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say it will come back to me.'
    Rebecca murmured a polite nothing and returned to Hetty's side.
    1 am glad you are getting to know some of the gentlemen here,' said Hetty, rather anxiously, 'but if I can just give you a word of warning, Rebecca. The gentleman you were talking to just now - the slack-featured gentleman, George Lacy - he is not quite the thing.'
    'Don't worry aunt,' teased Rebecca. 1 promise not to form a tendre for him!'
    To Rebecca's surprise, Hetty did not smile at her sally.
    That isn't what I mean,' said Hetty, shaking her head. 'He has a malicious nature, and he delights in inflicting harm. He loves nothing better than to gossip - I declare he is worse than a woman in that way - and if he ever discovers something any decent person would keep quiet about, he noises it abroad. Oh! Not openly. That would be too dangerous for him. There are still gentlemen who are prepared to fight a duel if they feel their own of their wife's honour has been called into question. But nevertheless he finds a way of making it known.'
    'Never fear,' said Rebecca. 'He cannot hurt me. I have nothing to hide.'
    'Even so, I would rather you kept away from him,' said Hetty worriedly.
    1 shall do as you suggest,' said Rebecca. She had detected something underhand about Mr Lacy herself, and was happy to assure Hetty she had no intention of cultivating his acquaintance.
    'Good.' Hetty was satisfied. 'Oh, look,' she said. 'Here is Joshua. I believe he means to ask you for another dance.'
    Rebecca felt her heart skip a beat. Dancing with Joshua had been difficult enough the first time. She did not trust herself to accept his hand for a second time. She must think of some excuse.
    'May I have the honour of your hand for the next dance?' asked Joshua as he joined them at the side of the ballroom.
    1 must beg to be excused,' Rebecca said. 1 am feeling rather hot.'
    Indeed. 'His eyes fixed on hers and held them for a long moment.
    If she had not been hot before, she certainly was now!
    As if convinced that she was indeed feeling heated by the delicate flush that sprang to her cheek, Joshua released her from his gaze, saying, Then you must let me fetch you an ice.'
    Rebecca accepted his offer and he strode off, to return a few minutes later with a refreshing confection.
    By this time Hetty was deep in conversation with one of the other matrons, leaving Rebecca feeling vulnerable. As she took the ice she decided it was best to retreat once more into general conversation. She was just about to launch into a discussion of the war against France, asking Joshua whether he felt that Napoleon was indeed close to ultimate defeat, as the newspapers suggested, when she became aware of George Lacy's eyes on them.
    What is it?' asked Joshua, seeing her frown.
    That gentleman,' said Rebecca, her hand poised halfway to her mouth. 'George Lacy. He is watching me.'
    That's hardly surprising,' said Joshua. His eyes warmed as they roved over her face, taking in her bright eyes and her naturally red lips, before dropping to her delicious curves, which were encased in her satin gown.
    Rebecca blushed. You must not say such things to me.'
    She had not meant to say it. She had meant to smile politely, as she would have smiled politely at the pleasantries of any other gentleman. But she had not been equal to it.
    He looked down at her more intently, and the mocking smile left his lips. Why not, when they are true?' he asked.
    Rebecca could think of no answer to this. Even so, she wished he would not say such things, or look at her in such a disturbing way. She was becoming prey to certain unsettling images, images of him sweeping her into his arms and kissing her on the lips, and she knew she must drive them away.
    Tell me,' she said, striving to turn the conversation into less disturbing channels, and falling back on her earlier idea of discussing Napoleon. What do you think of Napoleon's chances, now that so many countries have entered a coalition against