As they stepped onto the marble floor of the entry hall, she turned to face him and asked, “What is going to happen with Ruth?”
“I don’t rightly know,” Harred admitted. “She is married to William and I can’t keep her from him forever. Furthermore, Parliament will never grant them a divorce, especially since they used a special license to get married in the first place.”
“I think it was incredibly brave of you to stand up for her,” Octavia shared.
Harred’s lips twitched. “You seemed to have it handled by yourself.”
Fredrick’s booming voice came from the doorway to the drawing room, causing them to jump apart. “Good afternoon, Harred,” he greeted.
Octavia turned towards her brother with an uplifted brow. “Why are you yelling?”
“Am I?” Fredrick asked. “I suppose I was just ensuring that you heard me.”
“I think all of Mayfair could hear you,” Octavia replied.
Her brother walked over to Harred and said, “I could use a drink. Will you join me at White’s?”
“But you don’t drink,” Octavia remarked.
With a smirk, her brother shared, “There is more to do at White’s than just drinking. Sometimes I go for the rousing conversations.”
“Then you must not be taking part in it,” Octavia quipped.
Harred chuckled. “I do believe that she got you there.”
Fredrick lowered his voice and directed his remarks to Harred. “Do not encourage her,” he said. “She only becomes more and more insufferable.”
Octavia made a show of rolling her eyes. “Perhaps it is you that is insufferable, Brother.”
“Everyone else seems to like me,” Fredrick remarked.
“Have you considered that they are nice to you only because you are a lord?” she asked with mirth in her eyes.
The butler stepped into the entry hall and announced, “The coach is out front, my lord.”
“Thank you,” Fredrick replied before turning towards Harred. “Shall we continue our conversation at White’s?”
Octavia studied her brother for a moment. His words were cordial enough, but he was up to something. She was sure of it.
Chapter Fourteen
Harred had just sat down across from Fredrick in the coach when his friend demanded, “What are your intentions towards my sister?”
Harred had two options. He could lie and pretend he knew nothing about what his friend was talking about. Or he could tell Fredrick the truth, admitting that he was completely beguiled by his sister and he wanted to pursue her.
But was he ready to admit the depths of his feelings to Fredrick, much less to himself?
Fredrick crossed his arms over his chest and stared at him with the nonsensical look of his. “Well, what is it?”
As the coach merged into traffic, Harred thought it would be best if he was somewhat honest with Fredrick- but not too honest. He didn’t want to give Fredrick a reason to challenge him to a duel.
In a voice that was far more steady than the emotions whirling inside of him, Harred said, “I find Octavia to be…” His voice stopped. What could he say that would deflect from his true emotions? Finally, he decided on it. “Intriguing.”
“You find my sister to be intriguing?” Fredrick asked.
“Yes.” That much was true. He had never met anyonequite like Octavia and he doubted he ever would again.
Fredrick’s expression grew thunderous. “Do you just intend to have a dalliance with her?”
