Julianna let out an exasperated sigh. "Mother, if you do not stop fussing, those gossips you are so concerned about will surely notice and begin to fabricate a story to explain your nervousness."

Her mother's hands immediately dropped to her sides. "You are right. I am just so nervous about tonight."

"I do not understand what has made you so uneasy." Julianna stood quietly next to her mother. "We have been to Almack’s several times already this Season."

"Yes, but we have been away from London for a time and you never know when a new scandal has appeared, fabricated or not."

Julianna tilted her head slightly, amazed her mother would worry over events that had not even happened. Indeed, events that would probably never happen. "While it is true that one can never tell when the gossips will be talking, I am not sure I understand why that makes you anxious."

Her mother began to wring her hands again. "I worry over what the gossips may have said in our absence. I would hate for Lord Norsely to believe something that is not true."

"Do not be concerned about Lord Norsely. Anything the gossips may have said in our absence he would know to be a lie as he was at the same house party that we were."

Her mother nodded. "Of course, you are right but still it has been a week since we have returned to London and you have heard nothing from Lord Norsley." Her mother began to glance nervously around the large ballroom.

Julianna sighed. “It is true that we have not heard from Lord Norsely but that means nothing.”

Her mother turned back to her with a shake of her head.

Julianna held up a gloved hand. “We do not even know whether he has arrived back in London. There are other house parties being held. We were invited to the party held by Lord Cullingham and while we declined the invitation in order to come back to London, it is entirely possible that Lord Norsely did go to the party.”

Julianna was not concerned about Lord Norsely, after all, they had only returned to London a week ago. Perhaps if they had been back for a longer period of time she would have been worried although that was unlikely as well. Not that she did not want to see Lord Norsely again. She only hoped their meetings would be less uncomfortable now that they had returned to London.

“Oh look! It is Lady Eastbridge. Perhaps I shall go speak to her,” her mother said sounding hopeful.

“Yes, that would be wonderful,” Julianna replied glad that her mother was starting to calm herself.

“I can ask Lady Eastbridge if she has heard anything.”

Julianna stifled the urge to roll her eyes, but better Lady Eastbridge abide her mother. “Perhaps some conversation will help to ease your mind.”

Her mother nodded and they began to move through the crowd. As they grew closer to Lady Eastbridge, Julianna saw that Lady Amelia was nearby speaking with Lady Henrietta. Before Julianna could even react to seeing her friend, Lady Amelia was beckoning her to join them.

“Lady Julianna! I am so glad you are here. I was hoping to see you.” Lady Amelia smiled. “Have you met Lady Henrietta?”

Julianna smiled at the other girl. “Yes, although we have only spoken a few times.”

Lady Henrietta nodded. “Lady Julianna had the pleasure of being at Lady Sarah’s recital a few weeks ago.”

Julianna’s eyes widened briefly as she recalled the horrible screeching and equally abysmal piano forte music that accompanied it. “I will admit to being at the recital, and I could say many things but as I endeavour to be polite, I will only say that it was not very pleasing at all.”

Lady Amelia began to laugh and covered her mouth as her mother turned quickly with a stern look. “You are teasing me. Surely it was not as bad as that.” She glanced at Lady Henrietta. “Was it?”

Lady Henrietta grimaced. “Honestly, Lady Julianna was being rather kind. I think my brother described it as sounding as though a half-foxed parrot was playing the pianoforte while several cats fought over a bucket of fish.”

Julianna nodded in agreement as Lady Amelia said, “Oh goodness, that is terrible.”

“Yes, it truly was,” Lady Henrietta agreed.

“And completely accurate,” Julianna said and they all laughed.

“Oh Heavens!” Lady Henrietta suddenly exclaimed.

“Lady Henrietta, are you all right?”

“Oh! Yes, my apologies. I just saw my brother walk in. I had no idea that he planned on attending.” She looked rather astonished. “I do not think he has been to more than a few events all Season.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he has been studying with the Inns of Court. He has recently been chosen to be a barrister.”

“That is wonderful,” Lady Amelia said.

Julianna nodded, suddenly distracted as she saw Mr Repington moving through the people gathered around the ballroom. While she had thought of him often since leaving Eastbridge Julianna had not thought that she would see him in London. She turned back to the others not wanting to get caught staring but found herself checking his progress as he walked through the ballroom.

She was quite surprised when he stopped at their small group and even more so when Lady Henrietta threw her arms around his neck.

“Hugh! I did not know that you would be here. I simply cannot believe you are here!”

Mr Repington grinned down at her and Julianna ignored the emotions that suddenly welled within her.

“It was a last-minute decision. Father told me you would be here.”

“Father?” Lady Henrietta asked clearly confused.

He shifted on his feet slightly. “Yes, he stopped by my residence late this afternoon.”

“Oh, I am sorry, dear brother.” She patted his arm sympathetically.

Julianna feeling suddenly silly that she had not known that Mr Repington and Lady Henrietta were siblings.

Mr Repington laughed. “It was not all bad. I am seeing you, now that I am here.”

“Yes, you are,” Lady Henrietta said with a laugh of her own. He glanced over at Lady Amelia and Lady Julianna. “Good evening ladies,” Mr Repington said.

“Good evening,” Lady Amelia replied first.

“Good evening, are you enjoying being back in London?”

“Yes,” he said and then paused as if he had spoken too soon. “Although I do miss the morning rides at Eastbridge.”

“As do I,” Lady Julianna agreed happily.

Lady Henrietta looked from one to another confused again. “You know each other? How? When did you meet?”

