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Ben gave her nod, but his gaze suddenly fixated across the room. “Why don’t I just go write the letter now?”
Tillie gave her brother a long, questioning glance because as he left, she noted that he did not start toward his study but instead made his way into the music room.
“Odd,” Alex murmured. “You know, I’ve hardly seen your brother during this house party.”
“Me either,” she replied, half tempted to follow him. But her gaze met with Alex’s again.
“What do you say we play a game of chess to fill our time before dinner?”
She flashed him a glowing smile. She loved chess. “You remembered I’d played.”
“I remember that you tromped everyone you played, and I fully expect to be thoroughly beaten today.”
She shook her head. “I was abominable, wasn’t I?”
“You are very talented. Don’t apologize for that.” He held out his elbow for her to thread her hand through as they started for the ballroom where several different games had been laid out for guests.
“Yes.” She took a breath, half wincing. Dare she bring this up? “But you find my behavior grating.”
He pulled her a touch closer, his hand closing over hers as it sat tucked in his arm. “Tillie.” Her name sounded like a caress, and she looked at him, his gaze locking with hers. “Don’t mistake my, or anyone else’s, insecurities as your shortcomings. You’re far too strong for and special for that.”
Those beautiful words melted her heart a bit as they reached an empty chess table and he helped her into her seat.
So much so, that she could hardly concentrate for the first third of the game until she was in danger of losing rather thoroughly. The game…her heart…who could say?
* * *
Alex staredup the night sky, glad that he’d not missed the occultation and half wishing to return to the party.
He was certain the event was not to happen for another day or two, Jupiter and Venus were still relatively far apart in the sky and judging by the progress he’d tracked thus far…
Exhaling a long breath, he wondered if he should he return to the house. His mother would appreciate his participation, he reasoned, though he knew his mother had little to do with why he wished to return.
Tillie was in there. Laughing. Smiling. Playing a game with Lord Bancroft…
He’d invited her to join him as dinner had finished and Alex had felt jealousy rise like bile in his mouth.
The man didn’t like anything Tillie did, so he didn’t know why he should feel jealous. But her mother clearly favored the match and if Bancroft had a few points in his favor, the first was that Tillie’s mother was a force unto herself. The other was that Bancroft was present, not out in a field with nothing but stars.
And also a viscount.
“Hello,” called a voice from the dark.
“Ben.” He straightened from his telescope. “What are you doing all the way out here?”
“I fancied a walk,” Ben said stopping next to Alex. “And a chat with an old friend.”
Alex gave a quick nod. “Glad to see you. It’s been too long.”
Ben shook his head. “It has. But that’s the wonderful thing about old friends. Time can pass but the friendship stays the same.”
“True,” he said stepping back from the telescope. “Would you like to look?”
Ben nodded, bending down. “What am I looking at?”
Alex quickly explained the even he was trying to see. “You’ll see Jupiter right in the center of the view. It looks like a very bright star.”
Ben stared for several more seconds. “And what’s to happen?”
