“Yes. And?” Bella asked, outraged.
“You’ll be ruined!”
Bella relaxed as she laughed. “Andrew, I am not a young debutante. I am a widow.”
“Still, it is not seemly. If anyone but me had walked in—”
“And what would they have seen? Two people making mad, passionate love on the study floor?” Bella asked sarcastically.
Aidan looked at her in surprise, slowly realizing the woman who sat across from him was not the woman he knew three years ago. He didn’t know how he felt about that.
“And how is it that you came in here?” Aidan asked. “My brother’s study is not near the festivities.”
“Lord Candelstone asked me—”
Bella exploded out of her chair and flew at Andrew, shoving him backward a step.
Aidan surged to his feet.
“I told you to never say his name to me!” Bella yelled at Andrew. She pushed her brother again. “And what are you doing talking to him?”
She would have shoved him again, but Andrew caught her arms before she could touch him.
“Bella! He was concerned for you. He saw you walk off with Nowlton. After your history—”
“Aargh!” she cried. She pulled loose from Andrew’s grip and turned to Aidan. “He’s doing it again! He won’t leave me alone!”
She threw herself back into her chair as she burst into tears.
“Did she really ask you not to say his name again?” Aidan asked Captain Melville.
“Yes, but—”
“You are a fool, Melville,” Aidan said harshly. He turned toward Bella and squatted down by her chair. “And so am I,” he whispered. He pressed his handkerchief into her hands.
Happiness pushed aside forKing and Country. Candelstone’s favorite phrase to justify his actions. But why would his brother-in-law care now what Bella did, or who she talked to? He rose to his feet to face Melville.
“Where’s Candelstone?
“When I left him, he said he was going to speak to Ann and Ellinbourne, to personally offer his congratulations on their engagement.”
Aidan nodded. “Stay here with her until I can send my mother, the Duchess, or my niece Gwinnie to her. Do not talk to her or explain yourself. Just leave her alone.”
“But I can explain.”
“Later, you can explain to me. Leave her alone. You don’t understand the magnitude of what she has lived through, and what truths she discovered yesterday.” Aidan knew he did not understand the magnitude of her experiences either, and he had been a small part of them.
He laid a hand on Melville’s shoulder. “It would be a kindness to her for you to leave her alone right now,” he finished.
Melville looked from him to her and reluctantly agreed.
CHAPTER6
THE TERRACE
Aidan scanned the ballroom for Candelstone. He didn’t know what he would say to the man. He just knew Candelstone had a truly evil, Machiavellian mind, hiding behind a veneer of civility. How could he treat people as pawn chess pieces, to be moved around and sacrificed as needed to realize goals? It was untenable. And for his own sister to be married to him! Aidan considered it fortunate they’d never had any children. He would see that he never bothered Lady Blessingame again. He didn’t know how, but that woman deserved peace.
He could not find Lord Candelstone; however, he spied his sister, Catherine, with a small knot of London society matrons. The gossip set. He made his way over to them. He smiled and bowed to them as a group.
