“Whatever is wrong?” she asked, wishing her gown’s skirts weren’t so wide. She had to lean over in order to keep their conversation private.
“Lady Rose. You saw her today?”
Adeline nodded. “She came to the museum. I sent her a note last night letting her know I would be there.”
“How long was she there?” he asked, obviously disturbed by the news.
“Not long,” she said with a shrug. “Spent some time with us in Townley Hall and then took her leave. What’s wrong?”
For a moment, David didn’t look as if he would give her an answer, but he finally sighed. “Hopefully nothing,” he said. “She... did not greet me as I hoped upon her arrival this evening.”
Adeline furrowed her brows. “What did you expect, exactly? You’ve been gone for three years—”
“Three years, two months and ten days,” he said on a huff.
Remembering Rose’s comment at the museum earlier that afternoon, Adeline narrowed her eyes. “That’s rather specific,” she murmured. “And exactly what Rose said to me.”
David gave a start. “To me as well,” he admitted. “So, sheisshe angry with me?”
Adeline blinked, slowly realizing why David seemed so upset. Of all the eligible young ladies, she hadn’t thoughthewould be interested in Rose Burroughs. Although he had known her since they were young children, she was a duke’s daughter. He was a viscount’s son. He would never be more than a viscount. “Did you... did you make some sort of promise to her before you left on your Grand Tour?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Of course not.”
“Did you write to her?”
Angling his head to one side as he gave her a quelling glance, David didn’t respond.
“It was just a question,” she said as she scoffed. After a moment, she added, “If she is angry with you, she has not put voice to it. At least not to me.”
“So what prompted her to say what she did about how long I was gone?”
Adeline stared at him for a time before a slow grin appeared. “Apparently, our dear Lady Rose missed you,” she murmured.
“I have the duke’s permission to dance the second waltz with her.”
Inhaling softly, Adeline remembered Ertugrul had written his signature twice on her own dance card, but she hadn’t examined the card to determine which dances he had claimed. She lifted her wrist and regarded the card with a chuckle. “It seems I will be waltzing with Ertugrul at the same time.” Well, he had said he wished to dance the supper dance with her.
“The duke informed me the gardens were not to be missed,” David remarked as he arched a dark brow.
“Oh, I hear the early spring blooms are…” Adeline stopped speaking, her eyes rounding as a grin once again split her face. “Oh, David. He’s given you permission to…” She stopped again, wondering if Ertugrul expected to tour the gardens with her.
“To what, do you think?”
“Well… kiss her, of course. Ask her to go riding in the park with you. Ask if you might escort her in Rotten Row. Ask her to… to marry you,” she added on a whisper.
“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he said.
“Why ever not? Isn’t that what you want?Her?” Adeline challenged.
David inhaled to answer but dipped his head. “I don’t yet know for sure,” he replied.
“How can you not know?” she challenged. “You either love her or you don’t.”
“I’ve been gone three years, two months and ten days,” he reminded her. “And she isnotpleased with me.”
Adeline’s fists went to her hips. “So… make her pleased with you,” she argued. “Take her to the gardens, kiss her senseless, and…” She clamped her mouth shut, shocked at what she was telling her brother to do to her best friend. “Make her my sister,” she whispered.
She lifted her eyes to meet her brother’s and was surprised at what she saw in them.
Humor.
Well, and a bit of fear.
