Natalie turned to smile at Lizzy. “Lady Godwin? I fear she may be spreading gossip about me.”

“Bah, what can she say? Everyone already knows you’re an American.”

Natalie hesitated, then admitted, “Back at Oak Knoll, she accused me of being a swindler trying to pass off my own son as the earl’s grandson.”

Lizzy pursed her lips. “What a nasty woman! Pray be assured, no one will heed her but a handful of her cronies. What matters to society is that Hadrian and Mama and I have given you our seal of approval.”

“Perhaps you’re right.”

“There’s no perhaps about it.” Glancing into the crowded ballroom, Lizzy absently rubbed her pregnant belly. “Ah, there’s Wrenbury. I suppose I must go and placate him. He fears I’m overtaxing myself, but I have no intention of leaving early and missing the lobster patties at supper.” She squeezed Natalie’s hand. “By the way, the best revenge on those chinwags is to be happy and enjoy yourself. Let people see that you don’t care what they think.”

As Lizzy vanished into the throng, Natalie felt cheered to have the support of a friend. She reminded herself there were good and bad people everywhere in the world, not just in an English ballroom. It was liberating not to care what a few naysayers might think of her.

During a break in the sets, she joined the duchess and Sir Basil, who were seated near one of the lush garden displays. As she quenched her thirst with champagne and rested her feet for a few minutes, a buzz swept through the multitude. The disturbance seemed centered on the doorway.

“Can you look, my dear?” the duchess asked, lounging in her gilded chair while waving a dainty ivory fan at her face. “Oh, it is a plague to be so short.”

Natalie arose to peer through the crowd. “There’s a party of newcomers. One of them is quite corpulent, and he’s wearing a blue cape with epaulets.”

Sir Basil stood up to look, too. “Why, Millie. I didn’t know you’d invited Prinny.”

The duchess’s eyes widened as she pushed to her feet, dropping the fan in her haste. “Oh no! I didn’t invite him. This is dreadful!”

“Who is Prinny?” Natalie asked in confusion.

“The Prince Regent. He was left off the guest list on purpose. I thought it wise to do so, for your sake.” Her manner agitated, she clutched Natalie’s arm. “My dear, I realize it goes against your principles, but I implore you to make an exception this once. You simply must curtsy to the prince.”

Chapter 25

Before Natalie could do more than blink, Hadrian joined them. “Forgive me, but I must disagree.”

The duchess gazed beseechingly at him. “But you know His Highness sets great store on obeisance. If he takes it into his mind to cause trouble, it will create an unpleasant scene and ruin the ball. Natalie may be ostracized.”

He listened gravely to his mother, then turned his attention to Natalie. As he lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, his keen eyes seemed to penetrate her very soul. “Never mind all that,” he said softly. “You may do as you wish. I’ll protect your good name.”