The party was in full swing as the Duke returned. There was exuberant dancing and equally exuberant drinking. While the party was boisterous, the crowd was well behaved with only a minimal amount of bawdy jokes about the wedding night. These were country folk, after all, and not the high society of London.

Susan was clustered with a group of old friends. She saw the Duke go over to the bride and groom to congratulate them. He then went to speak with the two sets of parents. When he was finished, he went to the bar and ordered an ale, then stood back against the bar to observe the party.

Susan returned to her conversation with Katherine and several of their childhood friends that they’d not seen for a long while. It was fun catching up and reminiscing.

Daniel came over after chatting with his parents.

“Miss Susan, might I engage you for a dance? There’s little dancing aboard a frigate, and I have a yearning to stretch my legs a bit.”

“Captain, it would be my pleasure.”

Country dancing was much less refined than in the halls of London. There were no dainty Varsoviennes. No Zingirellas. No waltzes. Just hearty and robust county polka dancers beating out strong rhythms across the dance floor.

Captain Daniel took Susan’s hand and led her into the dancing maelstrom already underway.

“Captain, what’s the name of your ship?” Susan asked.

“The Resolute.”

“Not heard of her. Is she a newly minted vessel?”

“Indeed she is. As I am a newly minted Captain. She’s my first ship and I’m her first captain.”

“Congratulations. You rose rapidly in the ranks it seems. And you started out as…?

“A lieutenant in His Majesty’s Royal Fleet.”

“And one day Admiral, I assume.”

Daniel smiled. “That is as it may be. It’s not for me to say. I could take a bullet in battle or go down in a broiling sea. A sailor learns not to plan too far ahead.”

“That sounds most wise.”

Daniel led her from the dance floor as their dance ended.

“Might I offer you some refreshment?” he asked.

“I think some punch would be refreshing.”

“And nothing to eat? The wedding feast seems most lavish.”

“We spared nothing for our guests. And we were particularly pleased that the Duke of Lennox agreed to be one of our guests. My parents were most impressed and wanted equally to impress the Duke.”

“I see. Then may I tempt you?”

“I think not. For me, a punch would suffice for now.”

“Then a punch it shall be. If you wait here, I shall return.”

Daniel left and Susan found a quiet spot where she could recover her breath after the vigorous dancing.

She was patting her brow with a handkerchief when she heard, “Might I have a dance, Miss Susan?”

She looked up to see John standing before her with his hand outstretched.

“Oh… Yes, of course.” She’d been taken by surprise.

John led her to the floor. The polkas seemed to have ended and the band was playing a pleasant enough waltz. The floor was less crowded and they were able to enter the dance without having to wait.

“My aunt spoke most highly of your kind service to her at the church,” he said.

“Thank her for me. I was happy to help. I know the church was close and, with the frenzy of the storm, the combination undoubtedly overcame her.”

As they danced Susan remembered that it was only a few years ago that the Duke’s wife, Annabel, died giving birth to their daughter, Elizabeth. It was rumored that he suffered greatly and in the ensuing years, the Duke was rarely seen at any local events. So his being here at the wedding was quite a surprise. Perhaps he was healing, she thought.

Susan looked up into John’s eyes, but she had to look away, as she felt a fluttering in her stomach, and was breathless, not because of the dance, but because of her rapidly beating heart. It had to be this man’s touch that was causing these sensations.

Susan needed to distract herself from this turmoil and she asked, “How is your daughter, Elizabeth? She must be four or five by now, is she not?”

John’s demeanor suddenly changed and he stopped dancing, turning away, and leaving Susan stranded on the dance floor without saying a word of good-bye. She was shocked. What had she said to elicit such an extreme reaction?

The Duke stormed out of the inn and she could see him riding off on his horse through the inn window.

“Sorry, it took so long,” Daniel said, as he came over to her with her punch. “But there was a slow moving line.”

Susan was still in a whirlwind of emotion and it was all she could do to answer Daniel. “Oh, yes. Thank you. There was no rush.”

“Did I see you dancing with the Duke of Lennox? I thought he’d gone back home with his aunt.”

“Yes, it was the Duke,” Susan mumbled as she made an effort to collect herself, twisting her handkerchief until it was in a tight rope.

Daniel had led her to the side of the room and he found them a small table.

“Would you care to sit? You seem upset. Is everything all right? Are you ill?”

