They did, with swift bows and intrigued expressions.
Taking Jacqueline’s hand, Gerrard laid it on his sleeve, covering it with his. He looked down at her, encouragement in his eyes. “Just be yourself-that’s all you need to do. Don’t be afraid to let what you feel show.”
He felt her fingers quiver beneath his; she drew in a breath, and stiffened her spine. Her attention was already fixed on their destination, a corner of the room where Lady Tannahay stood beside an older gentleman, tall, imposing, but with bowed shoulders, a smaller, rotund lady by his side. The lady wore dark gray, her gown severely cut.
Jacqueline held her head high; Gerrard’s whispered words echoed in her mind. What she felt for the Entwhistles, for Thomas…As they drew near, she concentrated on that, let her emotions well.
Gerrard halted before Sir Harvey and Madeline, Lady Entwhistle. Jacqueline’s eyes locked with her ladyship’s; she was distantly aware of Millicent introducing Gerrard to Sir Harvey, but Lady Entwhistle searched her eyes-in her ladyship’s face she saw understanding, compassion, and the same sense of loss she herself still felt.
“My dear.” With a wavering smile, Lady Entwhistle reached for her hands.
Jacqueline surrendered them readily, returning the light pressure of her ladyship’s fingers.
“I know you share our loss, my dear-that you’ve grieved for Thomas as have we. He was a dear, dear boy and we miss him every day, but you…” Lady Entwhistle struggled to find a smile and squeezed Jacqueline’s hands. “While finding his body is a shock, I hope you can now leave poor Thomas to rest, and go on with your life. We were very happy when he chose you, but we wouldn’t wish his death to ruin your life. I had no idea until Elsie spoke with us that some had even considered…But with what I hear these gentlemen”-her ladyship’s gaze shifted briefly to Gerrard and she smiled faintly-“have learned, the situation should be plain to all.”
Lady Entwhistle drew in a steadying breath, and smiled more definitely at Jacqueline. Then she impulsively drew her closer and touched cheeks. “My dear,” she murmured, “I do hope you’ll put all this behind you and go on. I know Thomas would have wanted that.”
Jacqueline drew back; ignoring the tears in her eyes, she smiled at Lady Entwhistle. “Thank you.” Their gazes held. Nothing more needed to be said.
“Ahem.” Sir Harvey cleared his throat. He nodded at Jacqueline. “Good to see you looking so well, m’dear.” He looked at his wife. “I’ve just been talking to Debbington here.”
Gerrard shook hands with Lady Entwhistle, then Sir Harvey continued, “He tells me his friend, Mr. Adair, can explain the details better-ah, here he is now.”
Barnaby, whom Gerrard had beckoned to join them, came up and was introduced to the Entwhistles. Sir Harvey and Lady Entwhistle decided to retire to the library to hear all Barnaby could tell them.
With Gerrard, Jacqueline took her leave of them. As she turned back to the room, Elsie Tannahay caught her eye. “Come walk with me for a little, my dear. It’ll save you from the overly interested, at least until the dancing starts.”
Gerrard offered Lady Tannahay his arm; with a gracious smile, she took it. He offered his other arm to Jacqueline.
Millicent waved them on. “I’m off to talk to that reprobate Godfrey. I want to keep my eye on him.”
They parted. As they strolled down the room, Lady Tannahay relentlessly claimed Jacqueline’s attention, chatting about inconsequential matters; her position in local society ensured that no one attempted to interrupt, but everyone was watching.
Many had witnessed the scene earlier, and had understood the implications; they were now busily explaining to those who hadn’t seen.
Lady Tannahay directed them onto the terrace; they admired the lights strung through the trees. On hearing it was in part Gerrard’s work, Lady Tannahay complimented him on the effect. “Quite a magical creation.”
Music drifted out from the ballroom, summoning the dancers. Accompanying them back inside, Lady Tannahay halted and smiled. “Well, we’ve done our part for the evening’s entertainment-Gertie Trewarren should be thoroughly grateful. Now we can give ourselves over to amusement-enjoy the rest of your evening, my dears.”
With a gracious nod, she moved away.
Roger Myles pushed through the crowd; grinning, he bowed before Jacqueline. “My dance, fairest one.”
Jacqueline laughed, and gave him her hand.
Gerrard squeezed the hand that lay on his sleeve and leaned closer to whisper, “Come back to me here at the end of the dance.”
She cast him a glance, but nodded. He let her go, and watched Roger gaily claim her attention.
Deciding such light relief was precisely what she needed-what would most effectively lighten her mood-he retreated to the side of the room. All was going as planned, and Lady Tannahay had turned up trumps for them. Noting the many ladies and gentlemen who glanced appraisingly at Jacqueline, he felt confident their strategy was working; after tonight, no one would credit any tale of Jacqueline being involved in Thomas’s death.
Barnaby rolled up while the dancers were still whirling. “Sir Harvey’s a shrewd one-he grasped all I had to say immediately. Like Jacqueline, they’ve already mourned Thomas. They have other children, and want to see this put to rest for everybody’s sake. In terms of Jacqueline, they’re definitely in our camp. They’ll help in any way they can in learning who’s behind all this.”
Gerrard nodded, his gaze on Jacqueline twirling down the line of dancers.
Beside him, Barnaby surveyed the nondancers, most of whom were of the older generation. “I’d forgotten what it’s like in the country-the discovery of Thomas’s body is the main topic of conversation.” He caught Gerrard’s eye. “I’m going to circulate and see if, using my status as ignorant outsider, I can draw a bead on who’s behind the whispers.”
Gerrard looked back at the dancers. “Do you think there’s any chance that way?”
“I don’t know, but the more I run up against the effects, the more I realize the whispers have been both subtle and very pervasive. Whoever’s behind it, they have access to a large number of ears.”
With that, Barnaby drifted away. The music came to a triumphant end. Laughing, the dancers halted; the lines wavered, then broke up.
Gerrard saw Jacqueline turn and look for him. Roger Myles went up in his estimation by taking her hand and leading her back. Yet she’d barely regained his side before the musicians struck up again, and Giles Trewarren appeared to claim her hand.
He suffered through that dance, but the next was the first waltz. Meeting Jacqueline and Giles at the edge of the dance floor, he claimed Jacqueline’s hand, chatted with Giles until the first squeak of the violins, then swept Jacqueline into his arms and onto the floor the instant the first familiar strains floated out.
And felt something within him ease as the sensation of having her in his arms once more permeated his brain.
They’d revolved four times before Jacqueline caught her breath. Aware of the subtle shushing of the heavy silk of her gown against his coat, the brush of his long legs against her skirts, the intensity of his gaze as he looked down at her, his attention so focused…she dragged in a huge breath, and gave thanks when his eyes remained locked on her face. “You’re very good at this.”
She didn’t just mean waltzing.
The faint curve of his long lips suggested he understood, but all he said in reply was, “So are you.”
Looking up, he whirled them through the turn at the end of the long ballroom, his hand at her back, heated and heavy, drawing her fractionally closer; when they were precessing once more up the room, he looked down at her once more. “You can’t have been dancing all that much in recent times.”