“Adela is pretty.” He wanted to say just like her rider, but that would be too forward. “Just like she is.”

Eleanor laughed again, this time from deeper inside her. “It is a much better name than the one I had for my first horse.”

He thought of the names he and his sister had for their first horses. “I believe better names come with age.”

She leaned down and patted her mare’s neck. “My first horse’s name was Butterfly. What was yours?”

“Blacky. Naturally because he was black.” They turned to walk along the Serpentine. “Why Butterfly?”

“Because she was pretty, and my sister had already named hers Pretty Lady.”

John laughed. “That’s what my sister named her first horse.”

“I think there must be a great many horses with that appellation.” Eleanor smiled and shook her head. “Did your sister want you to name your horse Galahad? We tried to convince our younger brother to do that.”

“No, Lancelot. He was, apparently, a much more romantic figure.”

She lifted a light brown brow. “I am of the firm belief that Lancelot is a fine name for an animal, but not for a person. Phinn told us that Lord Lancelot almost ran down my sister, Augusta, on his horse to express his undying love.”

“Good Lord.” John always knew Lord Lancelot was an idiot, but he hadn’t known how much of one. “The man must have been mad.”

Eleanor gave a firm nod. “Phinn sent him home with a groom and was preparing to speak with his father, but someone else did it before he could, and Lord Lancelot was sent home.”

“At least Worthington did not allow any of you to stand up with him.” John must try to make the time to find out if the man had changed at all. “Does that mean that you do not have to accept an offer to dance with him?”

She nodded. “Matt said he would not allow it until he was convinced that his lordship had reformed.”

“That’s good.” There was a ball this evening. “Are you attending the Markham ball?”

“Oh, yes.” She looked excited about it. “My family is close to Lady Harrington, who is Lady Markham’s daughter-in-law. It will be nice to see her again.” Eleanor glanced at him and tilted her head as if she’d forgotten something. “Did you know that Lord and Lady Harrington were in Paris with the embassy?”

“I believe my mother mentioned it. She knows Lady Markham.” John really should have made a point of coming to Town sooner. “May I have the supper dance if you still have it free?”

“Yes. You may.” Eleanor smiled at him. “I imagine this will be much more fun than Almack’s was.”