Society Catch

The encounter that led directly to Colonel Gregory being disinherited by his father and to Miss Joanna Fulgrave running away from home in disgrace took place at the Duchess of Bridlington's dress ball on the sixth of June.It was a very splendid occasion. As her Grace fully intended, it succeeded in both marking the approaching end of the Season and ensuring that any other function held between then and the dispersal of thetonfrom town seemed sadly flat in comparison.Joanna progressed as gracefully to the receiving line outside the ballroom at Bridlington House as the necessity to halt on every step and to guard her skirts from being trodden upon allowed. Beside her Mrs Fulgrave mounted the famous double staircase with equal patience. The Fulgrave ladies had ample opportunity to exchange smiles and bows with friends and acquaintances, caught up as they all were in the slow-moving crush.As always, mothers of less satisfactory debutantes observed her progress, and in undertones reminded their daughters to observe Miss Fulgrave's impeccable deportment, her exquisitely correct appearance and her perfectly modulated and charming manner.If Joanna had not combined these enviable virtues with a natural warmth and friendliness, the young ladies so addressed would have long since begun to dislike her heartily. As it was, they forgave her for her perfections while their mothers poured balm upon each other's wounds with reminders that this was Miss Fulgrave's second Season now drawing to a close and she was still unattached.That was a matter very much upon her fond mama's mind. No one, Mrs Fulgrave knew, could hope for a more dutiful, lovely, conformable daughter as Joanna. Yet not one, but seven, eligible gentlemen had presented themselves to Mr Fulgrave, were permitted to pay their addresses to Joanna and went away, their pretensions dismissed kindly but firmly. In every case Miss Joanna was unable, or unwilling, to provide her harassed parent with any explanation, other than to say she did not think the gentleman would suit.However, that very morning Joanna had refused to receive the son of her mama's dearest school friend, a gentleman of such excellent endowments of birth, fortune and looks that her father had rapidly moved from astonishment to incredulous displeasure and Joanna discovered the limits of parental tolerance at last."How can you say you will refuse Rufus?" her mother had demanded. "What can I say to Elizabeth when she discovers you have spurned her son out of hand?" 'I hardly know him," Joanna had said placatingly, only to meet with a snort from her parent. "Youhardly know him: why, you said yourself that you had not met his mama for over ten years.""You met Rufus Carstairs when you were six." 'He pulled my pigtails and took my ball." 'When he was ten! Really Joanna, to turn down the Earl of Clifton because of some childish squabble is beyond everything foolish."Joanna had bitten her lip, her eyes downcast as she searched for some acceptable excuse. To tell the truth, the reason why she would have turned down anyone from a Duke to the richest nabob, was quite out of the question, but she was hesitant to wound her mama with the specific reason why she would not have considered Rufus Carstairs in any case."Well?" 'I do not like him, Mama, really I do not. There is something in his eyes when he looks at me..." Her voice trailed off. Those penetrating blue eyes were the only clue to something burning inside the polite, elegant exterior that filled her with a profound mistrust. "It is as though I have no clothes on," she finally blurted out."Joanna! Of all the improper things...I can only hope that your natural innocence has led you to mistake the perfectly understandable ardour of a young man in love for something which I sincerely trust you know nothing about!" Mrs Fulgrave had broken off to compose herself. "Has he said anything to put you to the blush? NAllen, Louise is the author of 'Society Catch ', published 2006 under ISBN 9780373294091 and ISBN 0373294093.