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those in atten d ance, realizing h o w few faces were fa m iliar to hi m , still only t o o aware of the com m ents his m ere presence evoked. He watched the couples going down the mov e m ent of the dance and felt n o desire to join the i r nu m bers, indeed it took but a short while for him to decide that he had seen enough of country society and prepared to m ake his retreat.
    However, much to his chagrin, his departure was forestalled. As he turned t o ward the door, Mrs. Lewis, a m atron of uncertain years who was the self-i m p osed leader of the community, hurried toward hi m , the purple feathers in her head dress nodding as she approached.
    “My lord, you m ust allow m e to welco m e you to our happy gathering,” she enthused. “We have heard so m uch about you. Indeed the pro m ise of your co m pany excited much interest a m ongst our nu m bers,” and she held her hand out toward him not even noticing that he took it in only a perfunctory clasp, letti n g it g o al m ost im m ediately when their fingers touched.
    “I thank you, m ad a m , but I was just on the point of departure,” he replied in a tone that anyone who knew him would have recognized as a set down, discouraging any further discourse from this presu m ptuous m atron.
    “You cannot possibly depart t h is early in the evening,” she reproved, co m pletely oblivious of his m anner. “There are so m any who would wish to m ake your acquaintance. W ill you not at least take so m e refresh m ent and then allow m e to m ake introductions? As you can see there are m any young ladies sa d ly in need of a partner. W ill you not join t h e set s ?”
    Casting her an al m ost pitying glance and drawing slightly apart, Vale beca m e at his most haughty. “Mada m , I see n o t the need to dance. T h ere see m s a surfeit of partners for the young ladies and I w ould not wish to add to their numbers.”
    Undaunted, Mrs. Lewis co n tinued to press her point, totally una w are of his obvious dislike of the situation. “If it is not your desire to dance, sir, then perhaps a ga m e of Silver Loo or W hist? W e have card tables set up in one of the anti-roo m s and several of the gentle m en have already found their way there.”
    Recognizing that she would not be easily swayed from her purpose and seeing that apart from appearing unacceptably crass, t h is was his only line of retreat, he turned away from the door. “An excellent idea, m ada m , perhaps a ga m e of cards.”
    “Then I shall send m y husband to you and he will m ake the i n trod uc tions in the card roo m . There is no need for you to feel uncomfortable; we are a very friendly crowd I assure you.”
    “There is n o necessity for your h usband to trouble hi m self on my account,” drawled Vale, m oving away. “I am quite able to m ake my own introductions.” So saying he r e tre a ted in the gene r al d i rection of where he assu m ed the card ro o m s to be situated, relieved to have finally rid hi m self of her attentions. Howev e r, it was not the card room in wh i ch he found hi m self but the supper hall, which was now milling with couples freshly arrived from the ballroom as the supper interval began.
    As he m ade his way through the roo m , several daring young blades atte m pted to attract his attention and engage him in conversation, even proffering seats at their tables. But Vale passed through, showing a bored indifference to their societ y , finding t h eir att e ntions decidedly irritating. In prefere n ce, he seated hi m self at a vacant table and sent a lackey in s earch of refres h m ent, whilst showing not even a fleeting interest in his surroundings. He wished only to m ake his exit at the appropriate m o m ent and made m ental note to avoid like gathe r ings at all c ost in the f uture. Such entertain m ent suffered la m entably in co m pa r ison with London’s superior attractions a nd it pleased him not at all to be the center of atte n tion. Cursing hi m self for