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She was a beautiful lady, his cousin’s wife. A bit too pale, too frail, and too thin, as if a gust of wind would carry her away. She looked even more vulnerable on the arm of her tall, wide-shouldered husband.
“He wasn’t flirting, were you, Jarvis?” Greyson narrowed his eyes. “Nobody flirts with my wife and gets away with it.”
His wife swatted him playfully on the arm with her fan and giggled again as he looked tenderly down at her. Jarvis watched the byplay with a slight frown. He knew his cousin loved his wife; that much was obvious. He cared for her, cherished her even. Why then did he still keep a mistress?
Jarvis knew he wouldn’t even contemplate having a mistress if he could have his Olive in his arms every night. Did Helen know of her husband’s infidelities? She must. She might be frail and sickly at times, but she wasn’t daft.
Jarvis shoved the thoughts from his mind. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said instead and gave a flirtatious wink toward Helen. She laughed again, and Greyson put a protective arm around her.
“There are plenty of other women to flirt with, aren’t there?” Greyson asked.
Jarvis shrugged. “I was actually about to leave.”
“Already? But the ball just started.” Helen’s eyes widened.
“I wasn’t going to spend much time here at all. Olivia asked me to accompany her. Now that my duty is over, and I safely escorted her into the throng of her beaux, I can take my leave.”
“The balls are not to escort ladies in and out like you two seem to think. The balls are about dancing and mingling,” Helen said with a smile.
“I have danced.” Jarvis smiled in answer. “But for most gentlemen, one dance is one too many.”
Helen laughed. “My husband definitely agrees with this statement. Should we have this one dance now?” Helen raised her eyes at her husband.
“It is not the best idea, darling, to overexert yourself. Let’s forget about the dance for now and make a turn about the room.”
Helen’s face fell before she quickly composed herself and turned to Jarvis. “Since my husband won’t oblige me, surely it’s not too forward to ask his cousin for a dance?”
Jarvis was about to answer in the affirmative, but Greyson interrupted him. “Dear, he is leaving. No need to detain him longer than we already have.”
“I would love a dance,” Jarvis said before Greyson could move. “In fact, I insist on it.”
A small smile appeared on Helen’s face.
“I said no,” Greyson growled in a tone as hard as a rock. “My wife doesn’t need nor want a dance. Do not interfere.”
Jarvis frowned at his cousin’s reaction. He was about to give Greyson a piece of his mind, but he stopped as he felt a slight pressure on his arm. He looked down to see Helen’s gloved hand on his sleeve. “It’s alright,” she said softly. “We can dance some other time. It was so nice to see you again, Jarvis. Do come to supper sometime. We miss you.”
She gave him one more attempt at a brilliant smile and walked away on her husband’s arm.
