The maid curtsied and hurried off.
Rosalind perched on the edge of the nearest chair awkwardly as if she had not lived there throughout most of her life. Her hands clasped tightly in her lap, and she looked as though she might bolt at any moment. Miss Dowell hesitated before taking the seat opposite her, arranging her skirts with careful precision.
Alexander sat across from them, casually perceiving the ladies as though he were perfectly at ease.
He was not.
His sister’s pallor unsettled him as well as her trembling fingers. His gaze drifted to Miss Dowell, but she unsettled him even more. Just mere minutes ago he had tasted her soft and yielding lips and now they sat apart as though it had not happened.
He forced his thoughts back into order.
“Rosie,” he said gently, “Miss Dowell is a friend.”
Rosalind’s gaze flicked up for a second, then away again.
Alexander’s chest tightened.
Perhaps this is too soon?
He cleared his throat before continuing. “She is not like the others. I can vouch for that.”
Miss Dowell’s brows lifted slightly, but she, thankfully, did not protest or question him. A heavy and fragile silence stretched between them.
After a lengthy beat, Miss Dowell leaned closer towards Rosalind and spoke gently. “Lady Rosalind, I understand that meeting someone new can feel overwhelming. I myself find it rather terrifying when we have guests come calling.”
Rosalind’s eyes lifted, just barely, but she did not turn towards Miss Dowell.
“You do?” she whispered.
“Yes,” Miss Dowell replied. “I prefer quiet rooms and quiet thoughts. People, especially when there are crowds of them, make me feel as though my mind is being tugged in too many directions.”
Alexander had never heard anyone describe mingling with others in Society that way. And judging by Rosalind’s expression, neither had she.
Miss Dowell continued softly, “Do you find that difficult as well?”
Rosalind hesitated. Then, almost imperceptibly, she nodded.
“That is quite normal, trust me.” Miss Dowell smiled at her and Rosalind’s lips twitched slightly but the smile did not reach her eyes.
Alexander exhaled slowly, relief loosening the knot in his chest. Perhaps this had been the right decision after all. Perhaps Miss Dowell would?—
“Do you experience difficulty sleeping?” Miss Dowell asked suddenly.
Alexander stiffened.
Rosalind’s fingers tightened around each other, but she answered softly. “Sometimes.”
“How often do you feel unsettled when it is time to fall asleep?” Miss Dowell pressed, leaning even closer to Rosalind.
“Almost…every night.”
Alexander’s fists clenched at his sides. This was not what he had expected from the meeting, and it angered him that Miss Dowell was starting to look at Rosalind as another experiment of hers.
“Do you wake frequently throughout the night?”
Rosalind looked at him then dropped her gaze to her fidgeting hands. “Yes, I do.”
Miss Dowell nodded as if she expected that answer. “And do you feel restless when you do fall asleep?”
