Jasper studied him for a moment before speaking again. “Do you know how much trouble we had finding her a husband?”
Nicholas was suddenly unsure where the conversation was headed.
“Not because she’s difficult,” Jasper clarified. “But because she’s… particular. In fact, we were quite worried that she wouldneverfind someone to her liking.”
“Violet has high standards,” Nicholas replied.
He did not know exactlywhatit was that he felt hearing those words. But maybe pride was the word to describe it.
“She’s always preferred books over men. You’d hardly catch her at a ball unless it was absolutely necessary, and even then, she’d be hiding in a corner with a novel,” Jasper admitted with a laugh. He had become more open and receptive to Nicholas now, as was his plan.
“Books over men? I suppose that makes me the exception.”
“Perhaps,” Jasper said after a moment.
Before Nicholas could respond, Leopold’s voice rang out. “Your Grace! You’re up next!”
Nicholas stepped forward, lining up his shot with practiced ease. He struck the ball cleanly, sending it through the hoop with a satisfying click.
Leopold groaned dramatically from the sidelines, throwing his hands up in exaggerated frustration.
“Well done, Your Grace,” Leopold said though his tone carried a playful edge. “But don’t think that one good shot means you’ve won this round.”
Nicholas only smirked, handing the mallet off as Violet stepped up for her turn. She watched him briefly from the corner of her eye as she lined up her shot, struck by how at ease he seemed with her family.
A part of her had expected him to be… stiffer? Less willing to want to get along with her brothers—whom she knew quite well could be a handful at times. But here he was, adjusting perfectly.
But most difficult of all, he had somehow gotten her brothers to take a liking to him.
Charismatic.Yes, that would be a good word to describe him.
He blended seamlessly as though he had always belonged there.
It unsettled her.
Violet took her shot, and though it wasn’t as clean as Nicholas’, it was enough to push her ball closer to the next hoop.
“Good form,” Nicholas remarked. “You’ve been holding out on me, Violet.”
Violet felt her cheeks flush, and she quickly busied herself by stepping back to give Leopold room for his shot. “I’ve had years of practice,” she said lightly, refusing to meet his gaze. “My brothers made sure of that.”
Leopold laughed, setting up his shot. “She’s being humble again. If anything, we’ve been her victims.”
“Leopold,” Violet chided and then watched as her brother miss his shot entirely.
As the game continued, Violet found herself glancing at Nicholas more often than she cared to admit.
He was very,verydistracting. And that was a problem.
She turned her attention back to the game, determined to ignore the way her heart sped up whenever he spoke or even justlookedher way. It was just a game after all. There was no reason to feel anything more.
And yet, as Nicholas stepped up for his next shot, the sunlight catching the sharp lines of his face, Violet couldn’t stop the thought that crept into her mind unbidden:He’s far too attractive for his own good.
Or hers.
CHAPTER 12
Violet needed to get away from him. He was having too much of an effect on her.
