‘Do not be such a…’ he swallowed the strong insult that sat on the tip of his tongue ‘…muttonhead,’ he finished instead.
Christopher’s wolfish smile over the rim of his glass grated on his nerves.
‘I can see she is a beautiful woman. I am not going to deny that.’ Beautiful didn’t do her justice really; it was a weak word that did not describe the way she shone in this room full of people dressed in their finery. ‘I am not going to act on it either.’
‘I had a horrible feeling you were going to say some such nonsense. Why not?’
‘First of all, she does not like me.’ He didn’t blame her. He’d been shocked by his visceral awareness of her. When he had first laid eyes on her, it had seemed like Freddie, the best artist of them all, had drawn an image of the perfect woman from Edward’s dreams and had somehow imbued her with life. Seeing her, he had acted as though he had been slapped around the face with a wet fish, such was the shock. He had been surly and grumpy and she had not been able to look at him. Hopefully, he’d redeemed himself this afternoon. As she’d eaten, he’d shown he was capable of basic manners. Her shoulders had slowly relaxed and the haunted look in her eyes had faded.
‘You did act a bit dicked in the nob when you first met, but I bet she came round when she saw her cake cut into a fish.’ Christopher’s smile was sly.
‘How do you know about that?’ Edward had waited until the footmen carrying the food had gone before shaping the food in a whimsical way. He had done it to make her laugh and put her at ease. It had broken some of the tension between them, for which he was grateful, but he hadn’t done it with the express purpose of seducing her. He was not going to act on his attraction, even as strong as it was. There were too many reasons not to.
‘I have my ways,’ said Christopher loftily, ‘but do go on. I want details of all the reasons you are going to make life difficult for yourself over the next few months.’
‘She is going to live with us for the foreseeable future. If I were to make it known I think she is the most beautiful woman to ever walk the planet, how awkward do you think it would make her feel if she didn’t reciprocate my feelings?’ He shuddered as he remembered Bridget’s words before he shoved them to one side, ruthlessly banishing them once more. He was no longer a green boy with foolish notions about love.
‘Huh,’ Christopher grunted, some of the amusement fading from his eyes.
‘We swore to her brother we would look after her.’
His brother nodded, more humour fading.
‘But even if none of those things were a factor, she is dependent on us. If I kissed her and she kissed me back, how would I know if she was doing it because she wanted to or if she thought she had no other option because otherwise she would be out on the streets? The power imbalance makes it impossible. Did Tobias ever give you that lecture?’
Christopher’s shoulders drooped theatrically. ‘He did and it was mortifying for the both of us, especially when it has never been a problem for me. Damn it all, why do you have to be so sensible? Where is my fun in that?’
‘It is a young woman’s life. Imagine if she were Charlotte. What would we do to men if they were toying with her for their own amusement?’
‘Kill them.’ Christopher’s vehement statement made Edward smile. ‘I see what you are saying,’ Christopher continued, ‘and I agree with you, but to be clear, it was not Kate I was being flippant about. I would never be such a cad. You are the one I want to tease mercilessly.’
Edward clapped his brother on the shoulder. ‘I thank you for that, Brother dear. But it is one and the same, is it not?’
Emily joined them before Christopher could reply. ‘It is time to go in for dinner. Edward, I have put you next to Kate.’ He was about to protest, to let his sister-in-law know he was onto their matchmaking schemes and he wanted no part of it, but she continued. ‘On the other side, I thought Alexander Wright might be someone with whom she would enjoy talking. He is a kind soul with a gentle wit I think she will find amusing.’ She leaned closer. ‘I have also heard he is on the lookout for a wife and I do not think he is stuck-up. She could do worse.’
Something heavy was sitting on Edward’s lungs, making it difficult for him to speak. He nodded instead. Alexander was a good man, not so high in step he would look down on a vicar’s daughter and he was wealthy enough for him not to be a fortune-hunter. Curse the man; there was nothing wrong with him at all.
Emily took the slight bob of his head as acquiescence and wandered off to perform her hostess duties. Christopher slapped him on the back, his grin telling Edward his brother knew exactly how tight Edward was holding himself after Emily’s earth-shattering statement.
Before dinner was announced, he made his way over to Kate. The polite smile she gave him didn’t reveal whether she was pleased to see him or not.
‘I am to lead you into dinner,’ he said.
‘Ah,’ was all she said in response.
‘How have you found the evening thus far?’
‘I think I have passed muster. The delightful couple I was speaking to discussed something that happened last season. I did not see the event but I have heard reports and I think I did not make a fool of myself. Time will tell, I guess.’
Her eyes were tight and he wanted to rub the small creases gathering at their corners away with his thumb. ‘I am sure theywere charmed, but Emily has only invited pleasant people this evening. Even if you babbled nonsense they are not a couple who would gossip about you.’
He was trying to put her at ease, but she only nodded, smiling brightly but falsely, tension in her shoulders.
‘Do you like soup?’ he asked, immediately wishing he could throw himself out of the window after he’d uttered the foolish words. He’d never spoken such inanity before.
He was rewarded for his lack of wits with the twitch of her lips. ‘I do.’
‘Excellent.’ Dear God. Hewasdicked in the nob and wool-brained and all the insults he would no doubt think about in the early hours of the morning when he was replaying this scene in his head a thousand times.
