Lucy was not sure what she was supposed to make of the feelings which overwhelmed her that instant. She had committed herself to never fall for another man, to never trust another man, and definitely to never marry.

But standing beside Lord Andrew Jones, knowing he seemed to hold the same bitter grievance regarding English polite society, she felt a kinship like she hadn't felt in years.

“For what it is worth, I am not too partial to the society we live in either,” she said quietly.

“Is that so?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. “And I do not say that to seduce you. I could not care less if you like me or not. I simply am glad there is someone else here who understands my perspective.”

“Good. What would you say is the least pleasant part of English society?”

Lucy shrugged. “I suppose... this.”

“Weddings?” Andrew asked.

“And balls and galas and every time someone feels the need to gather the richest people they know in a room to show off how popular and wealthy they are,” Lucy explained. “I mean... I suppose it makes sense for something like a wedding. But when every other day there is another event we are all expected to attend, then the events which are actually important disappear, do they not?”

“I do not understand this sort of thing,” Andrew said, and narrowed his eyes. “All this fuss and attention and nonsense over... what?”

“It's just a show,” Lucy said. “And the only reason there is always such a great turnout is because people are looking to make connections. New friends in higher places, someone to invest in their business—”

“Someone to fool into the next wedding,” Andrew interrupted.

Lucy chuckled. “Precisely. It's all self-serving, is it not? And it is possibly the worst place to meet people. Everyone is putting on a front, everyone is being dishonest and trying to win everyone else over.”

Andrew shrugged. “I am not so sure it is the worst place to meet people.”

“Ah no? How come?” Lucy asked.

“I met you here, you seem like a decent person,” Andrew replied.

Lucy felt a blush rising and her heart beating faster. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. No, it wasn't like that. It was oddly exciting to be talking to someone who understood how she felt. But nothing more. “You seem like a decent person also,” she replied. “However do not take that to mean that I am interested in you courting me.”

Andrew nodded. “I will not. And do not take anything I say as flirting. I will be honest with you, whether that means insulting or flattering you, but I have no interest whatsoever in marriage, to you or anyone else.”

“That is a relief,” Lucy said. And she meant it. It felt like the weight of the world had just floated off her shoulders.

“It is rare to find a woman who is not interested in marriage,” Andrew said.

“Well, it is not my fault I have not been conned into thinking it is a good idea to permanently tie myself to someone who put on his best face to win my parents over,” she snapped back.

Andrew chuckled. “Calm down. And I do believe it is the women who do the conning. Always giving the impression you are good and sweet and kind and pure, when really all you want is to secure a husband so you can start running around acting like spoilt children again.”

Lucy shook her head. “Well, I am not sure I agree with you. But neither of us have been conned, either way.”

“True enough.” His eyes fell on the dancing couples and Lucy detected a slightly far-off gaze. She too looked at them, feeling the urge to dance and enjoy herself. Only now she could do it without any further obligation.

“Very well, then,” she said, “fully understanding that there is no ulterior purpose, would you like to dance a little?”

Andrew nodded. “So long as there is no ulterior motive, I would be very glad to dance with you.” He paused. “Seeing as you invited me, are you dancing the man's steps too?”

Lucy blushed. “Excuse me?” she asked somewhat indignantly.

“I was simply asking,” he replied with a smirk.

She could not stay angry at him. She giggled. To be fair, it wasn't a terrible joke. “No, you must dance the man's steps. How else am I to persuade my parents that I am mingling like a normal human being?”

“Indeed,” he replied, offering her his hand and guiding her out to dance.

Lucy felt light and happy dancing with Andrew. This sort of thing made more sense to her than dancing with some random man who only wanted to get close to her parents. She followed his steps, noticing what a good dancer he was. His strong arms and torso guided her with ease, and he kept time with every step as though he were directly connected to the music. He glided with such grace, such accurate steps, that it felt to Lucy like being a dancing doll on a music box, swept along with mechanical precision.

He was much better than her. She excused herself by noting that she was still young, and had spent most of her life in a boarding school full of other girls, without much opportunity to practise her dance steps with an actual man. Nevertheless, this meant that... Andrew did have that experience. However long he was in India, he must have, at some point before or during his stay abroad, danced very much with women. Or with a woman. But when? And with whom? Lucy found herself intrigued to say the least.

“I do believe you are the first honest soul I have met,” Andrew said suddenly.

“Am I?” Lucy asked.

“I find it hard to believe that everyone is genuinely so interested in their social connections, so happy with their lives. Everyone lies about who they want to be close to and why. Everyone lies about what their end goals are. But you do not,” Andrew explained.

“How do you know I am not lying?” Lucy asked.

Andrew fell silent a moment. “Why would you lie about something like that?”

“Perhaps because you said you were not a social person, and as a Baron you took my fancy,” Lucy said.

“But then you are giving yourself away, are you not? And being honest,” he replied.

“Or I know you would not believe me and I am endearing myself more to you by confessing,” Lucy said with a giggle.

Andrew scowled. “Well... Whatever the case, I do not intend on marrying you, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Indeed, I do not,” Lucy said. “And I am being perfectly honest when I say it is so much more pleasant to enjoy a dance without having to worry about what your true colours or real intentions are.”

Andrew smiled softly for what was the first time that night. Lucy realised that smiling suited him much better than sullen scowling or arrogant smirking. It was as though those expressions of cold disinterest were completely fake, a character he was projecting. But rather than crafting a character to draw people in and trick them into liking him, it was a character to push people away and hide the true, tender person underneath. But Lucy felt she had caught a glimpse of the real Andrew in that soft, kind smile.

