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Chapter 46
It was late at night by the time the last of the guests had left. Silas, Levi, and Michael sat in the parlour, sipping glasses of brandy. Dinah had retired to her bedchamber an hour previous. Silas was feeling fuzzy around the edges—a combination of tiredness and the alcohol.
“I cannot have Percy here as a guest,” Silas said to Michael. “He’s no longer welcome here.”
“Did he do something?” Michael asked curiously.
“He tried to insinuate that I was courting Lucy as a part of that stupid bet!”
“You should be honest with her,” Michael advised. “That your pursuit of her was initially born from a bet.”
“That is unwise, on all counts,” Levi warned, shaking his head. “At this point, so far in and as close as you are to asking her for her hand in marriage, she would only hate you for what you’ve done.”
Silas sighed, staring at the contents of his glass. “I don’t know what to do,” he admitted. “All I know is that I love Lucy, and I want to be with her forever.”
“I’m sorry that I brought him here this evening,” Michael said. “I truly thought him reformed. Clearly, he has not. Did you see how he staggered out of here?” He shook his head and sighed.
“Once he starts drinking, any reform that he might have affected goes right out the window,” Levi said. “I think he wanted for you to think he was reformed, so he could come to the party.”
“Quite right,” Michael agreed sadly.
They all sat in silence for a long moment, getting lost in their own thoughts. Silas knew he needed to be honest with Lucy. But at what cost? She would be angry with him, certainly. Could she find it within herself to forgive him?
Perhaps, I won’t ever have to tell her.
If he kept Percy away from her, then she need never know. It would be his own dark secret. He could pretend that it had never happened. He loved her, and he felt sick at the thought of upsetting her.
“Lady Rosemary Dunne looked very pretty tonight,” Michael noted.
Silas grinned. “I saw that you danced with her.”
“Three times.” Michael was beaming, his eyes far away.
Clearly, Silas wasn’t the only one to have had an enjoyable evening. Though Michael had known Rosemary for years, it seemed that one night had changed everything. Silas looked over at Levi, grinning.
“Have you met Lady Violet Potsmore, my friend?”
“I say, old chap,” Levi replied, pausing to take a sip. “Now that you’re practically engaged, you’re trying to set everyone up.”
“I just want you to be happy,” Silas said.
Levi laughed, throwing his head back. “My friend, I don’t think Lady Violet Potsmore is interested in me.” He mournfully looked into his cup. Finding it empty, he stood up to refill it.
“We’ll see about that,” Michael mumbled to Silas. “I saw how she looked at him.”
Silas smiled. Then, it had been a very good evening, all around. He had the hunch that it would take Levi and Violet a very long while, but someday, they would both realize that they cared for each other. The spark was there. The fire just needed to be lit.
