Virtue and Vanity: Continuing Story of Desire and Duty Read Online Free PDF Page B

many times before and replied, “I have nothing else to do.”
    Captain Wiley bowed before Laura, “May I have the honor of dancing with the brightest jewel in the room tonight?”
    Laura willingly extended her arm as the Captain escorted her way. The dance was announced. As Andrew came to take Sarah’s hand, she quietly said, “I must apologize for my sister’s rudeness.”
     
    Andrew replied, “It is not your affair. Your sister is her usual self. She has stayed much too long with Countess Westbrook.”
    The dance began and during one of the face to face moves, Andrew looked at Sarah and said, “But, you are not your sister. You have always been much different.”
    Sarah blushed and looked away.
    Upon their next encounter, Andrew said, “Rose petals falling from my heart. . . .”
    “Where have you heard that?” was Sarah’s immediate inquiry.
    “I believe it is from your poem,” he answered as he moved close once again.
    “How did you find that out?”
    “You forget, you lent it to Uncle Thomas and I saw it on his desk. . . are you angry?”
    “No, it will soon be published.”
    “Congratulations.”
    At the end of the dance Sarah felt the friendly grasp of Andrew’s hand. He said with an earnest look, “May I escort you to the veranda?”
    Sarah held out her arm in assent. Arriving on the small porch which could only hold two comfortably. Andrew looked down and said, “It is a beautiful garden below us, is it not?”
    “I see you are still very interested in plants and gardens.”
    “Yes. I am. . . you must tell me all about Paris.”
    “You forget, my cousin, that I have scarcely been here two months myself.”  His presence put her at ease, so she continued, “We have been settling in. As you know, I am governess for the children and that takes up most of my time. I am also trying to improve my conversational skills in French. Sir Thomas has been a most patient instructor.”
     
    Andrew turned and looked at her with a face that asked for mercy. “May we discuss a treaty of friendship?”
    “Whatever do you mean?”
    “I apologize for my blunder in causing your smallpox. . . Can you ever forgive me?”               “You forget it was my own choice to be disobedient. . . I have longed to tell you so. I have missed our amiable times together.”
    “Yes, yes, it is so for me also. . . whenever I see a foxglove I am reminded of your help long ago. . . . May we put our hands together in friendship?”
    As they did so, Andrew and Sarah continued their movement towards each other, which ended in a prolonged mutual embrace during which Sarah cried softly and Andrew sighed deeply as he whispered his pledge of friendship to her.
    After the next dance ceased, Andrew escorted Sarah back to a large table where the other young couples had returned. Andrew sat by John and Lieutenant Fabry . Andrew said to Lieutenant Fabry in halting French, “My brother and I are here. . . .”
    The lieutenant held up his hand and said, “The captain and I speak English.”
    Andrew continued, “ Ah. . . , as I was saying, we are here for the fencing tournament tomorrow. Though I have little chance of winning the prize, since my brother is the best swordsman in England.”
    Captain Wiley stood, came to attention and clicked his heels. “It is an honor to meet my chief opponent, for many consider my swordplay to be of championship quality.”
    John stood and extended his hand, “My brother exaggerates my abilities.”
    “Not from what I have heard,” Captain Wiley said. “Your reputation has preceded you.”
     
    At the end of the evening, Laura and Madame Duval were in conversation together as Andrew and John approached. John said to Laura, “Is Captain Wiley as much as you expect?”
    “He provided a pleasant diversion this evening and is all right as far as junior officers go; however, I am looking for someone of higher quality.”
    “Would you like to meet a Marquis?” John asked.
    Laura’s