CHAPTER FIVEThe ballroom was beautifully decorated with copious flowers and Elizabeth Mansforde looked at them with delight.
She had enjoyed the dinner party enormously. Practically every man who was staying in The Castle had paid her a compliment.
The lines had gone from her face and she looked young and very attractive as the Duke came up to ask her to dance.
It was a soft romantic waltz and they moved slowly round the room.
Most of the guests were middle-aged, but there were, however, quite enough young married and unmarried women to gaze enviously at Lais, who was as usual surrounded by men.
Her flame-coloured gown and her flashing diamonds made her undoubtedly the belle of the ball. But there was in fact very little competition.
As the waltz finished the Duke suggested,
“I have
