Fiona could not continue to stand here, eavesdropping. She either needed to leave and return in a half hour when the squabbling was over or enter and choose a side.
So she chose her side. “Good evening,” she said as she entered. “Lady Charlotte, I could nae help but overhear yer conversation. What a brave and progressive plan.”
Her eyes went straight to Edward as he lounged in one of the armchairs. He’d changed for dinner, the amethyst patterned fabric swapped out for simpler attire—light greys and charcoals that gave his blue eyes the appearance of a winter storm. His gaze zeroed in on her as well, studying her expression and then lightly—so fast she almost wasn’t sure it happened—dropping to her lips, before he shifted in his seat and refocused his attention on his sister.
The hairs on the back of Fi’s arms stood at attention.
Charlotte was grinning as she looked at Fiona, completely oblivious to the undercurrent that swirled around them. Her blue eyes flashed with passion. Judging by the square set of her shoulders and energy in her bearing, her argument with Edward was only just getting started.
“I’m glad you approve,” Charlotte said. She leveled a disapproving look at her brother. “Ned seems to think that it will lead to my deflowering.”
William choked on his drink. A muscle ticked along Edward’s jaw. “I did not say that.”
“It’s what you implied,” Charlotte shot back.
“I’m certain yer brother has more faith in yer good judgment than that,” Fiona said, trying not to laugh.
Edward rested his elbows on his knees, his fingertips drumming against one another.
“If you were proposing financial support only, then Iwould acquiesce. It’s a noble cause and deserves our patronage. But you actually want togo tothese places. In the flesh. You want to spend your days in a, frankly, unwholesome environment, and quite beyond the fact that it’s dangerous and you’d likely be hurt, the gossip mill would have a field day. I will not have the Wildeforde name besmirched when the poor can be assisted in other ways. Char, you need to care about your family as much as you care about these women.”
Charlotte inhaled sharply, her fists firm at her sides. The way her lips thinned and her eyes narrowed, the jutting out of her jaw and militant look on her face—she was the spitting image of Edward, and the dead-calm resonance of her response echoed his.
“I know that you didn’t just suggest that I don’t care for the family name, because given I follow all of your many decreesto the letter, that idea would be preposterous, wouldn’t it?”
The prospect of Edward having to deal with a younger version of himself was frightfully entertaining. From the filthy look he gave Fi, she hadn’t quite managed to suppress her smile the way she’d intended.
“We will discuss this later,” he said, standing and taking a cue stick from the stand on the wall.
Charlotte plastered a false smile on her face and settled on the piano bench, fanning her skirts out around her. She looked the picture of innocence, but Fi couldn’t believe that Char would give up the fight so easily.
“Have you heard from Abingdale since you arrived?” Charlotte asked Fiona with a flutter of her lashes. “I do so much missAmelia’scompany. She is much fun. One would have to beblock-headednot to see it.”
The notable force with which Edward struck his ball suggested his sister’s insult had landed.
Hesitant to get caught in the skirmish, Fiona chose her words with caution. “Amelia is currently about fifteen months pregnant, so I doubt she’s the fun ye remember.”
Fiona did wish her friend could be there, though. This entire situation would be easier with Amelia’s caustic, unvarnished advice to guide her.
“Then you will have to make up for it. I expect no less than two dances from you tomorrow night, Mr. McTavish.”
No. No, no, no, no, no.Tomorrow’s ball was a mechanism for meeting potential investors. That was it. There would be no casual socializing with thetonand certainly no dancing. “I’m afraid I dunnae dance.”
Charlotte shook her head, as though sitting out was not an option. Good God, this family was autocratic. “Pish. It would be rude to go to a ball and not danceat all.”
Fiona would rather be rude than caught out in her lie. “Truly, my lady—”
“Call me Charlotte.” She ducked her head and looked up through her lashes, a move that had surely felled many an objection. It had no impact on Fi at all.
“Truly, Charlotte. I am nae a good dancer. I would be an embarrassment to us both.”
“Well, that’s something that can be rectified. We have time before dinner.” She stood, taking the gloves that lay on the top of the piano and pulling them on. “William, help me push the chairs aside. Ned, you’re on music.”
William shrugged and got to work. Edward simply rolled his eyes, a gesture Fi had seen plenty of times from Ed. This was the first time she’d seen it from the duke.
Fiona’s heart rate quickened as Ed’s sister stood and smoothed her skirts. “Charlotte, I dunnae think this is a good idea. I’ve never been to a ball, and I’ve only been to a handful of assemblies.” Fiona had barely managed to get the steps correct when she danced as herself. There was no possibility of her managing to reverse her lefts and rights without stumbling all over the place.
But Charlotte would not be dissuaded, and the younger Stirling siblings made short work of the furniture, clearing a space for dancing where a set of comfortable armchairs used to sit. Every time Fiona tried to intervene, she was quickly hushed.
