“I think I do,” Eliza mused, nodding slowly. “I want his happiness more than I want my own. I ache to see him smile, to hear the sound of his voice, to dance with him, to know his thoughts, to care for him when he is unwell, to learn his mind and his heart as well as I know my own. I want others to stop and consider what he wants, what would make him happy… I want him to find a love match, even if that match is not with me.”
Lady Catherine clasped her hands in front of her and nodded, giving Eliza a considering gaze.
“Perhaps we can help each other, Miss Wingfield.”
“I’d like that very much.” Eliza nodded.
“You know that I am desperately in love with Lord Edward Melthorn and wish to marry him, but if I am to help you, then you must tell me who you were just speaking of with such fervent devotion.”
Eliza blushed a deep red, but held Lady Catherine’s gaze.
“Surely you must know, Lady Catherine, that my heart belongs to your brother, the Duke of Elkington, and it has since the Midsummer Ball, the first time we danced with each other.”
CHAPTER10
THE BELLINGHAM BALL, BELLINGHAM HOUSE, LONDON, DECEMBER 1812
Lady Bitterwood was out of patience with her blessed, dense son and Miss Eliza Wingfield. She had rather hoped that trapping the two of them into marriage would not be necessary, but a mother had to do what a mother had to do.
Soon, people would begin retiring to their homes for Christmas, and she was running out of time to secure a marriage this year, with few pre-Christmas events remaining, and her chance would be gone.
As they stepped down out of their carriage and prepared to enter Bellingham House the Countess gripped her son’s arm and spoke through the clenched teeth of a forced smile.
“Edward, darling?”
“Yes, mother?”
“I need you to be prepared to do your duty this evening.”
Edward stared at his mother, wide-eyed and alarmed.
“What on Earth is that supposed to mean?”
Rather than answering him, Lady Bitterwood swept ahead of him into Bellingham House, apparently a Countess on a mission.
Suddenly worried that, perhaps, his mother had travelled a bridge too far this time, Edward scurried into the house behind her, trying his best not to be too obvious about looking for Catherine, hoping to catch a passing glimpse of her, or even discretely brush her fingers with his own as he passed her in a crowd.
It took several minutes before he spied her, and he had to suppress a groan. Catherine was there, but hovering close by her brothers and mother, for the moment. He’d hoped that she would be near Miss Wingfield, speaking with her so that he would have an excuse to get close to Catherine without his mother being able to complain about his proximity to her.
Edward took great care to watch Catherine carefully, never looking for too long when she was not with Miss Wingfield. He danced with a few young ladies, including Miss Wingfield and her dear friend Lady Matilda Calthorpe, then excused himself from the dance floor in search of something to eat.
He was thoroughly enjoying a snack when his mother appeared at his elbow.
“Edward, dear?”
Edward took his time chewing and swallowing the bite he’d just taken.
“Yes, Mother?”
She narrowed her eyes at him, obviously peeved that he appeared to be in no hurry to jump to her beck and call.
“I need to speak with you in the library, but I need to make a quick stop to speak with Lady Rosebury and Lady Bellingham for just a moment first. Go and wait for me there, and I will be along shortly.”
Edward’s brow furrowed with confusion. What could she possibly want to speak to him about in the library, right in the middle of a Ball? He sighed but forced a smile and nodded.
“Of course, Mother.”
He gave another discreet look around the room as he made his way toward the hall where the library was located. Catherine was finally speaking with Miss Wingfield, and he could not join them because his mother needed to speak with him in the library. What rotten luck.
