“Why didn’t you settle matters once you returned to the ball?” Nora pressed.
“Because all the guests decided directly after we returned that it would be in their best interests to leave while they still could. However, since most of the carriages had already become buried in snow, I, along with a good many other gentlemen, were pressed into service to help get those carriages unburied.”
He held up his hand when Nora opened her mouth again. “And before you inquire as to why I didn’t settle matters with Wilhelmina after I finished my task, allow me to tell you that she’d accepted a ride home with Miss Griswold, a practical young lady who’d had the foresight to arrive at the ball in a sleigh.”
Nora leaned forward. “Wilhelmina departing in such a cloak-and-dagger fashion seems to me to be a most ominous sign.”
“There was nothing cloak and dagger about it, Mother. In fact, I was the one who encouraged her to accept Miss Griswold’s offer, knowing there was little chance my carriage would be up for the task of getting Wilhelmina all the way to Gramercy Park—the area of the city where she and her family are now living.”
He took a sip of his tea and regarded his mother over the rim of the cup. “I considered making my way to Wilhelmina’s home after I finished seeing everyone safely off in their carriages, but by the time I got into my own carriage, the roads were almost impassable.”
Nora narrowed her eyes on him. “While I must admit that does make a great deal of sense, I would have thought you’d have gone out bright and early this morning to get matters firmed up between the two of you once and for all.”
“I had to meet with Asher this morning.”
“Whatever for?”
“He has a useful contact in the shipping industry, a gentleman we then sought out down on 28th Street, although that seeking took far longer than I expected, given the abysmal state of the streets today.”
Nora arched a brow. “Don’t you believe your time would have been better spent seeking out an audience with Wilhelmina instead of visiting some shipping gentleman on 28th Street?”
“That visit is directly tied to my current situation with Wilhelmina, Mother. Although, I can’t say much more on the subject just yet, since I don’t know what the outcome will be from meeting with Mr. Harrison Sinclair, Asher’s friend in the shipping industry.”
With eyes that now held a distinct trace of annoyance, Nora let out a huff. “That is a less-than-sufficient explanation, as I’m sure you’re well aware. But I’m afraid you don’t have the luxury of time to finalize affairs with Wilhelmina, especially given the rumors that are already swirling around the city about the two of you. Such rumors will not aid Wilhelmina’s reputation if they’re not put to rest quickly.”
“What rumors?” Edgar asked slowly.
“Ones that center on the idea that you and Wilhelmina were discovered alone together in Mrs. Travers’ conservatory.” Nora caught Edgar’s eye. “The only reason the poor girl’s reputation isn’t in complete tatters is because rumors are also flying about that the two of you are the most romantic couple of the season—childhood sweethearts who were kept apart in your youth but who have finally been reunited.”
Edgar set aside his teacup. “How, pray tell, is it even possible that rumors are swirling around the city? As I mentioned before, everyone left the ball before Mrs. Travers would have had an opportunity to do more than bid everyone a good evening. Add in the notion that the conditions outside on the streets today are less than ideal, and I would have thought that any and all rumors would have been put on hold for the foreseeable future.”
Nora’s forehead took to furrowing. “Surely you haven’t been away from society so long that you’ve forgotten that there is little, even a blizzard, that can stop a good story from making the rounds.” She reached over the side of her chair and snatched up a newspaper, which she immediately took to snapping open.
“Surely you’re not about to tell me that Wilhelmina and I made the newspapers, are you?” Edgar asked rather weakly as Nora began thumbing through the pages.
Nora nodded. “I’m afraid you did, dear—and not a mere mention, mind you, but almost an entire column dedicated to you and Wilhelmina, a column that was penned by the illustrious and oh-so-mysterious Miss Quill.”
“Miss ... Quill?”
“She’s the darling of the society columns these days, writing about the current fashions that are being worn to all the balls and operas. She’s even been known to include descriptions of the interiors of the houses owned by society members, a circumstance that has had society in an uproar ever since her first column appeared two years ago.”
Nora peered at him over the top of the newspaper. “Our family has endeavored to keep our business out of the public eye, but you and Wilhelmina somehow attracted Miss Quill’s notice.”
“How is that possible? As I said, few people even knew that Wilhelmina and I had stepped away from the crowds in order to have a private conversation.”
“Far be it from me to point out the foolishness of the two of you choosing a secluded conservatory to have that conversation in, dear, but ... you did choose it, you were discovered, and Miss Quill—bless her far too observant heart—found out about it.”
Edgar sat forward. “You mentioned something about Wilhelmina and me being touted as the romance story of the season, but how in the world did that come about? Believe me, there was nothing romantic at all regarding the manner in which I announced to Mrs. Travers that there was soon to be a wedding.”
“I would hope there wassomethingromantic about your announcement.”
“I’m afraid not.”
Edgar wasn’t certain, but it seemed as if his mother actually took to exchanging a rolling of the eyes with Mr. Hodges this time.
“I can only thank the good Lord above,” she began after she turned back to him and Mr. Hodges assumed his usual stoic demeanor, “that your father and brother are away on business at the moment, because, well, I’m sure they’d have quite a bit to say regarding your current circumstance.”
She released the tiniest of sighs. “Honestly, Edgar, one would have thought, considering you failed so spectacularly to win Wilhelmina’s hand the first time you proposed to her, that you would have tried a little more diligently to pull off a romantic moment the second time around.”
