Gabriel wondered what his father was thinking as he sat down. “What is it, Father?”
“You’ve danced with several ladies. Have any of them interested you?”
“Some, yes,” Gabriel hedged. “Though I wouldn’t marry any of them based off one dance and conversation.”
Wouldn’t he though?
His father nodded and took another drag, taking his time to blow out the smoke. He made quite the picture—the royal king relaxed against centuries-old furniture, dressed in an impeccable suit, his medals glinting against the firelight, the smoke from his cigarette sending swirls of gray into the room.
“Your brothers seem to be having better success than you.”
“It may seem that way, but don’t be fooled.”
His father chuckled, which faded into a cough. They’d spoken to him before about quitting smoking, but to no avail. Though his habit wasn’t a secret, he never smoked in public, so most people wouldn’t know he smoked.
“Be sure to dance with your mother and sister.”
“Of course, Father. I’ve already danced with Mother, and Agnes has been too busy dancing with others to bother with me, but I’ll ask her.” He waited a beat for his father to say why he’d called him in, because he doubted it had to do with dancing. “Was there anything else, something I could help you with?”
His father sighed and shook his head. “I thought you may enjoy a break during these things, but you seem to handle them better than me.”
A pang hit Gabriel’s chest, and his voice was soft when he spoke. “I simply haven’t been doing them as long as you, Father. I suppose I do tire of them, though I’m sure I’ll be just as weary of them as you when I get to your age.”
“Perhaps.” His father stamped out the cigarette then heaved himself up from the chair. “Let’s go back.”
“Of course.” For the first time, Gabriel had a sense of his father’s age. He looked exhausted, and tired of everything political on top of that. “Do you need me to talk to any of the Ministers? I’m happy to do it.”
His father clapped him a few times on the back. “No, my son, but thank you for the offer. We only need to stay an hour or so longer, I can handle them.”
Gabriel nodded, but kept an eye on his father after they reentered the ballroom. His father had reapplied his ‘public’ face and seemed fine, but Gabriel knew he wasn’t.
Those thoughts had Gabriel’s eyes drifting across the ballroom, searching for Genevieve. He nearly missed her on the dance floor, but a flash of silver caught the light and he found her dancing in the arms of another man.
They’d only barely met yet he didn’t like the thought of someone else knowing the feel of her in a dance. Was that archaic? Perhaps. But it was also honest.
He walked around the ballroom, nodding to people as he passed, an easy smile on his face, while he tracked her from the side of his eyes. He spotted his sister Agnes, the youngest of them all, up ahead, watching the dancers. Fortune was favoring him tonight it seemed, as now he could ask his sister to dance and watch Genevieve even more closely from the dance floor.
“Sister dear.”
She smiled up at him, her dark hair looking a bit windswept from a night of dancing. “Eldest brother dear.”
He smirked at her nickname for him. “I see you’re finally without a partner. Would you care for a dance? I’ve been waiting all night for a turn about the floor with you.”
She laughed, her voice smooth and rich, just like their mother’s. “No, thank you. You’ll have to tell Father you failed.”
Only little sisters could annoy a man like this. “While it is true that Father asked me to dance with you, I asked becauseIwant to, not becausehedoes.”
She nodded. “Very well said. I approve.”
He sighed and bumped his arm with hers, then nodded at the dance floor. “Come on then.”
“I actually want to take a break from dancing, thank you all the same.”
“Are you tired? You could probably leave early. I’ll make your excuses.”
She shook her head, but didn’t elaborate.
He followed her gaze to the dance floor, towards one couple dancing. Then his eyes flitted to Genevieve again, before going back to his sister. “Watching someone in particular?”