Susan sat down, brushed down her skirt and directed her full attention back to Daniel. “No, I’m quite fine, thank you. I think I must have overexerted myself on the dance floor.”

“And the Duke—he certainly rushed off in a hurry. He looked angry.”

“Yes, he did and I don’t understand why. All I did was ask after his daughter. And he got upset and rushed off.”

“That seems most strange,” Daniel said, reaching out and putting his hand on top of Susan’s.

She looked over at him and smiled. He was helping her settle down.

“How long are you home for?” she asked, withdrawing her hand from his.

“I have but a week more.”

“And to where, and how long, is your next voyage?”

“I can’t say where, as that’s not public information, but I expect to be away for at least another year.”

“That must be very difficult for you—being so long away from home and family.”

“It’s the responsibility that goes along with the privilege of serving in the Royal Navy.” He looked deeply into her eyes. “And it can take a personal toll as well.”

“Well, look at you two. All cozy at this little table.” Katherine was standing over them, a drink in her hand, and looking particularly red faced and even a little tipsy.

Daniel looked disturbed at being interrupted. Susan felt there was more he wanted to say.

“Come on, you two, why aren’t you dancing?”

Just then Katherine’s beau, Roger, came over and put his arm around her waist. He was a sturdy, country lad, with dark-blond, receding hair, and one of those ruddy, flush complexions that so many country working, farm lads had.

“Aye, Katherine, my love, you promised me another turn about the floor,” he said poking her in the side.

She looked over at him with a great deal of affection and said, “And you shall have it, Roger. I was just trying to get my no-good brother and my reluctant girlfriend to get out there as well.”

“Come, brother, join us,” Roger said to Daniel.

Daniel looked over at Susan and she nodded. “Very well,” she said.

They stood, and the two couples headed for the dance floor.

But all through the dance, even though she was now more settled, Susan couldn’t get John’s reaction to her question out of her mind—not to mention her inner turmoil at his touch. She’d never felt that way at any other man’s touch—ever. Especially not Sir Jasper’s. And, as she thought about it, not even Simon’s.

“Are you happy for your sister’s marriage?” Daniel asked as they danced.

Susan was taken from her brief reverie. “Very much so. Robert’s a good friend and colleague of mine from where I teach. He’ll make her a very good husband. And I know she’ll make him a very good wife.”

Daniel seemed to hesitate, but went ahead and asked, “And I seem to remember, that not long after I left for the Navy, Katherine wrote that you were to be married, isn’t that so?”

“Indeed.” Susan smiled faintly. “But, alas it was not to be.”

Daniel waited for a further explanation, but it was not forthcoming. “Do you care to share the circumstances?”

Susan had long ago come to peace with the situation and was no longer shy about talking about the fiasco.

“My fiancé was Simon Chamberlain, the Duke’s brother. And—being the scoundrel that he was—absconded with goods and money from the Duke and disappeared on our wedding day.”

“You seem to take that well.”

“Oh, Daniel, how can one not laugh at the absurdity of the situation?”

“So you’re unattached? You aren’t being courted by others?”

“I recently escaped from a most boring suitor—who shall remain nameless. And at present, I’m enjoying my spinsterhood.”

“I see.” Daniel seemed to go into his own thoughts just before the dance ended.

As they were leaving the dance floor, Katherine came over and pulled Daniel aside and spoke to him.

He then came over to Susan. “My parents are jealous of the attention I’m giving you, and insisting that with my brief time home I spend more time with them. Will you forgive me?”

“Of course. Most understandable. And I should be spending more time with the new bride, groom, and my family as well.”

Daniel followed Katherine to where her family was gathered. She knew she needed to be with her family, but she took a moment to assess the past few moments. She was still shaken by the Duke’s abrupt departure, but she was also resonating with the fact that Daniel appeared to be interested in her. She had had no time to consider this new development and she realized his attentions pleased her. Daniel was most charming, quite handsome, and the brother of a close friend. But to be quite honest, he was a sailor—bound to be gone for many months or even years at a time. What sort of husband could he be under those circumstances?

Susan saw her mother waving for her to come over to the bride and groom’s table, and she went to join her family.

Her mother reached out her hand to Susan. “Come, sit with us. You’ve been too long away from us.”

Susan sat between her mother and Louisa. Susan leaned in and bumped her shoulder against her sister.

“How’re you holding up?” she asked.

Louisa turned to her. “Oh, I’m exhausted, but what fun.”

