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“Just keep myself out of his clutches long enough for my questions to be answered. Surely someone will be able to tell me what is going on and how I can avoid his machinations.”
Despite the dire nature of their conversation, Peggy laughed lightly over Connie’s words even as her gaze shifted past her and pink hued her face once more.
Connie resisted the urge to turn and verify that Lord Merton had come into view. Her stomach clenched. How lovely it must be to be Peggy in that moment. Nausea filled her as she fought the sensation of jealousy once more. She was being a selfish beast to begrudge her friend and family member such a pleasant future. Not that she was begrudging it to her, it was just an inconvenience. And she wasn’t even upset, she assured herself. It was merely awkward timing. But if not for Mr. Wagner’s arrival, it wouldn’t even be all the awkward. It was perfect timing for Peggy to find love, as a matter of fact. They were near enough to Connie’s home that she could do without a companion for the brief time necessary to arrange her affairs.
But Henry Wagner had followed her, and that changed everything.
While Constance had no intention of ruining Peggy’s chances, Connie had to protect herself for the time being, at least until she could verify what exactly was going on with Mr. Wagner’s presence at the house party. It was entirely possible she was being unforgivably self-centered to think his presence had anything to do with her. She doubted it, but it was possible.
“I’m truly sorry, Peggy,” she said, just loud enough for her companion to hear.
“There is nothing at all for you to be apologizing for, my friend. If nothing else, we are family, however distant. I could never leave you to fend for this situation on your own. Have no fear. It will all come out in the wash eventually.”
Connie couldn’t help smiling over the quaint expression. She wasn’t certain she could be confident that anything to do with Wagner would come out in the wash as Peggy promised, but it was a somewhat comforting thought nonetheless.
“Perhaps you ought to approach Lord Merton,” Peggy whispered.
“Lord Merton? Why? He’s your suitor.”
Peggy smiled. “Not necessarily. And if he is so unsteady that he cannot keep his head when another woman speaks to him, then he is not for me, anyway. Even if that woman is as beautiful as you. Surely there will be other beautiful women on earth.”
Constance grinned. “Are you using me to test him?”
Peggy giggled. “We might as well use this situation to accomplish something useful.”
Connie wanted to hug her companion in that moment, but she still didn’t have any desire to draw any more attention to herself than necessary, so she restrained the impulse. “You are a dear and I so appreciate you.” She thought for a moment. “Perhaps we could together approach the gentleman and then neither of us are left unattended nor left out of the conversation.”
“That sounds perfect.”
Constance immediately suited her words to actions and skirted the dancing couples to join Lord Merton, who was momentarily standing alone. She trusted that Peggy was by her side as she was afraid to look around to make sure as she didn’t wish to make eye contact with anyone, especially neither Mr. Alcott, nor Mr. Wagner.
Arriving by Lord Merton’s side, Connie dipped into a polite curtsy.
“My lord, how do you do this evening?”
His eyebrows rose slightly but he didn’t comment on her rather bold approach. It was a house party after all, they couldn’t possibly be expected to stand on ceremony in such an environment.
“I do well, thank you for asking, and yourselves? Lady Constance? Miss Smith?”
Peggy bobbed another curtsy in response to his question but held her tongue, expecting Connie to take over the conversation. Connie’s heart constricted a little. She ought to be the one sinking into the background in favour of her companion but under the circumstances, she just couldn’t do it. A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Really, were there any circumstances in which she would slip into the background, she wondered. Perhaps it was a skill she should make an effort to cultivate.
