Seth nodded. “If you’re sure about how you feel, then all right,” he agreed. “I won’t try to convince you otherwise.”
“I’m sure.”
“Come and have something to drink, then. There’s no point in you sitting around at the riverside on your own. Not when there’s so much fun to be had. It’s a party, after all.”
“Very well,” Allan agreed and followed his friend up the lawn to where drinks were being served. He accepted a glass and sipped it, doing his best not to glance in Lady Edwina’s direction. He didn’t want to see her—but even more than that, he didn’t want her to see him looking at her. He wanted to pretend that he hadn’t even noticed that she was looking at another gentleman, laughing at his jokes, enjoying his company. That another gentleman had gotten that smile Allan found himself longing for with such ardor.
And he hadn’t even had to pay. She was actually spending time with him—apparently—because she wanted to.
I’m frustrated because I wanted to be the one to win over the unattainable spinster, and it bothers me to think that someone else might be succeeding where I haven’t yet.
But that wasn’t quite right.
He wasn’t bothered by the thought that he might have failed in his mission to impress her.
He was bothered by the thought that the fun times they had had together might be over—and that she might be giving that positive energy to someone else while she had only scowls and displeasure left for him.
It felt as if he had lost her, and that was a thought that made him feel downright miserable.
CHAPTER 17
Lord Kentrow appeared at Lady Edwina’s home two days after the garden party. He arrived shortly after breakfast and joined her in the sitting room for tea.
“It’s lovely to see you again, Lady Edwina,” he said. His smile was so big and bright that Edwina couldn’t doubt his sincerity. She found herself returning the smile. He was a pleasant person to be around, even though Edwina knew that he wanted their relationship to be more than it was. Even though she knew her brother was pushing for that as well. She wished she could simply enjoy his company without any of that sort of pressure, but since she couldn’t do that, she thought she might as well make the most of their time together anyway. Perhaps they would be friends when this was all over.
“Did you enjoy the garden party?” she asked him.
“Very much,” he said. “I don’t know when I’ve had such a good time. You looked lovely, by the way. I’m not sure whether or not I mentioned that.”
He had mentioned it. In fact, he had said it several times. But she appreciated the thoughtfulness. “Thank you,” she said. “It means a lot to me that you think so.”
Lord Kentrow beamed, and Edwina wondered whether perhaps she shouldn’t have said anything about it. Perhaps she was leading him on—giving him false hope. That wasn’t what she wanted to do, and if it was happening, she knew she needed to take responsibility for it.
Oh, this was fraught. How could it possibly be so difficult to keep gentlemen at bay? Hadn’t she been clear when she had embraced the nickname of unattainable spinster? What excuse did anyone have to think she was available for them to try to woo?
But she couldn’t be angry at Lord Kentrow. He was just such a friendly person. Edwina knew that he wasn’t trying to do her any harm. At some point, she was going to have to figure out how to tell him that there couldn’t be anything serious between the two of them. But for now, they might as well have a good time.
That was what was on her mind when a footman opened the door to the sitting room. “Begging your pardon, Lady Edwina,” he said. “You have a guest.”
Edwina frowned, confused. “I know I do,” she replied. He was sitting right in front of her, after all.
“I apologize,” the footman said. “I was unclear. You have another guest.”
“Another guest?” Edwina felt an unpleasant sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach, a certainty that this could mean nothing good.
The door opened farther, and Edwina’s fears were confirmed as the Duke of Harbeck appeared in the doorway.
He looked from her to Lord Kentrow, a frown on his face, and Edwina could only imagine what he was thinking as he processed the sight of the two of them together.
Lord Kentrow jumped to his feet. “Forgive me, Your Grace,” he said. “I hadn’t realized that one of your five dates with Lady Edwina was to be today.”
“We hadn’t planned anything,” the Duke replied. “I thought I would call on her.”
“I’ll take my leave,” Lord Kentrow said. “We were finished talking anyway.”
They hadn’t been—Lord Kentrow had only just arrived—but Edwina didn’t know what else to do but to let him go. Shecouldn’t force herself to try to side with one of the gentlemen over the other.
And besides, if she was being honest, she did want to spend this time with the Duke and not with Lord Kentrow. She felt bad about the fact that she was sending Lord Kentrow on his way so soon after he’d arrived, but it would have felt equally bad to turn the Duke away when he had come all this way—and what was more, she knew she had been discourteous to him at the garden party. She ought to try to make up for what had happened there.