Mr Repington patted his sister’s hand. "Lady Julianna and I were introduced by Lady Amelia at the Eastbridge House party. We saw each other in passing most mornings at the stables."

Lady Henrietta nodded looking at her brother oddly. "I heard James saying that you had gone to a house party but thought he was being humorous. I am glad that you are enjoying yourself."

"Repington! I wondered if you would be here this evening." Mr Sedgwick appeared from the crowd. "It seems you have found everyone as well."

"Timothy, how do you always end up getting here so much later when our carriages left the house at the same time?" Lady Amelia asked shaking her head sadly.

"Dear sister, it is not that I got here later," Mr Sedgwick said with a mischievous grin. "I simply had more people to say hello to as I moved through the room."

Lady Amelia rolled her eyes at her brother. “Yes, I am quite sure that the dowagers were more than happy to see you.”

Lady Julianna laughed as Mr Sedgwick gasped in mock surprise, then nearly jumped as someone spoke beside her.

"Good evening."

It was Jonathan Webb, he had been so quiet that Julianna had not even known that he had walked up. "Good evening, Mr Webb."

He nodded but he was looking beyond her. "Good evening, Lady Amelia."

"Good evening," she replied her face flushing slightly.

The music began to play once more. "Would you like to dance?"

"Yes, thank you.” She took his arm and they moved to the center of the room.

Then Lady Henrietta looked surprised as Mr Sedgwick stopped in front of her and gave her a little bow and said, "Lady Henrietta, may I have this dance?"

Julianna stifled a laugh as Lady Henrietta looked very caught off guard by Mr Sedgwick but she recovered quickly saying, "Thank you, Mr Sedgwick. That sounds lovely."

Julianna found yourself standing alone with Mr Repington and did not know quite what to do with herself.

He stood still there in silence for a moment and then Julianna heard a sharp cracking sound. Mr Repington turned away quickly and Julianna suddenly remembered that she had seen Lady Ramsbury sitting close by.

Lady Ramsbury was pointing her fan at Mr Repington. "I thought you were raised to be a gentleman."

Mr Repington rubbed his arm but seemed at ease with talking to the older woman. "I certainly was raised to be a gentleman."

Lady Ramsbury pointed her fan at Julianna. "Then why have you not asked the young lady to dance?"

Julianna panic. "Oh, no, I am fine. I... will just go over there and…" Julianna pointed off behind Lady Ramsbury vaguely and took a step away.

He grabbed her gloved hand gently as she turned to leave. “Lady Julianna, please wait.”

"Pardon me, Lady Ramsbury, but I was about to do just that when you interrupted.”

Lady Ramsbury huffed at him but said no more.

Mr Repington turned back to Julianna. “Would you please honour me with this dance?”

Julianna shook her head. “You do not need to do that.” She stepped away clasping her hands in front of her trying to make the tingling where he had touched her hand lessen.

“You are quite right. I do not have to ask you to dance. I want to.” Mr Repington took a step forward. “Lady Ramsbury may have spoken first but I truly was going to ask you to dance.”

Julianna hesitated, she wanted to walk away fearing that he was being forced into dancing with her. The thought of dancing with him thrilled her but the thought that he was only doing so because of Lady Ramsbury’s interference was most distressful. She looked up to tell him no and he looked so earnest that she found herself nodding.

He offered her his arm and she took it without saying a word. Julianna tried to focus on dancing and not on how she was feeling. The hand he had held so gently before still tingled beneath her glove, her stomach fluttered and her heart was beating faster.

Before she knew it, the dance was over and they were leaving the center of the ballroom. Julianna hoped that her feelings had not been evident during the dance. Once they had stopped on the edge of the ballroom she turned to Mr Repington.

“Thank you, I—” She broke off when she saw his face. He seemed as affected as she was and as shocked by it as well.

He bowed. “Thank you. Good evening,” he said and swiftly walked away.

Julianna stood there for a moment and watched him disappear into the crowd. She finally shifted glancing around in hopes of seeing Lady Amelia or Lady Henrietta. Her eyes landed on Lady Ramsbury who sat smiling at her as though she had known what would happen all the time.

Thoroughly shocked she spun on her heel wanting nothing than to be out of the crowded ballroom. She had barely taken two steps when she ran headlong into someone that had stepped into her path.

“Lady Julianna, good evening.”

Lady Julianna looked up to see Lord Norsely standing before her.

“Good evening,” she said hoping her smile appeared bright and not panicked as she well and truly felt. “I was not aware you were here, Lord Norsely.”

“I was hoping to see you here tonight,” he told her. “Would honour me with the next dance.”

“Oh, I…” Julianna began to decline but saw her mother standing not far away with an excited smile on her face. Julianna sighed inwardly. “Yes, thank you.”

He led her to join the other couples. Lord Norsely was a fine dancer and she followed him through the dance easily. She should have been happy but all she could think of was that she felt nothing like what she felt dancing with Hugh Repington.

“Are you all right, Lady Julianna?” Lord Norsely asked her, his face concerned.

“I think I would like to sit down for a few moments,” she told him already turning toward one of the doors out of the ballroom.

“Certainly,” Lord Norsely took her arm and guided her through the great number of people that had come to Almack’s.

Across the room, she watched as Mr Repington led Lady Priscilla out for the next dance. She felt a sadness she did not expect. Not wanting to dwell on her sadness, Julianna she looked to Lord Norsely.

“Thank you. I think some fresh air would help me immensely.”