Her cheeks flushed pink.“I thought… Is Nicholas here?”
Christopher’s smile tightened.It was not the first time he’d been confused for his popular brother.He ought to accustom himself to being second best.
“I’m afraid he’s elsewhere this evening.”Christopher couldn’t be more specific.He loved his brother and had been sworn to secrecy.
“Oh.”The young lady’s disappointment was palpable.
She all but ran away before Christopher could offer to escort her to the refreshment buffet on the other side of the receiving hall.
He tried not to take the implicit rejection personally.Living in the shadow of a devilishly handsome rake who also happened to be heir presumptive to a dukedom meant that no matter what Christopher did, he was relegated to the background.Whenever Nick was around, Christopher became invisible.
So, he’d stopped sticking around.“Saint Nick Fever” taking over England?Christopher visited Sicily, Barcelona, Vienna.His heart sang just thinking about the incredible experiences he’d had exploring other lands.
Travel was in his soul.But he hadn’t lost the dream of wanting to share the adventure with a wife.
Speaking of which, a lovely young lady was headed right in his direction.
He made an elegant leg.“How are you this evening, Miss Quincy?”
“Splendid, thank you.”She glanced over his shoulder.“Are you here with your brother?”
He kept his smile in place.“I fear Nicholas has other plans this evening.”
Miss Quincy’s face fell, but at least she managed to curtsey before hurrying elsewhere.
Christopher tried not to feel discouraged.
This trip was meant to be the perfect opportunity to bride-hunt.A secluded, picturesque mountaintop village in the northernmost point of the country; a world away from the London social whirl his brother dominated.
Yet the moment Christopher had set out on the journey, Nick had decided to join in.They were brothers.They didn’t spend enough time together.A joint holiday would surely be the ticket.
It was not.
Not only had Nick become the instant obsession of every unwed female within town limits, he’d even managed to be the first to fall in love.The banns would begin on the morrow at the local parish church.It was nothing short of a miracle.
Christopher was thrilled for his brother, and more than a little relieved for himself.Once word got loose that Nick was off the market, everything would change.Christopher rolled back his shoulders in relief.
Tomorrow morning, he would finally know what it was like to live a normal life.
“The wind blows not from the east or the west, but from deep within,” came a dreamy voice to his right.
Virginia Underwood.
He could have hugged her in relief.He and Virginia were merely friends, but at least she hadn’t approached in search of his brother.
Christopher gave his deepest bow.“How are you this evening?”
“My cat is restless.”Her head tilted.“Perhaps I should take him to the aviary.”
“Perhaps not,” Christopher suggested hurriedly.“The population is low enough as it stands.”
She thought this over, then nodded.“I’ll wait until there’s another bird.”
“Miss Underwood, who is your friend?”a merry voice boomed behind them.
They turned to grin at Fred Fawkes, a white-haired gentleman who had clerked in the castle’s counting house for decades until old age impaired his ability to continue.Although Christopher had been introduced on at least three other occasions, Mr.Fawkes never failed to be welcoming and jolly.
“You remember Chris Pringle,” Virginia shouted into the old man’s ear.
