“George!”

He looked up.

“Kindly pay attention,” his mother said.

“My apologies,” he murmured. He had no idea how long he’d been lost in his own thoughts, although generally speaking, with his mother even a second or two of woolgathering was not to be tolerated.

“I was saying,” she said somewhat peevishly, “that you must dance with Billie twice.”

“Consider it done.”

Her eyes narrowed; she was clearly suspicious at the ease at which she was getting her way. “You must also be sure to allow at least ninety minutes to elapse between dances.”

He rolled his eyes and did not bother to hide it. “As you wish.”

Lady Manston stirred a bit of sugar into her tea. “You must appear attentive.”

“But not too attentive?”

“Don’t mock me,” she warned.

He set down his fork. “Mother, I assure you that I am every bit as eager for Billie’s happiness as you are.”

This seemed to appease her somewhat. “Very well,” she said, “I am pleased that we are in agreement. I wish to arrive at the ball at half past nine. This will give us the opportunity to make a proper entrance, but it will still be early enough that it won’t be so difficult to make introductions. It gets so loud at these things.”

George nodded his agreement.

“I think we should depart at nine—there will surely be a line of carriages outside of Wintour House and you know how long that takes—so if you could be ready by three-quarters past eight—”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry,” George interrupted, thinking of the ridiculous message he was meant to pass along to Robert Tallywhite. “I cannot accompany you. I’ll need to make my own way to the ball.”

“Don’t be absurd,” she said dismissively. “We need you to escort us.”

“I wish I could,” he said quite honestly. He would have liked nothing better than for Billie to make her entrance on his arm, but he’d already given a great deal of thought to this evening’s schedule, and he had determined that it was imperative that he arrive on his own. If he came with the ladies, he would have to practically abandon them at the door. And heaven knew that would never happen without a full interrogation from his mother.

No, better to get there earlier so that he could find Tallywhite and take care of the whole thing before they even arrived.

“What can possibly be more important than accompanying Billie and me?” his mother demanded.

“I have a previous engagement,” he replied, lifting his own cup of tea to his lips. “It cannot be avoided.”

His mother’s lips pressed into a firm line. “I am most displeased.”

“I am sorry to disappoint.”

She began stirring her tea with increasing vigor. “I could be completely wrong about this, you know. She could be an instant success. We could be surrounded by gentlemen from the moment we arrive.”

“Your tone seems to imply that you think that would be a bad thing,” George said.