His Innocent Rose (Hinley Manor Book 1)

Chapter 50: Princely intervention

Dathan was growing impatient than he already was. His eyes darted here and there but he couldn't find Em. He found someone else instead.

"Hanselworth!" He called to Gideon.

The knight was laughing with another gentleman but turned to face him. After the other guest excused himself Dathan asked, "Where is Emelia?"

"Upstairs, in the powder room." He replied nonchalantly.

"What is she doing there?"

"Whatever it is that ladies do, powder their faces of course!" Gideon smiled then hiccuped. "I'm sure she would come down any moment now."

"She had been gone since you took her for a dance. She cannot possibly be powdering her face that long."

Gideon placed his arm around Dathan and whispered, "You like her, don't you?"

"Of course! Why do you think I escorted her here?" He said proudly. "I am also responsible for her well being as she happens to be employed by my mother, the dowager."

The knight nodded. "That makes the two of us. I planned to court her and I am not taking a step back just because you happen to like her as well. I hope you can keep up, Davensport. You do know that the ladies adore me."

Dathan scoffed, "You are drunk."

"I might as well be, I am in a bloody ball,  am I not?" He snickered. "Now I understand why you were so reluctant to allow her to dance with me. You were bloody smitten!"

Dathan lifted his arms away from him and sighed, "Call it what you want, Hanselworth. But I shall never deny my feelings for my mother's companion."

"Ah, yes yes. That loving mother of yours adored Emelia so much. In fact, everyone seemed to like her immediately." He paused and took another sip of wine. "Emelia is like a sunshine in a gray weather, light and charming.  If no one knew she used to be servant I would wager that every men in here would be shuffling down her path."

"But not everyone wants a woman below their station. No matter how pretty the face is."

"Alas, I agree with you. Look at those lowly scoundrels chase those ugly rich women."

Several ladies near them gasped. Their eyes were as wide as saucers—totally shocked. Dathan immediately forced out a laugh, "Those were the lines from the play, right, Sir Gideon?"

"What?" Gideon's drunken eyes squinted at him. "What play?"

"You know, the one you always talked about. Scoundrels and rich women." He looked athen apologetically. "He's merely reminiscing the act, ladies and gentlemen. It was a good one of course. Rich scoundrels! Pretty women!" He almost yelled the last part before he pulled Gideon away from the staring crowd.

Once they were away and alone in an empty room, Gideon had cooled down a bit. "Say, Davensport, should I face her and ask for permission to launch a promenade?"

"Her? Who do you mean? And what promenade?"

"Your mother...."

"You want to promenade with my mother?"

"No! You idiot! Your father would have my head in an instant if I even thought of that."