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I sincerely hope my rude behavior this morning was not the cause for your distress at luncheon. I beg for forgiveness if so, and I will grovel for an apology at your earliest convenience if that is indeed the case.
A small laugh forced its way out of her as she finished the note, and Arabella set it down with an amused shake of her head. It seemed the Duke of Milton wasn’t as much of a cad as she’d initially thought, or he was so full of himself to assume that all her troubles must revolve around him. Regardless, she was touched in spite of herself. “Silly man.”
ChapterFive
“He was sohandsome and charming, Bella. Nothing at all like you described him to me.”
Arabella eyed her sister from her place at the armoire as she adjusted the comb nestled in her hair. “You seemed to get along well with His Grace, from what I could see,” she said indulgently.
“Oh, he was lovely and squired me throughout the entire gardens. I had such a pleasant time,” Caroline all but gushed. Her sister hadn’t brought up Arabella’s flight from luncheon since coming in, much to her own relief. Caroline treating her no differently, as if nothing were wrong and she hadn’t nearly embarrassed herself in front of an entire house party, was far more soothing than the hugs and concerned inquiries that had already been performed to exhaustion in the past year.
“Will you set your cap for him, then?” She tried to ignore the twisting in her gut at the thought. Really, there was no reason to feel such. It was only natural that the duke would gravitate towards Caroline, who held all the qualities needed for the perfect duchess. And he was still annoying, even if that thoughtful apology had softened her opinion to a small degree. The note was still nestled in a drawer, along with the lavender that had come with it.
“You should have gone with the sapphires instead of the emeralds. They look better with your golden shade of hair,” Caroline chided, bypassing the question. It was no matter, for she wouldn’t spend so much time gushing about Milton as she had for the past twenty minutes if she wasn’t taking him seriously as a candidate. Then again, her sister admired gentlemen often, but never seemed to pursue things beyond a passing interest. Whether the duke also fell into that category remained to be seen.
Arabella adjusted the emerald comb once more. “It is perfectly acceptable. Besides, the sapphires look striking in your own hair.”
“Everything looks striking in my hair,” Caroline deadpanned. “Honestly, it can be annoying.” She approached the armoire and lowered her head beside Arabella’s, turning it side to side so that the jewels glittered in her hair. “I often feel like a fussy peacock when mother insists I dress my hair this way.”
Arabella covered her snort with her hand. “That is not true.”
Caroline playfully rolled her eyes. “Yes, it is, and you know it. You wouldn’t have laughed otherwise.”
“I’m sorry,” she replied with a mild giggle.
“I look far better in simpler fashions.” Caroline rising with a mild sigh as she pat her bejeweled hair.
“You always dress so extravagantly, I didn’t know you had that sort of taste.”
“I do what mother thinks is best.”
The words gave Arabella pause. She’d always thought her sister adored dressing so loudly, and hadn’t considered how much her preferences might have been dictated my their mercurial mother. She turned around on the bench. “Caro… surely you know that you’ll find a husband easily, with or without Mama’s input in your life.”
“I am well aware.” The reply was quick, almost dismissive, with Caroline not bothering to turn around as she made her way to the door. “We are going to be late for dinner if we tarry.”
Arabella wanted to say more, but they were indeed running late. “Yes, I am coming.”
* * *
Whatever strange mood that had stolen over her sister seemed to have faded by the time they made it downstairs for dinner. Caroline had returned to her demure, smiling self, with half the gentlemen in attendance nearly falling over their feet to give their greetings. At dinner, Arabella found herself seated with Baron Lockhart on her left and Miss Balfour on her right. Caroline, likely due to some matchmaking on the hostess’ part, was seated next to Milton. She watched as the two conversed, Caroline enthusing over something or another with a becoming flush as the duke nodded along politely. Again, that obnoxious pit formed in her stomach.
“Your sister and the duke seem to be getting along,” Miss Balfour chimed in at her shoulder, shaking Arabella from her silly stupor.
“It seems so,” she replied and quickly spooned some of her soup.
“Always so direct, Miss Balfour,” Lord Lockhart drawled from her other side.
Miss Balfour scowled. “I don’t think I was speaking to you, Lockhart.”
“Then do not say such things at dinner.”
Arabella looked between the two of them, watching as Miss Balfour narrowed her eyes at Lockhart, who seemed to take great pleasure in needling the woman if his amused smirk was anything to go by. She swallowed another spoonful of soup and cleared her throat. “I hope the rest of your morning was pleasant, Miss Balfour. You seemed quite refreshed from your walk.”
“Do call me Cecily. And yes, my morning was lovely, thank you,” she said cheerfully, ignoring Lockhart entirely. Arabella heard the baron’s scowl at her back.
“I am glad to hear it,” she replied, happy to both end whatever standoff was happening between Cecily and Lockhart and take her attention from Milton. “You must call me Arabella, then. I take it you enjoy morning explorations?”
“It is my favorite time of the day, so quiet and calm. Perfect for a scientific excursion.”
