His sister’s eyes drifted back to the fire. “I am actually quite tired, Alex. I think I will go to bed now. It is late.” She sighed as she tried to sit up.
Alexander applied pressure to his hands on her knees. “Wait. We need to talk… again.”
Rosalind sat back and rested her head against the side of the chair.
“What now?” she asked groggily.
Alexander pursed his lips as he stood and paced in front of her. He could never stand still when he spoke to her about her behavior.
“You need to eat. You need to take care of yourself. You need to get out and meet people. We have been here for a while now and you rarely leave this house.” He stopped and looked at her. “You would have loved the party tonight. All the different costumes and dancing, it was exactly the sort of thing you would have loved to do before.”
A small smile cracked her lips.
“Before,” she whispered.
Alexander’s fingers itched to reach out for her. It seemed like every time he saw or spoke with his sister he was reminded of his greatest failure.
He dropped his head. “Yes, before.” His words were soft, devoid of emotion. He wished he had not left the boxing ring. He still had much more fight left in him, broken ribs or not.
He released her hands and wiped his own on his trousers. “Well, your debut Season has begun, so we will need to get you up and moving. Why don’t you and your lady’s maid make a trip to the modiste tomorrow so you may order a few new dresses?”
Rosalind sighed. “I know that it is my debut, but…” Her voice trailed away as she dropped her eyes to her fingers which were playing with a string from the blanket. “Could I not wait another year?”
Alexander’s heart sank. “Rosalind. This will be good for you, I promise. I was told that you are at a very delicate age and you should be out amongst your peers.”
“Who told you that?” she asked.
“Spencer.”
Rosalind snorted. “Yes, he should know what he is talking about.”
Alexander looked at his sister and saw something resembling a smile though it did not reach her eyes. Yet it reminded him of their relationship before the accident. One where she looked up to him as if he hung the moon. They got on well back then whenshe was young and innocent, and he enjoyed spending time with her as the elder brother she looked up to.
He blamed himself for her growing up to be a frail, echo of a young woman in front of him.
“I know. I was surprised at his insight as well. But he is right. I think you need to be around young women your age. Buy ribbons, drink tea, or gossip.”
Rosalind raised a slender brow in his direction. “Your knowledge about women and our interests is lacking.”
Alexander chuckled. “Well, to be fair my interest in women lay elsewhere.”
Rosalind scrunched her nose. “I do not wish to know what you mean.”
“Nor do I wish to tell you.” He returned to his kneeling position in front of her, carefully adjusting his weight not to aggravate his ribs. “Enough is enough, Rosie. I am your brother and I think I have given you adequate time to acclimate to the changes we needed to make. If you are not going to leave this house to seek friendship, I shall bring friends to you.”
Rosalind sat straighter in her chair. “You jest.”
He shook his head. “I do not. I will bring young women to you, and you will talk to them. It will be good for you.”
Rosalind pushed the blankets off her lap causing Alexander to stumble backwards. He righted himself before he fell completely but not without his rib stabbing him with pain.
“What are you doing?” He shouted with stars dancing in front of him from the pain.
“You expect me to entertain strange women in this house in my current state? Are you mad?” She said with disdain.
Alexander stood up, grabbing at his side. “Yes, I am mad. Furious even. I have had enough of this behavior, Rosie.”
Rosalind moved her head slowly side to side. “I will not meet them.” A single tear fell from her eye.
