Introducing Merry and Sir Barnaby Part 3
The hero (Sir Barnaby Ware) is a man who made a really big mistake several years ago, and he's been regretting that mistake ever since.
This snippet is from the first chapter. Merry and Sir Barnaby have just met. They're in a curricle, with the groom (Catton) sitting behind. To Barnaby's embarrassment it turns out that Miss Merryweather has noticed how he dances...
“I saw you once at Vauxhall,” Miss Merryweather said. “Several years ago.”
Barnaby wrenched his thoughts back to his companion. “Er . . . you did?”
“At one of the ridottos.”
Barnaby looked more closely at her—the heart-shaped face, the dimples, the full, sweet mouth. Did she expect him to recognize her? “I’m afraid I don’t recall meeting you,” he said apologetically.
“Oh, we weren’t introduced. I was there with my fiancé, and you were with Lord Cosgrove and his fiancée.”
“Oh.” His face stiffened. The familiar emotions surged through him: guilt, shame, remorse.
Barnaby looked away, and gripped the reins tightly. God, to be able to go back to the person he’d been then. To be able to relive his life and not make the same dreadful mistake.
“I noticed you most particularly. You were the best dancer there.”
It took a few seconds for the words to penetrate the fog of shame and regret. When they did, Barnaby blinked. “Me?”
“Marcus dances fairly well,” Miss Merryweather said. “He’s a natural athlete, but he’s a pugilist. He’s trained his body for strength, not grace. You, I’d hazard a guess, are a better fencer and horseman than Marcus.”
“Not by much,” Barnaby said, staring at her. What an unusual female.
“It takes a number of qualities to make a truly excellent dancer. Not merely precision and grace and stamina, but a musical ear as well, and of course one must enjoy dancing. You have all of those qualities, Sir Barnaby. You’re one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen.”
Barnaby felt himself blush. “Thank you.” He refrained from glancing back at Catton. The groom was doubtless smirking.
And to finish off this post, here's an image of a Regency gentleman dancing -- and I hasten to add that he bears no resemblance to Sir Barnaby beyond the fact that he's male and he clearly enjoys dancing!
[Image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum collection of public domain images.]
