“Do you still deny that you put your father up to this?” Christine nudged Isabella slightly, her tone teasing.
“This part was planned; it was Papa who decided to allow everyone to tag along. I hadn’t the slightest notion that everyone would be joining.” Isabella’s response was seized from her lips the moment Beatrice reached them.
She enveloped Isabella in a warm embrace, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Isabella returned the gesture with equal affection, her heart easing in her chest as Leo stepped forward with the child.
“Good morning, family,” Leo greeted warmly before offering a gentle nod while their little one reached out with gloved hands, babbling.
Isabella brushed a soft kiss to the child’s forehead, and the child cooed, followed by a giggle that drew Ellie’s attention.
“I would like to see Edward, too,” Ellie cried to Leo, tugging the fabric of his coat.
“I’m afraid you are still too little to have him in your arms, Ellie. However,” Isabella was saying, but she was cut off by her father stepping forward with his arms stretched toward Leo.
“Then I shall ensure neither Ellie nor Edward comes to any harm.”
The family quieted a fraction, watching the two in their exchange. Edwin had accepted Leo as his son-in-law; however, the two had never interacted for longer than was necessary and always avoided each other in informal settings such as this one.
“Of course, Father,” Leo beamed, handing Edward over.
“Can I see Eddy now, Papa?” Ellie turned to her father, and just like that, the tension cleared.
It was a lively reunion, the sort that naturally drew smiles from passersby. But even amidst the happiness, Beatrice’s sharp, knowing, and endlessly perceptive eyes did not stop watching Isabella.
After a moment, she slid her arm through Isabella’s and announced, “If you would excuse us, Bella and I should like alittle stroll alone. It has been far too long since we shared our thoughts in private.”
Both families nodded easily, accustomed to the twins’ need to be by themselves. Their father waved them off with a smile, and Beatrice led Isabella away and down a quieter pathway lined with bare trees.
Hyde Park was covered in a thick blanket of ice, making the brown leaves crunch beneath their boots as they strolled in the direction of the icy lake. Their breaths were visible as they walked, adding to the chill that had kept most of the families at bay this time of year. It was no surprise that Christine had been curious as to why they had all been taken on a walk.
A small part of Isabella wondered if her father was not growing curious over her continued outings to Everthorne House.
Once they were out of earshot, Beatrice wasted no time.
“Well?” she asked directly. “What happened at the club yesterday? I know something did. You look odd, Bella.”
Isabella exhaled slowly. The knot in her stomach tightened. Of course, she could not hide a thing from her twin, so she steadied her breath, preparing herself to speak.
“We had… an incident,” she began cautiously. “Lady Kendrick arranged for a group of performers, shirtless performers, to surprise the ladies.” She lowered her voice before glancing overher shoulder to ensure that the family was indeed far enough behind them.
Beatrice’s brows shot up so high, they nearly disappeared beneath her bonnet.
“Shirtless?” She gasped in shock, gripping Isabella’s arm a little tighter.
“Yes,” Isabella answered stiffly.
“Performers?” Beatrice uttered single words, her face betraying the shock and confusion in her thoughts.
“Yes,” Isabella ran her tongue over her lips, trying her best to keep her gaze fixed on the empty lake before them.
“In Everthorne’s ballroom?” Beatrice asked in disbelief, shaking her head slightly as she frowned.
Isabella let out a defeated sigh. “Yes. You can ask as many times and in as many ways as you wish, Bea, but the answers will remain the same. There were shirtless performers in the ballroom at Everthorne House.”
“Oh, dear heavens.” Beatrice pressed her hand dramatically to her chest. “I do see why London has erupted. I did not wish to mention the gossip first, but since you have confirmed it…”
“That is not even the worst of it,” Isabella murmured, not even caring that half of London was already buzzing with the news.
That part of it had been inevitable, but what had happened after the fact…
