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to be away from Blake House but if truth were told, every bone in his body ached inter m inably. Although he was reluctant to ad m it it, the accident had left him weaker than he would have supposed. However, it needed only a visit from Regina, one of his younger sisters, to strengthen his resolve to travel to Stovely at the first opportunity. She was a lively girl of eighteen who chatt e red incessantly and drove him to distraction with recounts of the social eve n ts she had attended in the last week. Though he feigned interest for a short while, he found i t quite necessary to bring their discourse to an abrupt and unceremonious end, which had the effect of sending her out of his co m pany in high dudgeon whilst he took refuge in sleep.
     
     
    Chapter Four
     
    Stovely Hall was at its most splendid in summer , though Vale did not altogether a ppreciate its beauty. In his present m ood, the m agnifice n t house of varying antiquity with Palla di an f rontage, set a m ongst velv e t l a wns and bountiful foliage, m eant nothing to hi m . Instead, now that his health was so m ewhat recovered, he confined his interests to the stables and whatever sport could be found within Stovely’s boundaries. That at least afforded him so m e pleasure. It was the first L ondon season he had m i ssed since entering society a nd it irked him to forgo the pleasures it afforded. He had never atte m pted to s a m ple country society, finding the m ere conte m plation of it dull to the extre m e. It was then with so m e surprise, that upon receiving a visit from Squ i re Murray, he found hi m self agreeing to attend the m onthly ball held at the local asse m bly roo m s. Regretting h i s decision as so o n as t h e squire had quitted his company, he was unable to believe that his desire for so m e, in d eed any, diversion should have driven him to accept t h e invitation. For was not such an outing beneath his notice?
    Still, it may prove e n te rt ainin g , he thought and so m ade up his m i nd to go, much m ay it be against his better judg m ent, reasoning that he need not stay the whole evening if it proved not to be to his liking .
    Indeed, such was his m i nd as he stepped from his coach at the hallowed portals the following week, and it took only a cursory glance at the other notables arriving for an evening’s e n tertain m ent to confirm h i m in the belief that it would prove a thoroughly dull affair.
    He had intended on a late arrival but instead found that others had had that selfs a m e thought. In honor of the occasion h e had chosen to wear h i s second best eve n ing attire of burgundy satin. The choice of which his valet had seen fit to la m ent, believing it o n ly rig h t that h i s m aster should appear at his most regal and thus create the i m pression due to his rank and fortune. However, m y lord had overridden his protestations, dee m ing the affair not worthy of so grand an effort. Even so, he presented an i m posing enough figure as he paused m o m entarily before mounting the steps to the roo m s.
    Entering the outer chamber, he lifted his quizzing glass the better to survey the gathering throng, beco m i ng only too aware that he in t u rn beca m e the object of scrutiny. Several of the ladies showed a keen interest in him but there were dark mutterings amongst their escorts who were m ore aware of the extent of his reputation. Retre a ting into aloofness , Vale returned their cursory bows with a mocking in c lin a tion of his head. To the ladies he m ade a profound leg and s m iled sweetly, noting with considerable a m use m ent the i r differing reactions to his presence from those of their escorts. He was ever conscious of the e ffect he had on the fairer sex and was not wholly displeased by it.
    Allowing the press to precede hi m , his lordship languidly followed into the ballroom, standing just to the side of the door as the quintet struck up a quadrille. Once more he raised his quizzing gla s s to scrutinize