The Unaccomplished Lady Eleanor by Wendy Burdess Page A

of not only my company but also that of an old university friend of mine, ’ announced James with a winsome smile. ‘ This , my dear Lady Carmichael, is Mr Derek Lovell. ’
    Mr Lovell bowed his head graciously.
    ‘ Oh, how delightful, ’ twittered Lady Carmichael, as she unbuttoned her pelisse.  ‘ Is that not delightful, Felicity dear? ’
    Felicity handed over her bonnet to a waiting Stevens and smoothed down her hair. ‘ If you say so, M ama, ’ she replied coolly , evidently unimpressed with her mother’s scheming.
    Lady Carmichael , oblivious to her daughter’s indifferent response, continued unabashed.  ‘ And may I ask if you are here to partake in the Season, Mr Lovell? ’ she enquired , relinquishing her bonnet to the footman and sashaying over to the table.
    ‘ Indeed I am, madam, ’ replied Derek Lovell soberly. 
    ‘ Oh, how absolutely splendid, ’ trilled Lady Carmichael, slipping into the chair next to Eleanor.  ‘ I n that case we must extend you an invitation to Felicity’s come out ball .  We are most excited about it. ’
    ‘ And rightly so, Lady Carmichael, ’ affirmed James archly.  ‘ I have no do ubt the event will be the success of the Season. ’
    Derek Lovell , holdi ng his napkin to hi s mouth, gave another sly snigger.
    ‘ Oh, do you really think so, James? ’ enthused Lady Carmichael, unaware of the pair’s amusement.  ‘ We do so hope that yo u will be able to attend.  W ithout you it would not be at all the thing . ’
    James smiled reassuringly.  ‘ My dear Lady Carmichael, I can assure you that wild horses would not keep me from the event. ’
    Lady Carmichael sighed satisfactorily.   Eleanor , on the other hand, in her usual percipient way, had not failed to note the thread of sarcasm running through his tone .   And, judging by the menacing look Felicity shot him, she was not the only one. 
     
    Eleanor arrived back in her chambers a little after six o ’ clock having spent the entire day under her godmother’s watchful eye. 
    ‘ Ooh , miss, ’ exclaimed Milly, who had just finished supervising the filling of Eleanor’s bath .  ‘ You look fit to drop . ’
    Eleanor dragged herself over to the bed and flopped down on to her back.  ‘ That, Milly, ’ she sighed, gazing dolefully at the ceiling, ‘ sums up exactly how I am feeling.  Not, I hasten to add, that I have been doing anything remotely useful.  Unless, like my godmother, you, too, consider it essential that I learn how to embroider pearl daisies on to a ridiculously useless reticule , o r that I am fully instructed in all the complicated steps of several, quite torturous dances. ’
    Milly’s eyes lit up.  ‘ Dancing, miss? Oh, I do love dancing, I do, ’ she sighed dreamily, hugging the towel she was carrying to her chest.  ‘ We’re always dancing in my house. ’
    ‘ Really? ’ asked Eleanor, propping herself up on her elbows.  ‘ What kind of dancing, Milly? ’
    ‘ O h, all kinds, miss.  That quadrille one is good fun but my favourite is the waltz. Even though I’ve heard that some of them grand ladies are refusing to do it, on account of it being a bit daring and all. ’
    ‘ But … how on earth did you learn all those dances, Milly?   M y head was fit to burst having to concentrate on only one of them today. ’
    ‘ My brother, Herbert, miss.  He’s worked in some grand houses.  And he don’t miss much .  Picks up all the s teps while he’s standing around, t hen comes home and learns them all to us. ’
    ‘ Really? ’ asked Eleanor, beaming broadly as an idea occurred to her.  ‘ Do you think you could teach me, Milly? ’
    ‘ Of course, miss, ’ confirmed Milly, dipping her elbow into the bath water to check the temperature.  ‘ Ain’t much to it really. ’
    ‘ Can we start now? ’              
    ‘ But what about your bath, miss? ’
    ‘ Oh, don’t worry about that , ’ said Eleanor, leaping off the bed . ‘ I can have a