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Lord Whickerton shook his head. “Not at all. I am certain we shall find her shortly.” Still, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as though he could tell that she was not being truthful. Could he see it upon her face? Clearly, his mother could not. Edith saw no suspicion in her gaze. What made him different?
“I believe there is another parlor on the south side,” Edith exclaimed, determined to keep Lady Mary hidden from her mother. “Perhaps it was merely a misunderstanding.”
Lady Whickerton nodded. “Perhaps,” she murmured, the tone in her voice suggesting that she did not believe so. “Thank you, Lady Edith.” With a look at her son, she stepped from the room, more mumbled words falling from her lips, each one dripping with annoyance and disapproval.
“I believe I, too, must take my leave,” Edith stated, moving to step past Lord Whickerton.
However, before she could, he moved to block her path, one hand held out, almost touching her arm. His warm brown eyes looked down into hers, before they swept past her shoulder to where Lady Mary sat quietly in the alcove. “Again, you are lying,” he whispered, a rather delighted smile upon his face. “Thank you.” Then he stepped away, and followed his mother down the corridor, casting her one last wicked grin over his shoulder.
Indeed, Edith could not shake the thought that he was the perfect man for her!
Chapter Five
A GENTLEMAN’S CHOICES
Jasper had never quite enjoyed balls. This one, however, had his rapt attention. Or rather, the young lady in the stunning azure gown did.
Once again, Lady Edith stood across the room with her friend, Lady Adele as well as Lord and Lady Ashbrook. Nearby, Jasper also spotted Lord Halston as well as the man’s son, Lord Aberley. It was quite apparent that Lady Adele and Lord Aberley were expected to wed, and it was equally apparent that neither one of them particularly liked that fact. Only their parents seemed to be enjoying themselves, expectant expressions upon their faces, the likes of which Jasper had seen upon his own mother’s countenance numerous times.
For some reason, Lady Adele’s and Lord Aberley’s misery bothered him. At first, he did not quite know why, as they were not acquainted. Perhaps it was simply that their situation reminded him so much of his own: parents negotiating contracts and urging their children to do as they were told. After all, it was obvious even to him that Lady Adele and Lord Aberley would not have chosen one another if they had indeed been given the choice.
“Why the grim expression?” Andrew asked, that teasing note in his voice once more. “I had expected you to be in better spirits after watching you stare at Lady Edith these past few days.” He moved to look at Jasper’s face. “What is the problem? She’s young, beautiful and you clearly like her. She is an earl’s daughter, which means your mother would not object, and as far as I can tell she’s not spoken for. Go and asked her to marry you, and you’ll have that deathbed promise nonsense taken care of.”
Rather aghast, Jasper turned to stare at his friend. “It is not that simple,” he replied sternly, uncertainexactlywhy he was objecting to his friend’s plan. Yes, as annoying as it was to admit this, Andrew was right. Hewasrather taken with Lady Edith. Shewasbeautiful and young, and hedidlike her. He liked her a lot. In fact, he could not stop thinking about her or looking at her. Still, this was going too fast, was it not? Was courtship not something that required time?
“Why?” Andrew had the nerve to ask.
Jasper shrugged, feeling like a complete fool. Still, he was enjoying getting to know her, watching her and trying to decipher all the many expressions that always flitted across her face. She clearly was one who knew how to keep a secret, one whose mind rarely stood still, one who executed her plans with patience and precision. But whatwereher plans? Jasper burned to know.
His gaze briefly drifted to Lady Adele and Lord Aberley as they stood up for the next dance before quickly returning to Lady Edith. Her own blue eyes were slightly narrowed as she watched the couple with rapt attention, a slight frown upon her face as though what she saw displeased her. Clearly, she had noticed their indifference to one another as well. Was her friend’s situation the most prominent thing on her mind at present?
A jolt of awareness sizzled through Jasper as Lady Edith abandoned her spot and moved around the room. Slowly, she walked the edges of the ballroom, her eyes never quite leaving the dancing couple, something deeply thoughtful in her expression. Jasper almost craned his neck to keep her in sight, to see past those mingling in between.
“You do know that your shoes are not glued to the floor, don’t you?” Andrew inquired with a laugh. “Youcanmove!” He jerked his head in Lady Edith’s direction. “Go! You clearly prefer her company to mine,” he added with a feigned note of disappointment.
Glaring at his friend for a second, Jasper stepped away, his gaze fixed upon Lady Edith. He moved slowly, winding his way through the crowd as he followed in her wake. She kept her head turned sideways, still watching Lady Adele and Lord Aberley, neither of whom seemed to be enjoying themselves.
With every step Jasper drew closer, he could feel his heart speeding up in excitement. He stepped around a group of giggling females before dodging a rather agitated matron. Another step and then another before he stood barely an arm’s length away from her, his gaze sweeping over her golden tresses. Instead of pulling them back and forcing them into some kind of elaborate hairstyle, they hung down her back like waves rolling onto a beach.
About to clear his throat to catch her attention, Jasper almost flinched when Lady Edith suddenly said, “Good evening, Lord Whickerton.” Then she turned, her blue eyes settling upon his, a radiant smile upon her face that once again stilled his breath.
Chuckling, Jasper shook his hand. “How did you know I was there? Do I shuffle my feet?” He glanced down and then back up, unable not to look at her.
For a moment, her blue eyes swept over his face, and he could not tell what she was thinking, not even in the least. Then, however, a bit of a chiding look came to her face. “You have been watching me, my lord. Why?”
Again, Jasper stared at her, the smile upon his face widening with delight. Who was this mysterious creature? “Is there anything you don’t know? Pray tell, what is your secret?”
She grinned. “If I told you, it would be a secret no longer, would it?” A sly smile came to her face, a smile he was coming to love.
Inclining his head to her in defeat and respect, Jasper held out his hand. “May I have the next dance?”
For a moment, she hesitated, and Jasper felt his heart pause in his chest. “I thought you’d never ask,” she finally replied, slipping her hand into his as though it belonged there.
As they moved onto the dance floor, they passed Lady Adele and Lord Aberley, who were now returning to their parents’ side. The two women exchanged a meaningful look Jasper could not quite identify. However, the moment the next dance began, he was well aware that Lady Edith’s attention no longer remained with him. Instead, she kept looking over his shoulder, her brows slightly drawn as though she were watching something most intently.
Or most likely someone.
“Is my company so tiresome?” Jasper asked lightly as the dance led them back together; yet his heart once again seemed to pause in his chest. Indeed, her opinion mattered to him. More than he would have expected.
