Emilia was unwilling to give up on her brother and thought it was best if she tried to reason with Fredrick. “Calvin just suffered a terrible loss…”
He spoke over her, his voice rising. “Stop looking for the good in everyone. Some people are inherently bad.”
Fredrick was so close that she had to tilt her head to look up at him. She refused to back down, not when she believed she had right on her side. “Why don’t you believe that people can change?” she asked.
“I know of your desire to have a family,” Fredrick conceded, his voice softening, “but you are being blind to the truth.”
“Yet you think you know the truth?”
Fredrick placed his hand on her sleeve. “I only want what is best for you. You must believe that to be true.”
Their proximity left Emilia feeling vulnerable, yet, heaven help her, she did believe him. “I do,” she admitted.
“Be wary of Calvin, please,” Fredrick urged. “That is all I ask of you.” His request was simple, yet it felt like a heartfelt plea.
Emilia held his gaze and saw the undeniable sincerity from within. She trusted him, in her heart and down to the very depths of her soul. And she knew she always would.
“Emilia…” he started.
“Yes?” she replied, her heart quickening at the intensity of his gaze.
Fredrick’s eyes dropped to her lips and her breath caught. Dare she hope that he wanted to kiss her?
A maid stepped into the room, interrupting them, and announced, “I have tea, Miss.” She said it much louder than was necessary.
Fredrick dropped his arm and took a step back. “I should go,” he said, his voice hoarse.
Emilia wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye, so she suggested, “Will you stay and join me for a cup of tea?”
“Tea would be lovely,” Fredrick responded.
The maid placed the tea service onto the table and went to sit in the corner of the room.
Emilia made her way to the settee, reaching for the teapot. After she poured tea into two cups, she handed one to Fredrick.
“Thank you,” he said as he accepted the cup and saucer.
“Would you care to sit?” she offered.
Fredrick let out a chuckle. “A chair would be nice,” he said before taking a seat beside her.
They both sipped their tea in silence before Emilia remarked, “It is quite generous of your father to lead me in the first dance this evening.”
“It is,” Fredrick said. “I am not quite sure how Anette convinced him to do such a thing since he hardly attends social events anymore.”
“Anette can be rather convincing,” Emilia acknowledged.
“That she can be. Hence why I am here,” Fredrick shared. “Anette wanted me to come over and personally ask if you needed anything for the ball this evening.”
“How did she convince you to run such an errand?”
Fredrick smirked. “I’m not quite sure, but she is good,” he said. “I daresay that Roswell has met his match in Anette.”
“I just adore Anette. She has been nothing but kind to me since we first met.”
“You are easy to be kind to,” Fredrick complimented.
A blush crept into Emilia’s cheeks and she tried to will it away. “You shouldn’t say such nice things to me.”
