Lady Eugenia's Holiday by Shirley Marks

she should continue learning German.
    Eugenia stopped short and stared at him. “Liebling
… what does that mean?”
    “It ist only an endearment.” He glanced up at her through dark, white-powder-coated
lashes as if he had taken a liberty. “If you rather I did not—”
    “No, I find it acceptable.” Eugenia glanced around
them, making sure they were indeed alone, and bestowed upon him a shy smile. “When
no one is near, if you please.”
    He reacted to the great honor with a wide grin,
beaming across his face.
    “Where were we?” Eugenia once again stepped
forward, continuing their walk.
    “Ah, yes, you ver acting
like a churlish child, scolding your servants.”
    “I’ll have you know that’s ridiculous!” She sent
him a playful, nasty glare through narrowed eyes then laughed at the absurdity.
“You want to teach me the only phrase I should ever really need to know.”
    “And what should that be?” He focused his complete
attention on her.
    “I must know the phrase: ‘May I have this dance?’
or how ever shall I know when a gentleman is asking me to step onto the floor
with him?”
    Eugenia really hadn’t expected that she should ever
need it here or in London, but they were only playacting.
    “Ah, yes, most ingenious.” He stopped and faced her
so she might watch the words form upon his lips. “ Darf ich Sie um diesen Tanz , bitten?”
    Franz repeated the words slowly—over and over,
until Eugenia could easily say them.
    “Now when I meet an extremely rich Bavarian Baron
in London who can manage but only a few words of English …” Eugenia began the
fanciful tale.
    “He finds you … die Schonheit … so enchanting, he cannot keep himself from approaching you for a waltz,”
Franz continued on with the story.
    “Then out of his mouth would come, “ Darf ich Sie um diesen Tanz , bitten?”
Eugenia repeated flawlessly. “Because you spent time teaching me bits of
German, I will know exactly what it means! Then I will take his arm, curtsy,” Eugenia
took Franz’s proffered arm and curtsied, “and reply, danke schon .”
    “Then you vill dance.” He
partnered her for a few steps of the waltz.
    Eugenia found it a slight bit awkward because they
were roughly the same height. Normally gentlemen were a few inches taller and
not looking directly into her eyes.
    “From that single dance with the Baron there will
be gossip.” Eugenia stepped away from Franz. “The ton would want to know how I
was able to speak to this foreigner.”
    “I do not see how such a thing can be avoided.”
Franz shrugged, falling into step beside her. “You and the Baron will be on- dit for weeks on end.”
    Eugenia squealed with laugher! Never had she heard,
never thought of anything so absurd.
    “The Baron might become quite popular after you
dance vith him,” Franz went on, not bothered by her
outburst. “The matchmakers vill seek him out for their own daughters. In the end, dancing vith him vill be wunderbar for
his reputation.”
    They giggled and laughed together. The entire
scenario was outrageous.
    “Franz, you are horrible for encouraging me,”
Eugenia scolded him.
    Perhaps the episode of the Bavarian Baron would not
occur, for Eugenia had already met the duke of her dreams here in Brighton.
Although she doubted Rothford would begrudge her one dance with a lonely
foreigner, especially one of such noble birth. Eugenia knew that in the end she
must break his Bavarian heart.
    C’est la vie.
C’est l’amour!

Chapter 5
    Sunday was the Promenade at the Old Ship. Not only
had Rothford kept his word but his lavish attention made Eugenia quite the envy
of the whole affair.
    “You are absolutely a sight to behold!” Rothford
praised Eugenia’s choice of a light blue sprig muslin then turned his attention
to her hat. “And where did you get that delightful bonnet?”
    “I purchased it yesterday right here in Brighton at
Madame Marchaine’s .” Eugenia turned her head to give
him an unobstructed view