It’s Major, Lindsay thought. The man was wearing some kind of naval uniform. He ought to know rank, but Lindsay was too tired to correct him.
„You want to know if your wish has been granted,“ the man said, answering his own question and stepping closer. „The thing is, sir, you can never tell with wishes.“
„It is none of your business.“ Lindsay gave him a cold stare, but the man stood his ground.
„I beg your pardon, sir, but you asked about your wish and I am come to answer.“
„You are an expert on wishes?“ It was a comment bordering on the absurd, but the man answered anyway.
„Indeed I am.“ He took off his hat and bowed as if that would be introduction enough. „You wished for employment that was pleasurable and profitable, did you not?“
Lindsay took a step back, aghast at the thought that this proposal had already found its way to the gossip mill.
The man held up his hand, his hat still in it. „Never fear, sir. I am no threat to the discretion so essential to this offer.“
Lindsay pushed the coin back into his pocket and prayed the man was telling the truth.
„You see, sir, the coin interprets the wish in its own way.“ The man ran his hat through his fingers. „Sometimes an explanation is needed.“ He bowed again.
Lindsay shrugged, humoring the man while trying to think of some reasonable explanation for his appearance.
„Now, sir, you asked for employment both pleasurable and profitable. That is what has been offered, is it not? The position with Lady Anderson? It is what you need, sir, and not only for the money. You need to step back into your rightful place in the world.“
He would throw the ridiculous coin in the river the very next chance he had.
„Surely it is not the amount, Major. Twenty-five pounds a week seems a princely sum to me.“
„It is.“ Lindsay hesitated and then decided that anything that happened this early in the morning was no more than a dream. „The work I am offered is hardly honorable.“
„Aha, but you see you did not include ‘honorable’ in your list.“ The man nodded, as if he were agreeing with himself. „And, sir, I ask you, what is dishonorable about the position? Any work that you take on to provide for your family would suit my definition of honorable.“ He spoke with a firm nod, as though that was the final word.
„Then we define honorable differently.“
„No, we do not. It is only that your definition is clouded by pride. Honor and pride. They are not the same.“
„And preserving my pride was something else I failed to include in my list.“
„Very good, Colonel. Yes, indeed, your wish is granted. It is up to you to make the best of it without compromising what is most important to you.“
And with a nod, the man put his cap back on and continued down the street.
Seven
„Major David Lindsay.“ The steward’s voice was well suited to his current task announcing guests. His baritone carried across the ballroom and caught the attention of Grace Anderson.
Elation swept through her. He was here. There was still a chance he would agree to her offer. He was not particularly late – the Harristons were still receiving guests – but she had given up hope when he had not been among the first to arrive.
At the announcement of his name, the woman she was speaking with stopped talking and turned to take a look at him. Grace watched him study the crowd. When he found her, he nodded. More than one head turned to follow his gaze and see who merited such attention.
It was not hard to tell. Her answering smile was out of all proportion to his brief nod. She could not help it.
„Oooh, my dear,“ the lady next to her said, „aren’t you the lucky one. I was rather hoping I was the one he had taken such particular notice of. Major Lindsay is quite a handsome man, and I daresay it is not just the uniform that gives him such distinction.“
Grace reminded herself that a single exchange of glances was enough to start gossip. Rumors of a liaison might be her goal, but the last thing she wanted was for gossip to start before she knew if he was willing. She did her best to control her satisfaction. If he said no after the smile she gave his discreet nod, everyone would know that it was he who had snubbed her. Did it matter? Just enough to make her smile disappear.
She gave her full attention to the woman who had expressed such envy, a woman whose name she could not quite recall. Something like „rooster,“ but that may have come to mind because she was dressed as though her goal had been to look like one. Grace wondered if anyone else thought the rather lovely bronze-red taffeta dress and the huge pair of feathers rising from her crown gave the woman the look of a bantam. A ruby choker only added to the overall effect. Perhaps she was trying to compete with her husband, a colonel whose uniform was as impressive as Lindsay’s, even without the Waterloo medal.
„I met the major the other day, when he saved my clothes from ruin.“ Grace pressed her lips together to erase the smile and tried for something more decorous.
„Did Fetters race down Bond Street again?“
„Yes.“ She resisted the urge to turn back to look for Lindsay. He had seen her. He would find her when the time was right.
„We will have more to talk of this Season than which girl has caught the eye of which gentleman if Fetters continues these absurdities.“ The woman shook her shoulders, looking more like a rooster with each gesture.
„Hopefully, he will not be here tonight,“ Grace said, only half attending. „This is one gown I would like to wear again.“
„The major is coming this way,“ the woman whispered.
Grace could not resist a glance over her shoulder. His uniform made him easy to find, the red standing out even among the glitter of society. It was both elegant and sober, as was the man wearing it.
„He’s coming straight to you,“ the woman hissed, stating the obvious, and Grace turned to greet him.
„Lady Anderson.“ He bowed.
„Major Lindsay.“ She curtsied.
Her smile faded as he stared at her, silent. Then he shook his head in the same slight way he had nodded to her. He turned to her companion as though the two words of her name was all the attention she would have from him.
This, then, was not the good news she had hoped for. Now she was truly embarrassed at the enthusiasm of her earlier welcome.
She stood her ground, though she was sorely tempted to flee. She was embarrassed only. Not humiliated. It was his choice and could have been made for a dozen reasons, reasons that had nothing to do with the way she dressed or drank soup.
With a determination to end their brief acquaintance with civility and, by the by, give the woman in red no further fuel for gossip, Grace watched as the major bowed over the other woman’s hand.
„Good evening to you, Mrs. Rooster.“
Rooster? Good heavens, Grace thought, did he really call her that? Even as she had the thought he blushed.
„It’s Schuster, Major. I believe we met at General Broadbent’s. The name is Schuster.“
He bowed low over her hand. „I do beg your pardon, Mrs. Schuster. How hen-witted of me.“
The choice of words was deliberate, Grace was sure. With real effort, she kept from looking at him. As it was she could barely contain her laughter.
„You must excuse me, Major, Lady Anderson.“ Mrs. Schuster nodded to each of them. „Lady Harriston wants my opinion on some new bonnets for her chicks. They are lovely girls. But having all three make their bow in the same Season would be a burden for any mother. If you will excuse me? And I’m sure you will.“ The arch tone hinted that Mrs. Schuster was going to share more than her opinion on hats.
They both watched her leave, and as soon as she was out of earshot Lindsay turned to her.
„Is there any hope for me or have I ruined myself completely?“ Despite the question, he did not look particularly worried. „Tell me, how important is Mrs. Schuster? You must know the pecking order here.“