“Well, that’s good then,” she said, struggling to find anything else suitable to say. They had been friends and now no longer were. In fact, they were strangers. The thought saddened her.
She looked for her uncle and found him making his way toward her and Theo.
“Good evening, Lord Montgomery.” Uncle Robert bowed.
“Good evening,” Theo said. “I am taking your niece to introduce her to society.”
“And does she wish to be introduced?” Her uncle looked at her.
“Yes, I am quite happy. Thank you, I shall return to you shortly.”
“I shall follow. I just need to speak with Mr. Christopher,” her uncle said. “Take good care of her, my lord.”
“But of course,” Theo said, adding a silly titter.
She’d known he’d changed. You didn’t go through what he had and not. But she’d not expected him to become the man he had.
Iris let Theo lead her through the guests, stopping to introduce her as his dear childhood friend. He made silly faces and laughed loudly.
What happened to him?
“Theo—”
“I am Lord Plunge,” he said.
“Why are you called that silly name?” Surely her uncle had not been right about the reason.
He looked at her; his dark eyes no longer held the empty expression they had seconds ago. In fact, for a moment, his entire face changed, and she wasn’t sure what she saw there. Then he blinked, and his expression was silly again.
“Why, because I constantlyplungeinto water,” he said.
“You never used to be clumsy.”
“We all change over time.” His words had a snap to them.
“I will call you Lord Montgomery or Theo.”
“We are no longer familiar with each other. I insist you call me Lord Plunge.”
“I don’t think so.” He made a small disapproving noise.
Iris had seen the expressions on the faces of people who saw Theo coming. All had a resigned or annoyed look. Clearly, he was not liked by many. That saddened her more because the boy he’d been was loved by everyone who met him. Even at a young age, he’d been charismatic, like his parents.
They had nothing in common now, and there was discomfort between them, when once they had finished each other’s sentences and been like brother and sister.
He stopped before a group of people, and Theo introduced her to everyone. She noted one of the couples was Lord and Lady Raine, who had clearly slipped away from their receiving line.
“Plunge.” The earl scowled.
“Good evening, Devilles,” Theo shouted. “This is dear Lady Challoner, an old childhood friend. She is entering society for the first time.”
“Well now, you have my sympathies that Plunge was your old friend,” the other man introduced as Zachariel Deville said. “One can only imagine the clothing he wore as a boy.”
“He was quite normal actually,” Iris felt compelled to say, which produced snorts of disbelief in those closest.
“Plunge normal? I’m not sure he knows the meaning of the word.”
Theo moved slightly, and then Zachariel Deville was grunting.
