Yes. She certainly could. She could see herself living there alone even – as she had always expected to be – a spinster, choosing where she lived based on her joys and passions, not on the social scene.
But now…she could not deny that she had thought of living there with him. Thought of how wonderful it would be to be mistress of Gracewood Castle alongside him.
She had thought she was getting ahead of herself, but if he was asking that, then perhaps not. Maybe there was a chance…
She nodded, realising she had probably been silent for too long. "Yes, I could," she replied.
Maybe her grandmother was right. Maybe there could be something real between them.
???
Ezra disappeared to the card room for a glass of whisky and a brief escape from the ballroom. It wasn’t that he wanted to leave, but there was only one woman he wished to dance with, and it would not be appropriate to ask her again so soon.
He intended to ask for a second dance later that evening, but even that would cause talk. And so, to pass the time before it was acceptable, he made his way to the card room, which was filled mostly with older men passing the hours gambling while their wives and daughters danced.
"Gracewood!" a voice called, and Ezra scanned the room to see where it had come from, his gaze alighting on Lord Marshall in the far corner.
Lord Marshall had been of an age with his father, and when Ezra had been left as earl at a very young age, he had stepped in to help when the Dowager Countess was uncertainhow a matter should be dealt with. He had been a close family friend, but Ezra had not seen him in many years.
"Is that you?" the old man asked, squinting through wizened eyes.
"It is, Marshall," Ezra said, approaching him. They had once been on first-name terms, but since the older man had begun so formally, Ezra thought it only polite to do the same.
"Goodness, I haven’t seen you in an age. Not since before Laura…"
Ezra winced at the reminder, as he always did.
"I have not been much out in society," he said, moving past the subject.
"Well, I’m pleased to see you out now. And if you ever need any advice – though of course you know your way around the earldom now – you know where to find me."
Ezra couldn’t help but smile. "That’s very kind. In some ways, I feel I know what I’m doing, and in others…"
His mind wandered to Lady Constance. He had not expected to feel anything, not expected to want to dance with her, to want to spend time with her. He was no fool, nor a boy green behind the ears. He knew what was happening.
And yet…did he really want to wed again? After Laura? After the pain and guilt and the loss of her – and their child? He hadn’t intended to go through that again. He still wasn’t sure he could.
But he could not get Lady Constance Beaumont out of his mind.
"Well, I am always happy to give advice, whether it is about the earldom or not. Why don’t I get a drink and join you in that whisky, and we can catch up?" Marshall said with a shrug.
While Ezra was partly keen to get back to the ballroom to see Lady Constance, he knew he could not ask her to dance again yet. And perhaps Lord Marshall would have something helpfulto say on this topic that had so confused him: remarriage. It was hard, going from thinking you would never do something to struggling to imagine anything else. And he hadn’t spoken to his mother of this, for she would jump on the idea that he was ready to remarry – and quite probably would not approve of whom he wished to ask. And that would be another host of problems to deal with.
They found a table near the back of the card room with three chairs around it and no one nearby. Ezra took the wooden chair nearest the wall and waited for Marshall to take a seat, somewhat more slowly than he, thanks to his advancing years.
"Shall I fetch you a drink?" Ezra asked, realising that the viscount was still without.
"No need, my boy. The footman is bringing one. I quite enjoy these social functions – but I’m only ever found in the card room. They all know me well."
Ezra smiled. "I have not been to these functions in a long time, as you know."
"Indeed. And what has brought you back out into the world?"
"Mother," Ezra said automatically, with a sharp laugh. "You know she cannot be resisted for long."
Marshall laughed too, although his ended in a cough. When he had recovered his breath, he said, "Indeed she cannot. And so your mother nagged you into returning to society. And now you’re here, are you enjoying it?"
Ezra tipped his head to one side, weighing up his answer. "I find I am. More than I expected to. I almost feel guilty for doing so…"
