Isabelle chattered happily in the carriage all the way back home from the ball.

“Oh, Sam, I was trying to catch your attention when you were dancing with Viscount Dubois, but I guess you were too distracted by his stunning good looks to notice me!”

“Er, who?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember that tall gentleman with the sparkling green eyes? He was wearing so many medals, I thought he would surely be knocked down by the weight of them! He looked quite taken with you, Sam.”

“Oh, yes…him.”

Isabelle waved a hand before my face, and I blinked her into focus.

“What is it?” I said, a bit more crossly than I would have liked.

“What is wrong with you, Sam? I’ve never seen you like this.”

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Izzie. I’ve got a dreadful headache. Maybe I’m catching Lady Huxtable’s cold.”

Back at Lady Huxtable’s apartment, I allowed Isabelle to fret over me, even letting her make me some hot tea.

But I slept poorly that night. And when I finally did fall asleep, it was only to dream of Lord Windham.