As the evening progressed, Antoinette knew she could not spend too much time with one suitor. Especially not one she had no intention of marrying. It just looked... wrong. So she had been deeply relieved when she had spied her cousin, Mary, and her husband, Duke Haskett, Duke of York, sitting by the piano in the obscenely oversized drawing room, talking to the pianist.

Antoinette said her “see you later” to Mr. Perry and, with a curtsy and a bow, they parted ways for the night. She felt a little sorry to change company. After all, she had enjoyed a wonderful time dancing and talking with him. But he was not her best prospect, as far as suitors were concerned, he did not know anyone to introduce her to, and she did not want to spend so much time with one person.

On the other hand, Duke Haskett, abrasive though he may be, was surrounded by a small entourage who were happily chatting around the piano. Even the lady who was presently playing had her head turned to listen in on the conversation, and from time to time got a word in.

Antoinette walked up to the group and curtsied.

“Ah, everyone, this is my wife's cousin, or perhaps better said, our cousin, Miss Byrd,” Duke Haskett immediately introduced her, then Mary shuffled up to him a little on the bench, making room for Antoinette to join them.

“Antoinette, pay attention for there are quite a few names. May I introduce to you Master Forbes, Lord Baxter, Miss Carter, Lord and Lady Worthington, Duchess Thrup, Sir Nott, and finally Miss Curtis,” Duke Haskett said in one breath, indicating each person with a wave of the hand as he introduced them.

Antoinette lightly curtsied at each in turn as they bowed or curtsied back. Finally, she was able to sit down with her cousin. Her feet were aching horribly from all that walking and dancing and standing in her new shoes, but she knew better than to complain. Instead, with a relieved sigh, she took advantage of the looseness of her skirts as she sat to lift her feet up off the ground, feeling the pressure and pain reduce.

“We were just talking about Duke Godwin's charitable acts,” Duke Haskett said, “I do believe you and your family are also strong advocates for charity?”

Antoinette nodded. “Well, we largely do Christian work, and my brother joined a Mission to India recently, spreading the Word. But personally I am very impressed by the work Duke Godwin does for children in need.” She wanted to carry on, but cut herself short suddenly. She knew that if she continued talking she may put the other guests off getting to know her. She hated it, but at the same time she knew that once they got to know each other she would be able to be more herself.

“That we all are,” said Miss Curtis with a nod. “He truly is a generous man. Not many men will do much for children who are not their own these days. But he knows what he has to give and he is so generous with it.”

Lord Baxter's moustache twitched. “If you ask me, he is not giving enough. This is one of the wealthiest men in the country and he expects us to make donations for coming to his ball?”

Lord Worthington nodded in agreement. “And he had the arrogance to say as much in his letter. Apparently, we are not doing enough in his eyes. What does he know of our personal finances? I am sure, looking around, that some people here cannot afford the amount of donation he was requesting, and I daresay that many potential guests have abstained from the ball altogether due to the lack of funding.”

“That is no way to speak of our host!” whispered Lady Worthington to her husband, who suddenly and sheepishly withdrew. “He is a generous, amiable man who simply wishes for others to be more like himself. Why, I heard that quite recently he saved a young woman and a child from being trampled by an out of control horse at the market. We should all aspire to be more like Duke Godwin.”

Miss Curtis had turned her nose up slightly as the men spoke about Duke Godwin, in the manner of someone who was personally insulted. However, upon hearing someone leaping to his praises, she smiled warmly and nodded along in agreement. “Indeed we should. Do you know, I hear he tamed that angry horse with his own bare hands, without needing to break a whip on it, nor to use a gun. A true gentleman, so loving of God's creatures.” She punctuated her sentence with a sigh and lightly fanned herself with her hand.

“Well, if you ask me it is an elaboration at best, probably even a total fabrication. There is no man who can tame a horse down like that, especially not a soft-skinned lifelong noble such as Duke Godwin,” said Lord Baxter. “I do believe he marches about spreading such rumours about himself, for I cannot count on both hands the number of times I have heard similarly unbelievable tales. I don't suppose anyone knows who this young lady is, and why she was in his company? She's as fictitious as the horse and the entire event.”

Lord Worthington looked as though he were about to join in again, but Antoinette spied Lady Worthington pinching her husband's arm subtly but sharply, which made him reconsider.

“It was me,” Antoinette piped up. “I was the young lady he rescued and I can verify it was indeed all true.”

Lord Baxter's eyes narrowed. “Really? Is that so? May I ask what you were doing out with Duke Godwin? This sounds a little... attention-seeking.”

“I assure you I am not, I am simply stating facts. He is courting me, and felt that a nice walk through the market to see the Christmas wares would be enjoyable. And the rest happened as stated. There are plenty of witnesses, I see no reason why you should be so cynical,” she replied.

Lord Baxter pursed his lips. “But people are prone to sensationalism. No, I stand by my statement. It is a highly decorated version of the truth, you are just a willing participant in the deception.”

Antoinette flushed red with frustrated anger. “Well, if you genuinely believe that then you may. But being wrong without opposition would make you no less wrong.”

Lord Baxter looked around and, finding himself outnumbered shrugged. “I do believe I am not welcome, so I shall depart.” He bowed lightly and disappeared into the party.

Antoinette shrugged and shook her head. “I cannot help it if someone so objects to the truth,” she insisted.

“Indeed, he was being most unreasonable, was he not?” Lady Worthington said to her husband, who meekly nodded. “Now, you say Duke Godwin is courting you? How marvellous! I have been wondering a long time when that man would settle. He seemed so... averse to marriage. I was beginning to think that he was one of those men who never has an interest in it. Can you imagine? What a waste!”

Antoinette nodded. “Indeed, he said as much when we first met at Duke Haskett's wedding. It seems he has recently changed his perspective on marriage very much,” she replied.