“Yes, Mrs. Tunbull.”

Louisa looked startled. “Oh my, I am, am I not? I only just realized when you said that.”

“You’ll get used to it. Is there anything you need from me right now?” Susan asked.

“Oh, no. I’m in my husband’s care from here on out. You’ve done your duty well. Thank you, dear sister.”

Susan smiled and leaned in and kissed Louisa’s cheek.

Then mother reached over, to get Susan’s attention.

“And who is that most handsome sailor you’ve been dancing with all afternoon?”

“Oh, Mamma, don’t you recognize Katherine’s brother, Daniel?”

Mother looked astonished. “That’s Daniel? That skinny tyke that used to run with you and Katherine at the swimming hole?”

“The very same, Mamma.”

“Well, I be… He’s grown into quite the young man, hasn’t he?”

Susan nodded, and Mother became quite animated. “And might there just be a budding romance developing there? He seems ever so attentive.”

“I don’t know. We’ve only re-met after all these years.”

“You should speak to Katherine, and have her sound him out. A captain in the Royal Navy would be quite a prize, would it not?”

“Mamma, he’s not some prey. And besides, what kind of marriage would it be with a seafarer? He’d always be at sea. There’d be no family life.”

That seemed to sober Mother. “You may have a point.” Then she spoke again. “And what was all that fuss with the Duke—bolting like that in the middle of a dance?”

“I’ve no idea, Mamma.”

“Were you rude to him?”

“Not at all. But I’ve often heard that he was volatile. Perhaps he has issues on his mind. It’s not for me to say. We should just be grateful that he chose to attend the wedding at all.”

“Well, after all that business with Simon… He owes us some respect, don’t you think?”

“Mother, let it be. That’s all in the past. I only want to look forward. I have the new school year starting up next month, and I want to focus on being the best teacher I can possibly be.”

* * *

A week after the wedding, Susan was surprised to receive a letter from her cousin, Jessica Bradley, from London.

14 August, 1830

My Dearest Cousin Susan,

I just wanted to say how sorry I was to be unable to attend your sister’s wedding. However, I was traveling with my husband in Greece, Italy, and Spain and only received the invitation after we returned home—as it was impossible to forward mail with our insane travel schedule.

I am writing to you instead of your mother because I have always felt such an affinity with you and I feel we have a very special bond as more than cousins—are we not more like sisters? I would be ever so grateful if you would pass on my regrets to your mother and sister. I know they will understand.

Now, what about you? I want to hear everything about you and about your sister’s wedding. Write me a nice long letter with all the news.

No. Wait. Even better—why not come to London for a visit? I believe your school is still on break, is it not? Come and stay with me for a week or two. Ronald must travel up to Scotland for several weeks and we shall be all alone. We can shop and dine out and go to the theater or the opera or the ballet and sleep late and gossip for hours on end. What do you say? Oh, please, please, please do come. And don’t worry about costs, my darling Ronald is super rich, and he’ll foot the bill for everything—even though he may not know it at the time.

I will not write more now, as I only now want to hear that you will accept my invitation.

Your adorable cousin,

Jessica

Susan was most excited. She’d not seen her cousin in several years. And they’d been so close when they were younger and students at the same school.

She dashed to find her mother or father. Her mother was not to be found, but she found her father in the barn sharpening wool shearing clippers.

“Papa, I just received a letter from Cousin Jessica.”

“And how is the lass?” he asked as he put one set of clippers aside and picked up another.

“She and Ronald just came back from a Mediterranean tour and she wants me to come to London for a visit. And I’d like to do that very much.”

“London, eh? And what’s in London of any value that you can’t find right here?”

“Oh, Papa, don’t be so provincial. You know London holds many delights that the provinces don’t provide.”

“Silliness, debauchers, spendthrifts, and wastrels, I have no doubt.”

Susan laughed. “I’m not asking your permission, Papa. I’m announcing that I’m going. I’m no longer a child. I can make my own decisions.”

“And just how are you to get to London? We have no horse and trap to spare?”

“The London coach. It leaves Ash every morning and returns every evening. Simple as pie.”

“Huh. So be it then. But mind you tell your Mamma yourself. I’ll not be bothering with any of her upsets over you leaving.”

“You shall have nothing to worry about.”

Susan dashed from the barn and immediately went to her room to write Jessica an affirmative response so she could get in the last post.