“This time?” He glanced up and down the street, struggling to meet Jacinda’s accusatory gaze.
“Years, Algenon. You have had years. Do not think any of us sisters are blind. Whatever is holding you back, it doesn’t matter. Javenia would love you if you dressed in rags and didn’t have two farthings to rub together.”
Like an ember that had banked for the night waiting for fuel, his heart caught hold of Jacinda’s declaration and flared to life, burning with a brightness that lit his whole countenance.
Jacinda’s confidence was contagious. Hopefully, Javenia’s love extended past the secret he’d kept from her, past his father’s interference, past whatever scandal his refusal to marry Miss Weston would cause. Because he wanted her more than anything he’d wanted in his entire life, and he intended to fight.
Javenia slipped a hand through the slit in her skirt where her pocket hid. Two folded pieces of paper rested there, the larger one containing her list of ways to win Algenon’s heart.
She carefully slipped out the smaller one. The corner of it caught on the pearl organza overlay of her high waisted dress and her heart thudded in her chest until she pulled it free. She glanced around to see if anyone had noticed.
Lady Plum tipped her ear to Mrs. Cline. Mr. Fairchild smiled at Lord Hamdon. Lord Rupert ogled Phillipa and Cindy from across the room as they bent together and spoke quietly.
Javenia’s stomach roiled. If she wasn’t so consumed with her own errand, she’d alert her parents straight away about Lord Rupert’s attention. As it was, she had very little time to carry out her plan.
No one of importance paid her attention, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t witnessed her removing the paper. With only a matter of minutes until supper was announced, hopefully, no one would get in the way. She needed to make certain Algenon had plenty of time to read her message before the time she’d appointed for them to meet.
Rolling her shoulders back and fixing her gaze on Livy at the other end of the room, she glided forward, hand down,note tucked in her palm. Anyone watching would think she was crossing to speak to her friend.
Livy must have sensed her intention because she glanced her direction the moment she moved. Algenon also must have noticed even though Miss Weston and another young woman were speaking to him. He followed her motions, his eyes flicking in her direction once or twice, emotions hooded, but definitely curious.
When she adjusted her trajectory to bump into him, he didn’t step out of the way and accepted the impact.
“Are you all right, Miss Harris?” he asked, reaching out to steady her.
She took the opportunity to grasp his hand. “Oh yes, I am so sorry.” A slight widening of his eyes was all the indication she needed to know he’d felt the paper. “Someone moved and I was trying to avoid a collision. Instead, I seemed to cause one.”
“Accidents are bound to happen in a crush like this one.”
Anyone who knew either of them would notice their play acting. Never were they this civil. Anywhere else, and at any other time, Algenon would have chided her for her clumsiness, or she’d have accused him of purposely getting in the way. If the company was only friends or siblings, they might even resort to a few good-natured shoves. Javenia hoped, however, that the rest of Society would fall for this little performance and be none the wiser.
She gazed into Algenon’s hazel eyes for one more second before freeing herself. “Good evening, Mr. Roberts.”
He nodded. “Likewise.”
Putting her limbs back in motion, she crossed the rest of the room, only Livy no longer stood where she’d been. In her place were Lady Plum and Mrs. Cline, both whispering behind raised fans.
Javenia stopped, but it wasn’t soon enough. The two curious matrons noticed her.
“Miss Harris,” Mrs. Cline said, her round cheeks accentuated by her eager smile. “How lovely to see you this evening. We’d not thought you’d be out in company, what with everything that has happened.”
Lady Plum nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”
Javenia clasped her hands in front of her, hoping they’d provide a shield as she tried to decipher exactly what the older women meant.
“Please forgive me, but to what are you referring?”
Lady Plum waved her fan in Algenon’s direction. “Why, Mr. Roberts’s ill treatment of you, of course. How could he conjure such an expectation these last few years only to deny his pursuit of you, and in such a public setting, too?”
Javenia stilled, trying not to look in Algenon’s direction. He’d denied their connection? Had publicly decried any pursuit? If Society had seen their closeness and had formed an expectation, that was as good as a broken engagement. She should know. It had taken years after Lord Penwick’s reckless courting to regain any favor in Society.
While logically she understood it was both their faults for being so familiar in public, hurt and betrayal still filled her chest. He’d had the chance to use social expectation to break with his father’s demands and instead he’d left her to fend for herself.
A plump hand patted her arm. “There, there, Miss Harris,” Mrs. Cline said. “I am sure things will come right eventually, but you might feel better if you did not take part in this season.”
Javenia jerked her arm away, Mrs. Cline’s words both stinging and making sense. “Please excuse me.”
She backed away from the two older ladies, trying hard to mask her emotions. Anger warred with hurt, which left her heart feeling battered and bruised. Her parents were still deepin conversation with an older man and his tall, dark-haired daughter, her sister happily flirting with Mr. Fairchild nearby. She couldn’t disrupt their evening.
