Fine. So she was jealous. Hadn’t he stated only yesterday that he wanted to deal with Nelson himself. But now he was so easily and completely distracted by the incomparable Julia. Nelson’s breath fanned the nape of her neck, and she stiffened.
“A pleasant evening to you, cousin.”
Amelia ignored him. The music had begun, and she gave all her attention to the young women who nervously devoted themselves to their instruments.
Blakewood and Julia paused their conversation for a moment, but then resumed as the stringed instruments grew louder. Her stomach somersaulted as images of them together, laughing, dancing, and staring at each other like lovers, flipped through her mind like the pages of a book. A hand touched her shoulder and Amelia lashed out with her fan. Nelson yelped behind her and Amelia grinned with satisfaction.
Blakewood glanced her way. Finally.
He leaned close. “Is something amiss?”
“Just a bug. Never you mind. Don’t let me interrupt you.” She didn’t look at him, but she could feel his gaze. When she met his stare, she raised a brow.
His jaw flexed as he turned back toward the performers. It took Amelia a moment longer to pull her gaze from his profile. She thought she knew who Mr. Graham Blakewood was, but she’d never seen this side of him: the handsome man who drew beautiful admirers. She could admit it bothered her more than it should. It was clear he had some sort of an intimate history with this woman, and that knowledge turned her stomach sideways. Amelia couldn’t stop her traitorous thoughts from comparing herself to Julia and finding herself lacking. Was this the kind of woman Blakewood admired?
She didn’t want to care, but she did.
Chapter Fourteen
Graham escorted LadyAmelia through another three rooms before the musicale came to an end. Her aunt and cousin haunted their steps everywhere they went, but did not approach. However, he did hear them on more than one occasion discussing the betrothal joyfully, as if the aunt had arranged the whole endeavor herself in Amelia’s favor. An intriguing tactic.
But they’d both survived, somewhat unscathed. Graham was collecting their cloaks while Lady Amelia visited the ladies’ retiring room. Graham waited as the guests thinned, until Lady Amelia at last appeared, red cheeked and eyes bright with a false smile as she sailed through the front door. Graham watched her, then chanced to look back at where she’d come from and saw her aunt and cousin watching him.
Bloody hell. They’d cornered her, hadn’t they? Likely said something awful to upset her. He followed her out. She hadn’t waited for him and was already inside the coach. The groom closed the door, and they sat in darkness, the curtains closed.
“No lamps?” he asked.
“There’s nothing to see. Why bother?”
He sighed and sat back. She was ready to take heads with her tone. He wasn’t interested in losing his at the moment, even if hedid have a headache coming on. Besides the wailing music, Julia had questioned him closely about the issue with the well water and the sick sheep. Graham had tried to answer intelligently, but he was not a sheep farmer nor was he experienced with sheep illnesses. And he’d had no idea that while her husband had declined in his last years, she’d taken it upon herself to control the estate and now had a head for business and animal husbandry. Julia was always a pleasant surprise—more than just a seductive widow. However, she would be of no help to their imaginary problem, and diverting her had taken all his mental efforts.
He closed his eyes and must have nodded off because, when he opened them, the carriage was stopped and Amelia was climbing out again without waiting for his assistance.
Once inside, they handed off their cloaks and climbed the stairs toward Alston’s room, but before she took this volatile energy in there, he wanted to calm her down.
“Lady Amelia.”
She didn’t respond as she climbed the stairs ahead of him.
He ground his teeth, taking two at a time, until he passed her and blocked her path.
“Would you like to tell me what is wrong?”
“No,” she growled.
“What did your aunt say? Did Nelson do something again?”
“Oh, you didn’t notice?” She stepped around him and made it to the landing. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t have. You were too engrossed in your conversation withJulia.”
He’d turned to follow her, but at that, he froze. She carried on, heading toward Alston’s room.
When he was speaking with Julia? He’d been sitting right next to Amelia. How could anything have happened then? He shook his head and caught up to her, his larger strides easily closing the distance before she made it to Alston’s door.
“Tell me what happened.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, back to him. He touched her shoulder, and she shook him off. “Don’t touch me.”
Clenching his fists, he tried to restrain his anger, but he’d had enough of the constant strain. His sanity was wearing thin, and he was beyond exhausted. He took hold of her shoulder and turned her, backing her against the wall, placing his hand flat above her left shoulder, and stepping close enough she couldn’t dodge him or look away.
