James was confident he was looked on favourably by William, Lady Rachael and old Sir Martin, and he considered himself a suitor of whom he himself would approve if he had a daughter of his own. Ameline seemed to like him, she was always polite and showed an interest in his topics of conversation and appeared to enjoy dancing with him.

On the other hand there were one or two things that might go against him. He was quiet and serious and might be considered rather stuffy by the high-society Beswethericks and their circle of friends and acquaintances, who tended to socialize often and noisily. It had been his only concern until the introduction to Sir Oliver Pengarron. The infamous Sir Oliver was one of the Beswethericks’ closest friends and James would have done better to have made a good impression on him rather than spark off his ill humour with that unfortunate remark about his wife.

James wiped away the sweat on his upper lip. If only he could speak to William and obtain permission to ask Ameline to marry him. Then it wouldn’t be improper to suggest to her that they step out on to the balcony together to breathe in some welcome fresh air and get away from all these dreadful people. He was fairly confident she would accompany him; Ameline had looked uncomfortable all the evening herself.

James momentarily toyed with then dismissed the notion of approaching Lady Rachael who was in close proximity to him. Apart from the breach in etiquette, Ameline having a father and grandfather present, he felt he could not guarantee a sensible hearing from a woman with an aviary piled on top of her head.

He moved through the nauseating combination of sweating, over-perfumed bodies in the hope of finding an opened window. The bright light from the hundreds of candles and dazzling jewels hurt his eyes. The spread of swishing gowns made from silks, satins, muslins, batistes and, in the latest fashion, cotton, caught at his legs and impeded his progress. Rouged faces seemed to loom up on him. The hum of voices, the background of music, the squeals of laughter, all made his head ache.

He eventually located an open window but it did little to refresh him as the air outside was warm and clammy. He looked round for Ameline and then William. Ameline was about to take the floor with Sir Martin and William was with his mother-in-law, the Countess. James felt his throat constrict and pulled urgently at his neckcloth. Sir Oliver was talking to Lady Rachael and not troubling to conceal the fact it was James himself they were discussing. Was the tall overpowering man telling the preposterous matron that he would make an unsuitable husband for her daughter?