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“Oh, dear, I am sure he does. But there is a difference. He loves me because he has to, not because he wants to,” Mrs. Fenton explained, a bitter note in her voice that filled Edwina with dread for her own marriage to Fergus.
“Does Lord Hillow love you?” Miss Beasley asked, turning to Edwina.
Taken aback, she stammered. “Well, I suppose — we have only been married a couple of weeks.”
“It is definitely too soon,” Mrs. Fenton agreed, giving Miss Beasley a scolding look.
“Excuse me?” a young man said, clearing his throat behind them. The three ladies turned quickly and curtseyed.
“Mr. Blesdoe, such a pleasure to see you,” Mrs. Fenton said.
“A pleasure to you as well,” he said, eyes flicking to Edwina. Mrs. Fenton let out a knowing gasp.
“Lady Hillow, may I present to you a dear friend, Mr. Edward Blesdoe?” Mrs. Fenton said, turning to Edwina.
“Lady Hillow?” Mr. Blesdoe asked, unable to mask his disappointment.
“Yes, recently married to the Duke of Hillow,” Mrs. Fenton explained.
“I had not known His Grace had married,” Mr. Blesdoe said, clearing his throat again. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Edwina curtseyed, feeling uncomfortable with his attention, but he quickly turned to Miss Beasley. “Would you do me the honor of a dance?”
“Oh, I would be delighted!” she said, putting her hand in the one he offered. She threw a delighted look over her shoulder as Mr. Blesdoe led her off.
“Poor girl,” Mrs. Fenton commented, watching them wander onto the dance floor.
“Why do you say that?” Edwina asked, confused.
“She is pretty enough but tries too hard. She is so friendly and kind, but she lets her feelings show on her face. She might do better on the marriage mart if she allowed herself to be a little more reserved.”
“I am sure she will do all right eventually,” Edwina mused. “She is young, yet.”
“Very true,” Mrs. Fenton allowed then smiled as Leticia and Albert approached them.
“Dear Albert, this is the new friend I was telling you about,” Leticia smiled as she looked at Edwina. “Edwina, my husband, Lord Somersby.”
Albert reached for Edwina’s hand, and she offered it hesitantly. Albert placed a polite kiss on the back of her knuckles and stood, meeting her gaze with his blue eyes. She felt a chill go through her, marveling at the difference between him and the warmth she felt when Fergus looked at her.
“Wonderful to make your acquaintance, Your Grace,” he said, smiling. “My dear Leticia has told me so much about you. It is always a delight to meet my wife’s friends.”
“A pleasure,” Edwina replied, giving him a small curtsey.
“In fact, we were talking about how lovely it would be to have you and the Duke for a small supper some evening,” he continued. “We do love hosting, do we not, dear?”
“Absolutely,” Leticia said, her smile like a dagger in Edwina’s heart. “Of course, that is if His Grace is up for it?”
“Not still in mourning, is he?” Albert asked. His expression seemed to convey more genuine concern than his wife’s.
“Oh, you know His Grace,” Leticia said, pulling on Albert’s arm. Edwina suddenly got the feeling that Leticia knew more about Fergus than she let on, something that neither she nor Fergus had thought to tell Edwina.
“I will speak to him as soon as I get home,” Edwina assured them.
“Oh, he is not with you this evening?” Albert asked, turning quickly to Edwina. “I imagined he was off in the study playing cards with the other men.”
“No,” Edwina confessed, hesitantly adding, “I came alone this evening.”
“What a shame,” Albert commented. Suddenly, they were interrupted by Lady Pembroke pushing through the crowd unceremoniously toward them.
