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"Country folk never disappoint, do they?" Steven's voice sounded behind him. "A jolly good evening it is, thus far."
His gaze roved impishly over Albert's sour countenance before he added, "Looks like not everyone is having a jolly time, though."
"There are quite a number of ladies waiting for a dance partner, Steven." Albert sighed, hoping his chatty cousin would take the cue and let him be.
"I had reserved a dance with your fiancée," Steven informed him, "but I gave it to William over there," he raised his champagne flute in the direction of the gentleman he had introduced to Edwina earlier. "He wanted an introduction with the future Duchess, and I gave him one. He also wanted a dance, so I gave him mine. It is payment for a favor I owed him."
William Strutfield was the third son of an Earl. He was Steven's friend and Albert barely knew him but he could make Edwina a good husband. He was in possession of some fortune and he was from a good family.
"Good," Albert deadpanned.
"Good?" Steven echoed, surprised. "That is it? You are not going to get all angry and accuse me of intentionally plotting it? Because I sort of did, you know."
"If there is anyone who staged anything, it is not you, Steven," Albert stated. His gaze was still fixed on Edwina who was now being led to the dance floor by William.
"Who are you? And what have you done with my cousin?" Steven made a show of checking to make sure he truly was himself.
When Albert did not say anything, Steven followed his gaze to a dancing Edwina. “What did she do to you?”
Albert remained quiet and after a moment, Steven gasped. "You were referring to her when you mentioned staging, were you not? You cannot tell me that my suspicion was right."
"I thought you knew something, that is why you were so against her in the first place," Albert said.
"I told you, Al. It was never about her but about you being careful. Women are very dangerous creatures that can turn our brains into porridge and leave us like simpering fools," Steven replied.
"Well, it appears you are right. I cannot trust anyone," he admitted.
Steven was the only brother he had ever known and although there had been times when he had felt like wringing his neck, he knew he had always had his best interest at heart. He must look like a fool to him but he wished for him to know how right he had been. It was a way of encouraging him to continue to look out for him. They also rarely kept anything from each other.
"I am sorry, Al," Steven said solemnly. “I wanted to be right but I did not want you to be wounded.”
"Don't be." He finished his champagne and set the glass down on the balustrade. "She shall get a match before the end of the house party and be on her way."
“You still wish to help her?”
“I made her a promise.”
Steven nodded. “Honor before the heart. I understand.” He clapped him on the shoulder and left. A moment later, he was with Miss Matthews, talking animatedly. Albert momentarily wondered if he liked her.
His eyes found Edwina again and she was smiling broadly at William but as he looked at them, he remembered a rumor he had heard some years ago about him. His jaw tightened. He could not allow Edwina to continue dancing with him and maybe even set her cap at him. It was not right. Yes, he wished to be free of her, but he did not wish for her to marry the wrong man.
He started to weave through the crowd and he picked up a change in her demeanor that he did not like. She now seemed genuinely interested in and was enjoying the conversation she was having with the gentleman. Or was it the man himself that had her so engaged, he wondered irritably.
When she grinned, displaying her perfect teeth, Albert hastened to reach her. He was preventing an unfortunate event from happening, he told himself. This had nothing to do with jealousy.
The dance had barely ended when he approached them and took her arm. “Please excuse us, Strutfield. There is a very important person I must introduce my fiancée to,” he said tensely and before William could answer, he had pulled her away.
He led her out of the ballroom and into the first empty salon he found, closing the door behind them. "Would you care to explain to me why you dragged me away like that?" She extricated her hand from his grip, displeased. "What happened to keeping up appearances?"
"Do you like him?" Albert asked without preamble.
"What?" she returned, perplexed.
"William Strutfield, the gentleman you just danced with. Do you like him?" he repeated.
“Do not speak to me in that tone, Your Grace. I am not a child.” His mood in that instance was one where he wanted to keep her at his side and not allow any gentleman to look in her direction again. This went against his conflict and it made him feel like a fool.
Do you like her or do you hate her?He suspected it was both. No matter what he did, he could not prevent her from affecting him in this way.
