Dr. Fraser picked up his bag and said, “I should be going now. Juliette will be wanting to know where I am.”
They bid him farewell, and after he had gone, Lily realized that Matthew hadn’t eaten anything yet. “Would you care for breakfast?” she offered.
“If there’s anything left.” He took a seat near the desk.
Lily fixed a plate for him from the leftover food and sat beside him. Sebastian sniffed the air and hobbled his way over to rest at Matthew’s feet. “I suppose he is hoping you’ll drop food for him.”
“Just so.” He dug in with his fork and “accidentally” let some of the eggs fall to the carpet. The dog devoured them hungrily.
Lily smiled and turned back to her brother. “You will go with me to the duchess’s ball tonight, won’t you, James?”
Her brother sighed. “If I must. But I am not going to dance with Miss Sinclair.” His tone held a warning, but she cheerfully ignored it and smiled at him.
“And what of you, Matthew? Are you planning to attend?”
She posed the question idly and was surprised when he answered, “She is my cousin, so I might. If you want me to.”
She thought about it for a moment and realized she did want to see him there. During the last ball, she had enjoyed his company, despite the runaway kitten. “Yes, I would like you to come.”
Matthew reached for her hand and held it a moment. “Then I will.”
Lily wore a lilac-colored ball gown and had tucked violets into her hair. Right now, she stood beside her friend Evangeline, who wore a short-sleeved gown the color of dust, with a neckline that completely covered any hint of a bosom. The grayish-brown silk did nothing for the young woman’s complexion, and her hair was twisted into a severe updo.
“You look lovely tonight, Lily,” Evangeline said. “Especially in that color. Have you…changed your mind about finding a husband?”
“Not at all. Thank you.” She studied her friend, trying to decide if she dared to broach the subject of Evangeline’s attire. “I do not mean to offend, but was this truly a gown of your choosing?”
Evangeline beamed. “It’s perfectly dreadful, isn’t it? I asked the modisteto find silk the color of mouse fur. Now I can safely remain a wallflower, and no man would dare ask me to dance.”
“It is…certainly a different color than any I’ve seen before.”
“My mother was horrified. She thinks I should make a greater effort to find a husband, but why would I want a man to govern my life with his own rules? I am perfectly happy with my books. And my father seems content to let me remain a spinster.”
Evangeline’s father, Cain Sinclair, had a darker reputation among the men. Born a Scottish commoner, it was well known that her father would not hesitate to shoot any man who dared threaten her virtue. He would likely dress his daughter in black crape and a veil, if he could.
James crossed the room and joined Lily, pretending he didn’t notice Evangeline standing beside her. “Lily, would you care to dance?”
“Not just now, thank you. But I am certain Evangeline would be happy to take my place.” She sent him a smile filled with mischief.
“I would sooner stand in a corner and peel wallpaper,” Evangeline answered cheerfully. “But thank you for the offer.”
James’s posture grew rigid at the insult. “I see your manners have not improved, Evangeline.” To Lily, he apologized, “Forgive me, but I am trying to avoid being matched up by the meddling mamas.”
“Matchmaking meddling mamas,” Evangeline repeated. “Now there’s a phrase I’d wager you couldn’t say three times without twisting up your tongue.”
“I don’t recall that you are part of this conversation,” James snapped.
Now why on earth was her brother being so rude? Lily was startled to see the flare of anger between the pair of them. Evangeline’s cheeks were fiery red, and she took a step toward James. “I don’t know that I want to be part of a conversation withyou.” Without another word, she spun and strode away, disappearing into the crowd.
Lily was horrified by her brother’s behavior. “Why on earth would you behave like such an awful man? I’ve never seen you this way before.”
“We do not like each other,” he said calmly.
But there was far more to it than that. Her friend was normally a quiet young woman who made pleasant conversation—not at all a fierce termagant who looked as if she were contemplating murder. Something wasn’t right.
But before she could think upon it further, Adrian Monroe approached. He bowed to her and said to her brother, “Lord Penford, it is good to see you back from India. I know your sister was most overjoyed at your return.”
“You are already acquainted with Lily, then?” James mused.
