“Just barely.”
“You poor lord. What a burden you must bear,” she joked.
“Finally, someone recognizes my plight.”
Enid laughed. “Perhaps you can lead us to someone that won’t be as dull,” she said as she placed her hand on his sleeve.
“My pleasure.”
They had just exited the dance floor when she saw Lady Esther standing by the table with a flute of champagne in her hand. She looked utterly miserable.
Enid slipped her hand off Greydon’s arm and said, “Excuse me for a moment.”
“You are leaving me?” he asked.
“I need to go speak to Lady Esther,” she said, glancing at her friend.
Greydon followed her gaze and watched Esther for a moment. “She doesn’t appear happy, does she?”
“No, she doesn’t,” Enid agreed.
“You should go to her, but I will remain close.”
Enid walked over to her friend and Esther didn’t seem to notice her approach. “Esther,” she said.
Esther gasped as she placed a hand on her chest. “My apologies. I’m afraid I was woolgathering.”
“Whatever is the matter?”
“Nothing,” Esther attempted.
Enid gave her friend a knowing look. “Something is bothering you.”
Esther winced as she admitted, “My stepmother wants to marry me off to Lord Warley. They have already begun the negotiations.”
“But Lord Warley is—”
“So old,” Esther interjected. “He is older than my father.”
“What are you going to do?”
Esther sighed. “I don’t know, but I can’t marry Lord Warley.”
“You can always refuse to marry him.”
“If I do so, I am ruined. No one will want me.”
“There are worse things than being ruined.”
“I am beginning to believe that,” Esther said before taking a sip of her champagne. “I just never thought I would be placed in this situation. I had hoped that I would be able to marry for love.”
Enid met Greydon’s gaze from a short distance away and said, “It is a wonderful thing to marry the man of your dreams.”
“You are most fortunate,” Esther acknowledged.
“That I am,” Enid agreed.
Esther let out an unladylike groan. “My stepmother is looking for me. If you will excuse me, I need to hide from her,” she said before disappearing into the crowd.
