Author's Note: Thanks to a prompt on tumblr from Maddylonglegs, I've developed a rather elaborate ASOIAF regency AU that is heavily influenced by my love of Georgette Heyer novels. I'm starting to upload all the connecting drabbles here and on AO3 because this world is growing. I currently have things written for two pairings, Jon x Sansa here and Robb x Margaery in a separate story called The Surprise Match. I have an overall series name The Marriage Mart and have more pairings brewing in my mind. So if you like this world, please keep an eye out for more.
None of these are beta'd so pleased excuse any mistakes.
Disclaimer: I am not GRRM and I'm sure he would side-eye my regency AU world.
The Reclusive Earl
"Jon, I do believe you should be dancing," the familiar voice of his sister Rhaenys said, coming up behind him, where he stood loitering in the refreshment room of Almacks, looking at the meagre fare with ill-disguised distaste. He would have thought somewhere this exclusive could provide better refreshments than tea and thinly sliced bread and butter.
His sister was one of the influential patronesses and had roped him into accompanying her here tonight, as Aegon had a prior private engagement.
"Rhaenys, you know I don't dance."
"Stuff!" his sister said inelegantly, linking her arm through his and dragging him back into the main room. "I have the perfect partner for you."
She waved her hand over to the seats around the room and pointed her fan to a particularly pretty young lady with auburn hair that glinted copper in the candlelight.
"Lady Sansa Stark. She's a debutante this year and this is her first time at Almacks. Poor thing got caught in the coils of the Duke of Kingsland and had no one to warn her that he was just trifling with her affections."
Jon looked over the dancers to see Joffrey Baratheon dancing with the dashing widow, Lady Margaery.
"Quite," Rhaenys said, following his gaze. "Lady Sansa has been quite the rage, but since the Duke's interest has waned, so have several others, keen to be seen to following the fashion. Such a shame, as she's a sweet young girl. So unaffected for a diamond of the first water."
"And you want me to dance with her…"
"Because I'm always keen to stick one in the eye of the Lannisters. And, for all your reclusive ways, you are quite sought after. Just as big a catch on the marriage mart as the Duke over there, especially now you have added your peninsular exploits to your name."
Jon grimaced. He usually avoided the Season like the plague, hating all the attention his family name garnered. But he looked at Rhaenys pleading face and sighed. His sister had a soft spot for lost causes. She hated to see anyone put down. It came from years of seeing her maternal family sneered at for their foreign blood. "Okay, I'll dance with the chit."
She patted his arm. "That's the ticket, brother dearest."
Sansa tried her hardest not to blush under the stares of those around them and her thoughts off the strong arm that was currently residing around her waist. She had heard of Lord Snow, the enigmatic youngest son of House Targaryen, who usually kept himself secluded on his estate in the far north, unlike his social older siblings, Rhaenys and Aegon, who were at the centre of the haute ton.
His entry into London this Season had been talked about for weeks. Rumours that his father had demanded he settle down and find himself a wife after he almost died in the Peninsular. It was whispered he had led the forlorn hope into Ciudad Rodrigo because his mistress, a Spanish guerrilla, had been killed by the French the month before. Either way, he had hurt his thigh and come home a hero.
For a decorated war hero, he did not have much address. He stumbled his way through the small talk and was not as good a dancer as the Duke. Sansa had never been so grateful for her governess' training in the polite courtesies as she was this evening, but the grateful smiles he sent her way as she kept the conversation flowing made her efforts worthwhile. She was used to the bored expressions of the young sprigs of nobility so his unaffected air was a breath of fresh air.
The nudge to her shoulder sent her toppling into the side of Lord Snow as he escorted her off the dance floor. "Hey!" Lord Snow called out to Lord Slynt, who didn't even have the civility to turn around, let alone to check she was okay.
Laughter erupted from the nearby group of Bucks, all cronies of the Duke of Kingsland, who gave her a malicious look and smirked at her discomfort.
"I should call him out," Lord Snow muttered.
"Oh, please don't!" Sansa said, keen to avoid being the subject of any further gossip.
"Don't worry," he said with a reassuring smile. "I still know it's not good ton to fight a duel despite my time in the army. But since when were toads like Janos Slynt accepted into polite society?"
"He's a particular friend of the Duke's and I believe he has been of service to the Dowager Duchess."
Lord Snow glowered over at the Duke of Kingsland. "When I went away it was my brother Aegon who was the leader of society, not upstarts like Joffrey Baratheon and his thugs."
"Please, my lord, it was nothing," she said.
"You are quite unhurt, Lady Sansa? My sister could go with you to the withdrawing room if you need assistance with anything."
"I am fine, my lord."
"Perhaps you would allow me to escort you to get a glass of lemonade instead?" he asked with a smile that transformed his face.
"I would like that."
The colour rose in her cheeks. Lord Snow was very gallant with the kind of manners her father had always told her to appreciate.
Rhaenys smiled at her brother through the gloom in the carriage. "So, you are planning on driving Lady Sansa around the Park tomorrow?" she asked.
"How did you hear about that already?"
"I have my ways, brother dearest."
He laughed and said, "Yes, my meddlesome sister. And don't tell me you did not wish for me to find her charming."
Rhaenys' dimples peeped out as her smiled deepened into a grin. "Aegon told me Father was nagging at you to marry. I believe Lady Sansa would do nicely."
"Steady on, Rhae, no one is talking marriage yet."
"Oh Jon, I know you better than you know yourself. You never offer to drive young ladies around the Park. Too afraid of raising their hopes."
She laughed as he pulled at his cravat in discomfort. "I bet you a Monkey you are engaged to Lady Sansa by the end of the season."
"Rhaenys!" Jon exclaimed. "I'm shocked. What would Father say?"
She rapped his knuckles with her fan. "You don't fool me, brother dearest, it takes a lot more than that to shock you. And you know full well that Father puts all my bad behaviour down to my foreign blood."
Jon threw his head back and laughed.
"Don't forget to send Lady Sansa a posy of flowers tomorrow," Rhaenys said, pleased to see her brother laughing once more.