“Hmmm,” Christiana murmured. “So if it isn’t Robert you are saving those dances for, who is it?”

“It’s—” Lisa paused, her eyes lighting up and a smile gracing her lips as she recognized the man approaching them. Tall, fair-haired and with a winning smile that he was presently beaming on her, Charles Findlay, the man she had danced with two years ago. “Him.”

“Lord Findlay?” Suzette asked, eyeing the approaching man with interest. “You danced with him the last time we were at the Landons’ ball, did you not?”

“Aye,” Lisa whispered, her eyes skating over the man and wondering what she’d been thinking back then. Mooning after Robert when someone like Findlay was holding her in his arms. He truly was a beautiful male, with ice blond hair, strong, acquiline features, wide shoulders and slim hips. Really, he was more handsome even than Robert, she admitted with a smile. Truly, he was an Adonis. If a girl had to wake up to the same face every morning, she could do worse than to find his smiling down at her.

“Ladies,” Lord Findlay said in greeting, pausing before them and sketching a graceful bow. Straightening as they murmured in greeting, he smiled. “May I say you all look exceptionally lovely this evening?”

“You may,” Suzette said with a laugh. “We may even believe you mean it.”

Lord Findlay grinned with appreciation, and then turned his gaze to Lisa. “I arrived later than intended this evening and know there is probably no hope, but you would not have at least one dance left on your card that I might put my name to?”

“As it happens, my lord, we were a bit tardy arriving as well,” Lisa lied, retrieving her dance card. “And I believe I just happen to have a couple of dances still free.” She perused the small card as if she didn’t know exactly which dances she had open, and then asked, “Would you prefer a waltz or a quadrille?”

“Both,” he said at once, and then grinned and added, “If I may be so bold?”

Lisa ignored the narrowing of her sisters’ eyes and then said lightly, “Well, I shall put you down for the waltz. I suspect I shall be quite worn out by the time the quadrille comes around and in need of refreshment.”

“Then I shall be pleased to fetch you a beverage and take you out on the terrace for some night air during the quadrille,” he assured her with a grin, and then immediately added, “Along with your sisters, of course.”

Lisa smiled and wrote his name into her card. She then nodded and murmured appropriately as he excused himself.

“Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” Suzette asked, catching Lisa’s arm and pulling her around to face her and Christiana once the man was gone.