The audacity! Catherine didn't think anyone had ever spoken to her this rudely, and certainly not a supposed gentleman. Her eyes narrowed a little, but she kept her cool. She was too well-bred to return his rudeness.

Just then another young man broke in, and Catherine didn't know whether to appreciate the gesture or to feel frustrated with him as well. She didn't need rescuing by someone she believed was the officer who had recently returned to Whitby. Cullpeper, was it not? What did he have to his name? Dancing with him would be almost as embarrassing as dancing with a Carrington, and yet the way he phrased his words forced her to either accept or humiliate him, and she didn't want to do either.

And then he humiliated her by clearly making a beeline for some other lady! The discourtesy! The Catherine couldn't prevent some colour showing on her usually pale cheeks. And just after that Carrington had made his nasty comment too!

Maybe they should have gone to London after all. Clearly, Whitby was full of baseborn, ill-bred men who thought that because they had earned a few pennies more than their fellow plebeians, they suddenly had a place in proper society. She was certain the men she'd meet in London society would never be so uncivil.

She turned back to Mr. Carrington. Her eyes nearly shot fire. "Sir, I can only assume your ungentlemanly behaviour is the result of either unfamiliarity with better society than your own, or of willful incivility. In either case, I believe it is evident we should not be acquainted. Good evening." She offered him a nod rather than a curtsy and walked away in the direction of her mother.