“Is it true?” she whispered to me.
“Not in the slightest. It appears Lord Chudley is a fortune hunter after all, just as my grandfather warned.” I hated that he had been right.
The conversation continued regarding Lord Chudley’s desperation to marry an heiress before the season ended.
“Poor man. At least Miss Grenville’s fortune makes up for her brother’s behavior. And such a fortune! Lady Barrington said the Iron Colonel brought back chests of gold from India.”
“All the rupees in the empire cannot purchase breeding,” another woman protested.
Freddy made an inarticulate sound in the back of her throat.
My anger burned hot—not at the gossiping women but at myself. How could I have been so naïve? How could I let Lord Chudley’s attentions linger long enough to invite this speculation? The rumors felt like a condemnation of my foolishness. I turned to flee.
In doing so, my gaze snagged on Edward and Sebastian approaching from the opposite direction. They were heading toward our rented box. Had they heard the gossip? The thought made my stomach twist.
Each step toward the box felt heavier than the last. I watched as Edward opened the gilded door and held it for Sebastian, who stepped inside first. I took a deep breath and followed Freddy, steeling myself for what awaited me. How many of the ton would speak of the gossip before the night ended?
Inside our box, Sebastian stood by the railing, looking out over the audience below, his profile lit in the dim glow.
He moved forward to take my hand. “I did not tell you earlier, but you look ... beautiful.”
I forced a smile, swallowing the ache in my throat. “Thank you, Sebastian.”
“Is everything all right?” he asked as he led me to the red velvet seat.
I hesitated, struggling with the whirlwind of emotions inside me. “Yes,” I replied, though the word felt like a lie.
But as I settled beside him, my heart knew the truth. Everything was far from all right. Freddy handed me the opera glasses.
“Would you care for a closer look at the orchestra?”
In order to take my mind off the events, I held the glasses to my eyes, the images of the musicians sharpening to focus. Swiveling the glasses, I caught sight of the private boxes on the opposite side of the theatre.
And a man observing me. A man with blond hair and a cravat stark against his black suit.
Lord Chudley—staring at us. Or me, rather.
Flushing, I handed the glasses back to Freddy.
The music swelled asDon Giovanniunfolded before us, a story of seduction and revenge filling the opera house. But even as the performers captivated the audience, I found myself only half listening, my mind circling back to the whispers I’d overheard.
A discreet glance at the box across from us revealed Lord Chudley remaining seated near the railing. Even without the opera glasses, it seemed his gaze was fixed in our direction. My stomach twisted at the thought, a prickling unease creeping along my skin.
Had he started the rumor?
The characters on stage conspired and whispered, each hiding their true feelings, hoping to gain something more—a place, a fortune, a bit of freedom. I understood them all too well. The scene shifted, and I stole a glance at Sebastian. He glanced at me, his hand close on the armrest, his fingers just grazing mine.
The opera wore on, and I sat there feeling as though I, too, were trapped in a tale of pretense and deception, afraid to reach for the life I truly wanted.
When the curtain closed, Edward rose from his seat. “Shall we enjoy the intermission?”
We all exited the box, my heart pounding. To my dismay, several heads turned to observe our small party as we wandered the hall.
The rumor must be everywhere. Whispers, speculative glances. Each one a knife twisting in my chest. Lord Chudley had never asked for my hand. And yet, here I was, thrust into the center of a scandal I couldn’t control.
The sound of hurried footsteps behind me snapped me from my thoughts. I turned, my heart sinking as Lord Chudley appeared in the hallway, his smile as sparkling as his golden cravat pin.
“Miss Grenville,” he greeted, his voice carrying just enough charm to make my skin crawl. “You truly brighten the evening.”