As though he had realised what he was doing, the smile suddenly melted away into his usual expression of calm disinterest. Lucy realised she had been smiling back and forced her own smile away. It was natural to smile back at someone who was smiling at you, but she also knew it was better not to smile at men you did not intend on marrying.

“It is very refreshing to meet a woman whose first question is not 'what do you look for in a wife?' too,” Andrew finally added.

“I suppose as a man of wealth and status you hear that a lot,” Lucy replied.

“More than I would like, anyway. Especially since my engagement ended.”

“Engagement?” Lucy asked.

Andrew looked a little angry and shook his head. “It does not matter. Do you receive many propositions? I bet you do, being beautiful and wealthy yourself.”

“My family is not quite so wealthy as my parents would like to make us look,” Lucy replied. “Nevertheless, I do get a few suitors on my tail. I am hoping that this new haircut will make me less beautiful and put men off me,” she confessed.

“I know it is not what you want to hear, but for what it is worth, I like your hair,” he said. “It is bold. Very beautiful. Some men like a woman with confidence, uniqueness, character...”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “Please do not say that. I thought I had found the perfect scare-man after how my parents reacted.”

“Scare-man?” Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Like a scarecrow, but for men,” Lucy explained.

“Well, you are certainly not one of those. Though, if it is any consolation, you would have to be the most appalling woman on earth to put off every man. There is someone to find beauty in everyone,” Andrew replied.

Lucy just nodded. On the one hand, the backhanded compliment stung a little. On the other hand, she knew he was being truly honest, and honesty was what she wanted. It may be flattering one second and painful the next, but it was preferable to the cold mask of humanity that most people wore.

Besides, Lord Jones was a fantastically fun man. He said things nobody else would dare say. He danced beautifully, and looked even more beautiful. And he saw the world for what it truly was. He was not someone she wanted to move away from. Rather, he was the only person in that entire room she wished to spend all night with.

That is, she wanted to carry on dancing with him all night long, but she knew that would give the wrong impression. Both to him, as someone who was clearly as wary of relationships as she was, and to the people around them, who would no doubt start rumours that they were seeing one another, legitimately or illicitly.

And even though she realised that such a rumour would no doubt make it easy for her to avoid future suitors, she could not bring herself to hurt him like that. She did not want to make him suspicious, or ruin his reputation. He was a decent man, the first truly decent man she felt she had ever met, and she did not want to hurt him. He seemed to be hurting enough already...

As the dance ended, Lucy reluctantly made her way over to where her friends were talking. Antoinette gave her a knowing smile. “It was very nice of you to spend some time with Lord Jones,” she said, “he has had some... some issues similar to the ones you have gone through. You two could do one another a lot of good.”

“Like the first man you set me up with?” Lucy said quietly.

Antoinette blushed. “I am sorry I did not mean to—”

“No, no, I am sorry, that was rude,” Lucy hugged her friend. “You are kind, and I know you only have the best of intentions for me. But... what issues do you speak of?”

“Well, he—” Antoinette began, cutting herself short as, carrying a glass of wine he had gone to find, Lord Jones returned.

“I cannot seem to find the blushing bride and the lucky man at all,” Andrew said, looking around, more than a trace of sarcasm as he spoke.

“I looked for them also, but they appear to have made their escape,” Antoinette said. “Nonetheless, this is still a beautiful reception and I have no intention of returning home until I have danced and mingled to my heart's content.”

“Oh, likewise,” Julia said, beaming. “It really is fantastic. Shall we go and see who we can find, Thomas?”

“Of course, my sweets,” Thomas nodded, grinned, and took Julia's hand as they walked off into the crowd again.

Lucy noticed Andrew casting them a glance which suggested he was made uncomfortable, possibly even feeling a little bitter about their relationship. Lucy shook her head. No doubt he was just disgusted by the sickly sweetness of their interactions in public. Few couples were at all affectionate in front of so many people, which made Julia and Thomas really stand out.

“It is a little silly, isn't it?” Lucy said, nodding towards the couple.

“Oh, they have been apart a while,” Duke Perry said, “let them be in love, they deserve it.”

Antoinette cast Duke Perry a warning glance. “It is still not appropriate. And most definitely not fair to those who do not have a partner.”

Duke Perry, apparently sensing he had stepped into forbidden grounds just nodded and changed the subject swiftly. “What is India like, anyway, Lord Jones?”

Andrew sipped his wine in acknowledgement of the question. “I suppose,” he finally began, “a little like what you would expect. Where I was the weather was always oppressively warm. The people are slowly becoming more civilized, but, to be fair, I am not so sure it has much to do with the spread of faith as it has to do with the spread of sanitation and the disposal of corrupt tribal rulers.”

Lucy blinked. The other two fell silent. It was usually expected that Christians who travelled to spread the Good Word would have nothing but praise for the Mission and its methods. It seemed Andrew had socially unacceptable views on more than one subject.

Ordinarily she would write it off as the ramblings of someone who had lost their way and would eventually either rediscover faith or die in sin. But for some reason, coming from him, she believed it. She understood he was not attacking his faith, but the Mission itself, and she actually felt a deep respect for him. He may be an unorthodox man, but he seemed intelligent enough, and he was so focused on the truth, that... this had to be true also.

As the night drew to a close. Lucy felt oddly relaxed. She had actually had a lot of fun with Antoinette, Thomas, and Andrew. If only all events could be this free of pressure...

But as a few guests began to leave and the room became quieter and less crowded, she was reminded that she could always trust her mother to ruin a good thing.