Miss Henrietta Hay, his current partner, was hot with the excitement of the dance and with the distinction of dancing with the most eligible man in the room.

“Perhaps you would like an ice.” Hugh led her out of the ballroom. As they turned into the passage to the refreshment room, a pink gown whisked through a curtain that led outside to a small balcony. That dress was familiar.

Hugh excused himself to Miss Hay and followed the pink dress, swishing the curtain abruptly, to confirm his fears. Selena stood much closer than was appropriate to Mr. Arthur Muldrow.

Hugh’s sister gasped, taking a step away from Muldrow. “Oh, Hugh,” she whispered, cheeks pinker than her dress. Her hands fluttered at her neck. “What are you doing here? I mean, why have you followed me?” Selena tried to smile but her lips trembled. “I simply came to feel the cool air as it is so hot in the ballroom.”

Hugh looked from one to the other. A heavy weight settled somewhere in his chest and two words echoed in his brain. Not again. Hugh hid his agitation, his face and voice impassive. This was a public place, and Lord Thatcham must avoid embroiling his sister in a scene that would make Selena the subject of some of the juiciest gossip of the season. “I believe you would feel cooler if you were to eat an ice, Selena. Please join Miss Hay and myself.”

Selena’s eyes widened.

“I say.” Muldrow interrupted, his face an unbecoming purple. “Miss Selena may surely do as she pleases. Her mother is present, you know.”

Hugh looked him up and down in silence. He did not dignify the man with a reply but took Selena’s arm and escorted her away.

His sister fumed at his side. “Hugh, let me go,” she muttered, through stiff lips. “You are hurting my arm.”

“I do not wish you to spend time with that man.” Hugh, released his hold on her. “He is not to be trusted.”

“We were doing nothing wrong.” She tossed her head.

Hugh smiled, hiding his fury behind lazy hauteur. “My concern is to make sure that remains the case.” He offered his arm to Miss Hay and smiled, glad for the first time that his partner’s head would be empty of any thought but dresses and balls. “Now, let us enjoy one of Lady Marchant’s spectacular ices.” Miss Hay’s face lit up.

Selena’s sulks did not last long. She maintained a cold silence while they ate ices, but Miss Hay’s exclamations of amazement at the number of titled names on Selena’s dance card soon enabled her to remember how much she loved to dance. She returned to the ballroom. Hugh relaxed a little. Perhaps the preference his sister had shown for Muldrow was less entrenched than he feared.