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Marissa let her go and turned to look at Jude.
"Oh, allow me to introduce Mr. Bertrand. Mr. Bertrand, this is Miss Elizabeth Samuel."
"Miss Samuel," he said. "It's an honor to meet you."
"Mr. Bertrand," she murmured, her voice quiet with shock.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll leave you two to your visit."
They both watched him walk away until Beth finally shook her head. "Good gracious, that man is quite frightening."
"Oh. Yes, I suppose he is."
"Did you go riding with him?"
"Yes." She felt the weight of Beth's curious gaze, but it was her own guilt that compelled her to blurt out, "He's very nice."
Beth just tugged her toward the stairs. "Come. Let's go to your room. You haven't written in a week. I want to know everything you've done."
Marissa thought that a singularly bad idea, but she pretended to agree.
"How many more proposals have you received?"
Marissa laughed too loudly and then peppered Beth with questions about her mother's health in order to keep her talking. Marissa didn't wish to speak of the past week. But mostly she didn't wish to speak of Jude. Beth wouldn't understand.
Marissa didn't understand it herself.
Dinner had been so lovely with Beth there to chatter with. And Jude as well, near enough to share an occasional smile if not a conversation.
After dinner, Marissa took Beth's arm and strode happily toward the music room, anticipating that the evening would only get better. She was wrong.
Beth's cousin had been far enough away from them at dinner that Marissa had been able to ignore her, but there was no ignoring her now. Nanette held court from her perch on a chair set close to the door.
"My darling Marissa!" she cooed. "I'm so happy to spend time with you again. This year has been so awfully dull, locked away from society."
Marissa gritted her teeth and offered a patently false smile. Nanette had lived with Beth's family for the past four years, and the two women should've been as close as sisters, as they'd come out the same year. But despite that the Samuels had taken Nanette in upon her father's death, she considered herself far above them. Her mother had been the sister of an earl, after all, and she herself was an heiress.
"I've made Aunt Samuel promise to get better. We simply cannot miss another Season! And we were so worried, of course."
"Of course."
Nanette leaned forward conspiratorially. "Did I tell you that Viscount Farington sent me lilies when he realized I would not be in London for the Season?"
"Mm," Marissa hummed, unwilling to say more. She knew that Viscount Farington had sent the flowers to both Beth and Nanette, but there was no point in clarifying it. Nanette would just wink and say that, of course, Viscount Farington had not wanted to be rude.
Beth sat tensely next to her cousin, not saying a word.
"Well," Marissa said, "You were both missed in London this year. Beth, did I mention that Mr. Dunwoody asked after you just yesterday?"
"He did?"
"Do you remember him? He says you met only once."
"Of course I remember. We danced once. Such a graceful gentleman."
"So he is. My favorite partner of late."
Nanette trilled a laugh. "I wonder if he will spare me a dance as well! I shall decide if he's as lovely as you say."
