Romantic Tales of My Lords and Ladies

To Slay a Dragon (Ch1)

Christmas 1819

'Good heavens, child! If you continue to sulk like this, even old Lord Nashville wouldn't approach you! At least try to pretend that you're enjoying the ball!'

Lady Georgiana sighed silently. She knew her mother meant well. But like most mothers, Lady Trent could never grasp the idea that her youngest child found other things more interesting and amusing than balls and dresses. With extreme effort she schooled her features into a convincing smile and looked about the ballroom, trying to catch sight of any familiar face.

The ball was a crush, to say the least.

All the cream personalities of the ton attended the annual Christmas Ball thrown by the Earl of Brampton. It was considered a great opportunity for young, unmarried ladies to find potential husbands. And so it was with great deal of smiles and happy exclamations that Lady Trent had announced a few days back that their family had been invited to attend. Georgiana recalled her elder sisters whispering between themselves all the rest of the afternoon. Their giggles had almost driven her mad.

Georgiana did a mental eye-roll and started tapping the fan against her cheek.

This was disastrous. She had no intention of enjoying the ball. To tell the truth, she had not even wanted to come. She abhorred the studied courtesies and practiced conversations of a London Ballroom. Give her a good, well-read, dog-eared book over a glamourous ball anyday. But her mother had threatened to discontinue her trips to the bookstore if she refused to comply.

'You will do as I say, or there will be no more pocket money!' her mother had thundered.

The threat had worked. And so here she was, half-bored to death already and wishing she was ensconced in her favourite chair by the window with the half-read book that she had borrowed from the library only the other day. And may be think about him...

Georgiana clapped her gloved hands to her suddenly warm cheeks. Get a hold on yourself, you idiot, she scolded herself. It would not do to be caught blushing for no apparent reason. She took a deep breath and studied her dance card. It was full.

For, though she was known to have bluestocking tendencies, Lady Georgiana was one of the most sought after ladies in a ball because of her beauty. With an almost regal bearing and eyes that put the oceans to shame, Georgiana drew men like bees to honey. During the first few months after her debut, she had enjoyed it immensely, but soon started finding them tedious and monotonous. Men wanted women to look and smell pretty like a flower. However, they never expected women to be intelligent. Georgiana had often resisted the urge to stamp down on most of the men's toes just to stop them from talking to her in a condescending manner.

Well. Not all men. Thomas was the only man with whom she could have an intelligent conversation and who openly admired her intellectual bent of mind. Why, only the other day he had remarked how Georgiana had a far superior brain to most of the peers of the realm.

Georgiana could feel another blush stealing onto her cheeks. Oh dear. She had it bad. Real bad.

A sound of a throat clearing nearby brought her back to the present. She turned to find her bosom friend Cathy grinning at her. Dressed in a light lavender gown of Indian muslin, Cathy looked radiant.

'Why the secret blush, my dear?' teased Cathy, winking at her.

Georgiana laughed. 'Where have you been?' she asked, deftly avoiding the question. 'I have been looking all over for you!'

Cathy shook her head and grabbed Georgiana's hand. With a quick nod to Lady Trent, Cathy steered her friend towards a a seat hidden behind a potted plant. After making sure no one was nearby to eavesdrop, she turned to Georgiana at last. 'Tut, tut, George. You cannot fool me. Now be a good girl and answer my question.'