He dropped his hand and swore underneath his breath.
Frederica startled and he steadied her with both arms. ‘Mama, how...how lovely it is to see you.’
Lady Hampford linked arms with her daughter. ‘You know how I enjoy fireworks. Let us watch them together.’
Before Samuel could make his escape, the Duchess had taken his arm into her tight grip. She guided them both back to the middle of the crowd like naughty children. He tried to catch Frederica’s eye, but her mother stood directly between them and the Duchess was a very tall woman. And a shrewd one. Samuel was certain that she knew exactly what he and Frederica had been planning to do.
After the fireworks, Lady Hampford dragged them both inside to the dance floor and did not release her hold until the musicians began to play a waltz. ‘Ah, should you two like to dance?’
Frederica melted into his arms like she belonged there. Samuel spun them around together slowly; Frederica’s head was practically on his shoulder.
She yawned. ‘I am sorry. I am still a little tired from this morning. I woke up early and waited for you, but you never came.’
Samuel did not wish to know if his betrothed had found someone else to keep her company. What mattered is that she wanted him. It was long odds, but he would even wager that she loved him.
‘Go to bed early tonight,’ he whispered in her ear, ‘and we will go riding in the morning. I will come to your house and collect you.’
‘Like a package?’ she asked with another yawn.
He brushed a light kiss against her sleepy forehead. ‘Just like a package.’
After the dance, he returned his tired companion to Lady Hampford and suggested mildly that they might wish to retire early.
Lady Hampford agreed readily and Frederica yawned behind her glove. He walked with them to the entry, where they put on their wraps and called for their carriage.
‘I trust we shall see you at Wellington’s ball?’ Lady Hampford asked in the tone of a command.
‘Yes, Duchess,’ Samuel said with a slight bow of his head. ‘I shall hope for the pleasure of dancing with Lady Frederica.’
Frederica yawned again. ‘I will try to stay awake next time.’
Lady Hampford offered her hand. ‘Until then.’
Samuel bowed over it and then took Frederica’s arm. ‘Tomorrow morning, we need to visit the King. Nine o’clock, sharp.’
Her eyes widened and she nodded. Frederica had understood his covert message. He handed her up into the carriage. He thought that she would be asleep in minutes.
Returning to the fête, he saw Slender Billy walking crookedly towards him. It would appear that his old friend had already hit the bottle a little too much that evening. ‘Was one of your dreary death letters to her?’
‘Not now,’ Samuel said, holding up his hands. ‘I am afraid that I am in no mood for jokes.’
The prince smiled with only one side of his face. ‘I shall not joke with you then. I just thought I would give you a friendly word of advice.’
‘Yes?’ he said impatiently. Advice from a drunk friend was rarely helpful.
‘N-not that I am any great hand at women,’ Billy said in a slurred voice. ‘The whole world knows of my broken engagement with Princess Ch-Charlotte. I just think that if you are going to marry the girl anyway and you happen to be fond of her, you might do worse than to tell her. Don’t make her wait until you are dead to read it in a cold letter.’
Samuel bristled. His relationship with Frederica was like handling a hot coal. One had to be careful or they would get burned. He was certain of his feelings and nearly sure of hers. But like any rider, he did not want to rush his fences. He wanted to wait until the perfect time to tell her. Not some rushed-up job that she might attribute to fear of his impending death.
He laughed. ‘Come on, Slender Billy. I think we both could use a drink.’
‘Several!’ His Royal Highness replied cheerfully.
Chapter Sixteen
Frederica slept poorly. Jealousy burned like poison through her veins. She had dreamed about Lady Caro all night long, except the petite lady had shot her instead of the other way around. Dragging herself out of bed at eight o’clock, she rang for her lady’s maid to help her into her riding clothes. Last night her wits had been sleepy and it had taken her a few moments to realise the ‘King’ that Samuel wished to visit was The King of Spain Inn. She certainly would not mind a visit to a certainprivateparlour.
Watching Jim saddle her horse, Frederica blushed at her words the night before. She had demanded that Samuel not even look at or dance with another woman. While she was a much bigger flirt. The irony was not lost on her. Yet he had not refused her request. He had merely asked her to do the same. Could Samuel actually have feelings for her? Beyond the affection of their childhood memories and family connections? He did not choose her, but could he grow to love her as a man loved a woman? That he was attracted to her, she knew. But she wanted a love as enduring and as rare as the one her parents shared. They were like a team of oxen, equally yoked. They always moved forward together. Not that her parents were at all the same. Papa was an absent-minded naturalist and Mama was a sharp-minded businesswoman, yet their different gifts complemented each other. They supported one another.