When friendships decay.”
Fleur watched Henry’s bride-to-be. Pain knifed her chest anew.
“…And from love’s shining circle
The gems drop away…!”
“Cruel,” Fleur whispered, voice fluttering. “Society is cruel to women.”
“When true hearts lie withered,
And fond ones are flown…”
Unease swirled in Fleur’s belly. That flutter and knocking never were just nerves.
Awestruck, Fleur hugged her arms around her middle.
How strange. This morning, she had known nothing of his…or her existence. And now, by nighttime, Fleur had become very attached and protective of the little human who rested underneath her heart.
“Oh! who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?”
Her skin tingled.
Fleur glanced over to find Lord Cassian’s piercing stare still on her. His eyes narrowed. The intensity in them promised he knew—if not every person’s secret, at least Fleur’s—which was preposterous, as until a few hours ago, Fleurherselfhadn’t even known.
She quickly let her arms fall.
“It is my hope you are finding your health improved, Lady Fleur?”
“Immensely.” She flashed her brightest smile. “Last night was quite a crush, I—”
Lord Cassian quietly interrupted her. “I referred to earlier this afternoon.”
Fleur stilled.
“I visited Rundell and Bridge’s and happened to be meeting in Bridge’s private office, which is next door to Rundell’s.”
She sucked in an uneven breath.
What had he heard? What did he know?
Her mouth went dry. Fleur couldn’t make her tongue move.
She was rescued from replying by the soaring and adoring applause for Lady Angela’s concluded performance, which jolted her back into the present. Henry would abhor such an undignified response from his guests. That made Fleur feel vastly…
Worse…
The duke who favored proper behavior over all else proved as taken as the rest of his party. He uttered something to Linnie.
Linnie rushed to the front, urging an encore from Lady Angela.
Even this hurt.
Of course it did. As a duke, Henry required his wife to be well-trained in song and on the pianoforte.
No one would ever urge Fleur to perform once, let alone twice.
