“You mean…?”
Charlene winked, pleased with herself.
“A baby.”
Ashley with child. Joy startled through her—bright, a little blinding—and then the breath caught as the room went on cheering. Of course Thomas would know first. He should. Still, the old hedge-maze vows pricked—flowers in their hair, promises made side by side.
Maddie kept applauding. I am happy for you, she told her friend in silence, even as something tender ached open inside. Please let there be a turn for me as well.
One more misstep and the marriage proposals would vanish. As her mother warned. Replaced by an arranged match. To someone horrid, that was certain.
And now this.
A baby. Conceived before a wedding.
If her mother learned of it… she’d claimed Maddie to be ruined by association.
Love, choice,hopewould be off the table. Permanently.
She darted a glance toward the duke. She had hoped to be seated beside him to perhaps better understand the man beneath the title but secretly dreaded speaking to him again. This evening could have been an opportunity. Instead, she was seated beside the unfortunate gentleman with the handkerchief.
He wasn’t sneezing now. That helped. A little.
But that wasn’t the point. Besides, who was he to call it if he’d been the slimy offender?
The point was, her dearest friend had just announced a rushed wedding—in public, sort of—for reasons unknown.
“Miss Madeleine?” Lord Cambridge’s voice rasped through the haze. “Are you quite well?”
She turned slowly. “Did you know aboutthis? You’re like a brother to Thomas.”
He looked at her, puzzled. “Only found out earlier. Why?”
“Why?” Maddie whispered. “They’ve announced their engagement, and this was meant to be an engagement celebration but it’s being turned into a wedding!” Her eyes darted to Ashley—still poised, still smiling. “They’re mad. Both of them!”
Her friend could at least have warned her! Well, Ashley knew about her mother, so perhaps she had tried to spare them. Or perhaps, it was a last-minute decision. She could hardly sit there and judge, she supposed.
The marquess, wisely, said nothing.
She slid her chair a fraction away from his. He noticed and arched a brow. The man seemed to notice everything.
“You might sneeze on me again,” Maddie muttered.
“It was an accident,” he muttered back. “I don’t go about assaulting ladies with illness.”
“You’ll forgive me if I remain wary.”
“Ihaveapologized, Miss Madeleine. Will you not accept?”
“We shall see.”How vexing!
She turned from him, trying not to let her trembling fingers show. She had come here hoping to follow in her friends’ footsteps—to hopefully find love. Plus, she didn’t want to give her mother any more reason to rule over all her decisions. And now she might be in a scandal that wasn’t even hers. If someone like Paisley were to find out about the baby before Ashley’s wedding… oh, she couldn’t even think it.
“If I may ask, why do you keep looking at Paisley?”
Her head snapped toward him. “I am not.”
“You did. Twice.”
