The night went on with many more exchanges of pleasantries and continuous banter between the siblings, and Cecilia felt bored out of her mind. However, as she walked around with her brothers, she began to notice a pattern of behavior that drew her attention.
“Are you going to keep scanning the room like that, or do you plan to actually enjoy the ball?” Cecilia teased, nudging Nathaniel with her elbow.
“Oh, but I am,” Nathaniel jumped slightly then straightened, feigning innocence. “I’m but admiring the décor, sister. Have you seen the chandeliers? Quite exquisite, aren’t they?”
Cecilia rolled her eyes, a playful smirk on her lips. “Oh, please! You could admire the chandeliers from anywhere. You seem to be looking for someone, are you not?”
Nathaniel chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “You’re imagining things.”
“You’ve been glancing around like a hawk since we stepped in here. Who are you really looking for?” she shot, crossing her arms.
“Cece, you’re reading too much into this,” Nathaniel replied, his tone light but his eyes betraying a slight guilt. “What if I’m looking for the perfect dance partner? You never know when an opportunity might arise.”
She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “A dance partner? Perhaps one in particular? Come now, brother.”
He sighed dramatically, glancing around as if searching for an escape. “If I tell you, you’ll only pester me more. Can’t a brother have a moment of privacy?”
“Not when you’re acting so suspiciously!” Cecilia laughed, leaning closer. “Come on, who is it? What’s got you so anxious and excited?”
Nathaniel shook his head, a grin creeping onto his face. “You really have a flair for the dramatic, don’t you? What’s next? Are you going to start spinning tales about secret romances?”
“Maybe I will!” she replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I won’t rest until I know. You can’t just keep looking around like that and expect me to stay quiet.”
“Fine, fine!” he relented, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. He chuckled, shaking his head. “If you must know, I…”
Cecilia craned her neck as his tone lowered to a whisper.
“I might just have fallen completely in love.”
What?
Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she raised them back to her brother.
“What did you just say?”
“I said I might be in love,” he repeated, his voice steady despite the light red on his cheeks.
“Are you serious right now?” She leaned in closer, her curiosity piqued. “Who is it? You can’t just drop a bomb like that and expect me to stay calm!”
Nathaniel ran a hand through his hair, glancing around the room once again. “It’s a bit… complicated, Cece.”
“Try me! I’m all ears,” she insisted, her excitement bubbling over. “Is it someone I know?”
He hesitated, his gaze darting to the entrance where a familiar figure had just appeared. “I… I don’t think I can talk about it right now. It’s not the right moment.”
Cecilia crossed her arms, a playful pout forming on her lips. “Nate-”
“I’ll tell you later, I promise.” Nathaniel chuckled, but his eyes were serious. “Just… give me a bit of time.”
Before she could respond, he turned abruptly, his expression to the same spot across the room.
“Wait, Nate-” Cecilia called, but he was already weaving through the crowd, leaving her stunned and full of questions.
Wait…
It couldn’t be her… Could it?
Her heart thumped as she watched Nathaniel stride in the same direction as Evangeline Wexford. Her jaw tightened, and a knot formed in her stomach.
