“I hope,” he responded slowly, with some calculation, “that if you have any questions about anything that happens in this house, you will come to me with them.”
Did he know something about his uncle that he wasn’t letting on? She tried to read the expression on his face, but his eyes revealed nothing.
“Of course,” she said, trying to sound as normal as she could. “But we all have our secrets, don’t we?”
This was obviously not the answer he’d been looking for. He was about to say something else when the music ended. She curtseyed and excused herself, following the flow of people out of the path of the new dancers. She had finally spotted Leggett, and was intent on speaking with him, if she could only concentrate. The conversation with Percy had upset her almost as much as seeing the painting itself had. It looked as though there was more than one thing she had to discover while she was here. Just before she got to Leggett, she felt someone’s eyes on her and turned to find Percy still standing where she had left him, watching her go.