Glancing around the group, Antoinette saw some conflict on Miss Curtis and Miss Carter's faces. On the one hand, she could tell they were excited to hear that Duke Godwin was, indeed, courting once more. But on the other hand they were glaring at her as though she had kicked their puppy. She knew exactly what that look meant. They were jealous. As two unattached young women who obviously were interested in Duke Godwin, they had probably approached him in the past and become two of the many women he had rejected. To be faced with a woman he was currently courting seemed to affect them like a slap to the face.

Rather than address her, they began talking to one another about the charity again, and Duchess Thrupp was quickly incorporated into this new little social group. Meanwhile, Lady Worthington chatted amiably to Antoinette about all the fantastic things Duke Godwin did, and how many women he had rejected or insulted during his youth.

Antoinette found the dynamic terribly odd. Why would these women be going out of their way to defend Duke Godwin? Even against her own husband's opinion, in the case of Lady Worthington. Of course he was a desirable man, and two of the women were unwed and probably interested in him. But from what they were saying, although he was a fantastic man, he had treated some of the women who approached him very poorly in the past. Antoinette knew that, Duke or no Duke, if he had treated her as coldly as he had treated some of these women, she would not have been interested.

“I don't know how any of them could bear it,” she voiced aloud.

“Bear what?” Lady Worthington asked.

“The way he treated them. He may be a Duke, but to turn a young woman down so bluntly, so rudely...” Antoinette shook her head. “Why are they still interested in him?”

“I am not sure I would call his behaviour rude as such,” Lady Worthington replied.

“But it was. Sending a young woman back from your door as soon as she arrives... That would be an insult to me,” Antoinette replied. “I am amazed this is the same man.”

Lady Worthington nodded. “True, the stories may be a little embellished, but it is how a Duke can afford to carry himself?”

“My mother said a similar thing to me about Duke Haskett,” said Mary, who had apparently been listening quietly the whole time, but listening nonetheless. “Sometimes the things we consider rude in someone who is our equal may not be rude when we consider the circumstances our superiors are facing.”

Antoinette sighed a little, feeling outnumbered. “I suppose so. I still maintain that they should not be so enamoured to him after such treatment, however.”

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Antoinette realized it was nearly time to head home. She made her excuses, reassured everyone that it was a pleasure to meet them, and headed for the door, accompanied by Mary and Duke Haskett.

Once again, Duke Godwin was nowhere to be seen. As her maid went to ask for her carriage, Antoinette peered into the crowd and sighed.

“Are you looking for Alex?” Duke Haskett asked. “If you like, I can go and find him, so that he can see you off properly.”

Antoinette shook her head. “No doubt he is busy. By the time you have found him, pried him away from his affairs and got him here, I shall no doubt already be late.”

Duke Haskett nodded. “Very well. I shall tell him you send your regards.”

Antoinette nodded. “That would be appreciated.” She sighed again. “Have either of you seen much of him tonight?”

“Only about an hour,” said Duke Haskett. “He has been rather busy. I am wondering whether he truly expected quite so many guests to turn up.”

“An hour?” Antoinette was a little stunned. “I barely got fifteen minutes,” she sighed.

“Do not take it too personally,” Mary said, patting Antoinette's shoulder reassuringly. “He is a very busy man, and Duke Haskett is a close childhood friend of his. It is different.”

Antoinette sighed again, but nodded in agreement. “I understand.”

In her carriage on the way back, she could not help but still feel disappointed, though. She knew and understood that he was busy. But if he was able to give an hour of his time to Duke Haskett and Mary, she felt deprived. Of course Duke Godwin and Duke Haskett were childhood friends, which was important. But wasn't she supposed to be important too.

As she walked inside, her mother had sent a servant downstairs to greet her and escort her to the main chamber. Lady Byrd looked no better than the day before, but thankfully no worse. She was wrapped warmly in a housecoat, sipping tea. But she put her tea down and beckoned Antoinette over when was instantly struck by how dejected her daughter looked. “Why, whatever happened to you?” she asked, hugging Antoinette.

Antoinette shook her head. “It is nothing... You would think me so petty and childish.” She laughed a little nervously.

“Even so, you are my daughter and I cannot bear to see you looking so sad. Please, tell your mother all about it,” Lady Byrd insisted.

Antoinette nodded. “Duke Godwin was just so busy at the ball, I barely had a minute or two to get to know him.”

“Well, that is understandable. He is the host, and there were probably many important people there,” her mother explained reassuringly.

“But... Am I not important?” Antoinette asked. “I felt like an afterthought, and spent much of the time dancing and talking to other people.” As she spoke, a servant helped Antoinette out of her bonnet, gloves, and shawl, and took them away.

“Is it not a good thing that you spent more time socializing and mingling?” Lady Byrd replied. “Please, do not forget that he is not your sole suitor. It was to your benefit that he allowed you to socialize, rather than look like a lovesick puppy at his heels.”

Antoinette sighed heavily. “But... even a few more minutes of his company would have been so much appreciated.”

“No, no, I shall hear no more of this. After all,” Lady Byrd concluded, “you do not wish to give the wrong impression. You have many suitors, and some will be more serious prospects than others. Which means that, for now, we cannot spend too much time with one of them. Even more than an hour at a time in the company of one man raises eyebrows. It would look wrong.”

Antoinette felt her face grow hot as she recalled how much of the afternoon she had spent with Mr. Perry. “Indeed, it would,” she agreed with her mother. Her face grew hotter and she avoided eye contact, for fear of giving away her secret.

Inwardly, she was cursing herself. All she had wanted was to not be lonely. Had she really given the wrong impression to everyone there? What did Duke Godwin think of her now? Could she manage to act like a proper lady for one day, just one day, without inadvertently getting something wrong?