Doctor Florian addressed Juliette. “It is good to see you looking well again, my lady.”
“When I told my brother that I expected to find you here this evening, he insisted on seeing you for himself,” Mr. Lowell said with a grin.
Amelia’s gaze shifted to Florian.Brother?She hadn’t realized the connection and never would have without Lowell mentioning it. The two men looked nothing alike. Lowell’s hair was dark, while Florian’s was a rich shade of copper. Lowell’s face was more angular than Florian’s and yet in spite of that, it was Florian who looked most severe. “But...” She could not contain her dismay. “You are brothers?”
Florian finally allowed the faintest hint of amusement to show as the edge of his mouth twitched ever so slightly. “I chose to be addressed as Florian when I became a doctor in order to distinguish myself from Lowell. It is my middle name.”
“And a fine one at that,” Lowell said with a wide smile. Sobering slightly, he added, “He is very thorough when it comes to his patients. Takes quite an interest in them even after they are fully recovered, which is why he was so eager to see you again, Lady Juliette.”
“I have always felt that tending to the sickly and helping them fight their ailments creates a bond of sorts.” Florian’s expression grew increasingly serious as he spoke. No hint of a smile played about his lips anymore, and his eyes held nothing but deep contemplation now. “I often see people at their worst—I help when no one else knows what to do—and they place their faith in me with the hope that I will do whatever is in my power to find a cure. It is a great responsibility, but it is also the most rewarding work I have ever done.”
“You make it sound like a vocation,” Juliette said with interest.
He gave a curt nod. “Indeed, that is how I consider it.”
“Which is admirable,” Mr. Lowell said. “I do not think many of us manage to find such purpose in our lives, though it does appear as though you have done so too, Lady Amelia. Your efforts to make a school for the poor are absolutely remarkable.”
She couldn’t help but blush a little when all three gentlemen nodded their agreement. “You have said so several times already.”
“One cannot say it enough,” he insisted.
“He is right,” Mr. Burton said. “We have discussed the matter at length and have concluded that no other young lady would have thought to dive into such an endeavor. A dowager might, though she would undoubtedly have been dissuaded by the fire. That you intend to persevere speaks highly of your vision and your insistence on seeing this through.”
“I could not agree more,” Doctor Florian said. “You are the sort of person who stands to change the world. I expect you will achieve great things and that this school is only the beginning.”
“Which makes one envy the gentleman who will one day accompany her on this journey,” Mr. Lowell said with a wink that made Amelia chuckle. “It is unfortunate she cannot marry all three of us.”
“What a scandalous thought,” Juliette said with a grin.
Doctor Florian nudged his brother. “Have a care, Lowell. Can you not see you have shocked them?”
“Then allow me to redeem myself on the dance floor,” Mr. Lowell said. “I trust we can find a minuet or a reel to engage in?”
“Of course.” Amelia handed him her dance card while Juliette gave hers to Doctor Florian.
“Not a minuet or a reel, I see,” Mr. Burton said when it was his turn to pick a dance. He glanced at Mr. Lowell, whose eyes now twinkled with mischievous delight. “You scoundrel.” He wrote his name and then returned the cards to Amelia and Juliette.
Amelia lowered her gaze to study hers and then quickly looked up again. “You have chosen the waltz?” She stared at Mr. Lowell, who offered a boyish shrug by way of explanation.
“Nobody else has done so yet, so why not?”
Why not indeed? When she’d arrived at the ball an hour earlier and met Coventry, he’d quickly excused himself without claiming a dance. She hadn’t seen him since, though she supposed his absence did give her the opportunity to try the waltz with someone else. And since she would probably end up marrying either Mr. Lowell or Mr. Burton instead, it might be wise of her to allow them the honor instead of giving it to Coventry.
Pushing the duke from her mind, she consequently resolved to enjoy the evening with her sister and the three gentlemen who were more than happy to give them their full attention. In fact, they were very polite and attentive, bringing refreshments, inquiring about their interests and escorting them out to the terrace whenever the heat in the ballroom became too insufferable.
“My lady,” Mr. Lowell finally announced. “It is time for our dance.”
Already exhausted from her reel with Doctor Florian, the minuet with Mr. Burton and a cotillion she’d danced with a baron, Amelia did her best to look as enthusiastic about the prospect of torturing her feet some more.
“You are delightful,” he said when he finally held her in his arms and guided her across the floor. His steps were precise, though not nearly as smooth as Coventry’s.
“Thank you. You are very kind to say so.”
A sparkle turned his eyes a dazzling shade of aquamarine. He gripped her hand a little bit tighter while adding more pressure to the spot where his palm met her back. “I only speak the truth, Lady Amelia, and the truth is that you are the most remarkable woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
“Are you always this charming?”
He flashed her a grin. “Not at all. I’m making a particular effort for you.”
