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“I did say I would,” Isabella replied quietly as she returned Tiffany’s cheek kisses, then stepped back to look Sebastian’s younger sister over. “Well, now. I must say, being a duchess suits you.”

“She makes a splendid one,” Gregory said, stepping forward to bow over Isabella’s hand and then embrace her. His voice lowered to the point that Sebastian could barely hear him. “As you would have.”

Isabella sniffled but did not remonstrate him, squeezing him tightly.

“Thank you,” she said as he let her go. “Sometimes I feel as though everyone has forgotten Sinclair and what was supposed to be. There are times when I wonder if I imagined it all.”

“Absolutely not.” Sebastian stepped into the breach to greet her. Whatever else he might have said was lost as the sound of footsteps came pounding down the stairs behind him.

“Isabella! You came!” Lady Astrid, as he’d never seen her before, was coming pell-mell down the stairs. The look of relief and delight on her expression as she rushed to greet Isabella made him wonder what she knew that he did not. The easy smile that lit up Isabella’s face relieved him of some of his own worry about her.

She was grieving, yes, but she was healing, and she was happy to see Tiffany, who she only knew a little, and very happy to see Lady Astrid. The two of them had been thick as thieves when Isabella had been planning her wedding to Sinclair. Lady Astrid had been betrothed to Drake since birth, so she and Isabella had been planning to be future duchesses together, even though Lady Astrid’s wedding was nowhere near imminent at the time.

Even now, Drake was dragging his feet, though he swore he’d wed her this year.

Lady Astrid had abandoned all semblance of ladylike behavior and threw herself at Tiffany and Lady Isabella. It was a good thing Tiffany was there to brace them both, because Lady Isabella was far more delicate than she had been in the past. Still, she actually laughed as the three of them rocked, swaying in place, and both Sebastian and Gregory jumped forward to help keep them upright.

“I am so glad you came,” Lady Astrid said as they all began to disentangle themselves. “Your parents did not?”

“I needed to get away from them for a bit. Laura is here as my chaperone,” Lady Isabella said, gesturing at her maid, who was a good deal older than the usual ladies’ maid. “And since Gregory has a new duchess overseeing things, that seemed enough, especially as we assumed the dowager would be present.”

“She is, and she will be thrilled to see you,” Gregory assured her. “She will happily serve as your chaperone as well, should you need it.” He frowned, his gaze unfocusing, obviously thinking through Lady Isabella’s unusual social position.

While she could not be said to be firmly on the shelf, she was no longer a debutante. Having been affianced, there was a certain degree of leniency that she and Sinclair would have enjoyed when it came to keeping each other company. She was in a unique in-between position—not a spinster and yet not a widow, but something in the middle of that.

Not that many would dare comment, not only because of her unique tragedy but because she had the support of several powerful personages.

“There is the rub. Do I need it? No one seems to know.” Lady Isabella laughed, but true mirth was mostly absent from the sound.

“We shall figure it out,” Lady Astrid said firmly. “Tiffany and I are thrilled you came.”

“We truly are.”

“It did seem the perfect opportunity to be able to see you without having the entirety of the ton breathing down my neck. I know my parents hope that I will return in much improved spirits and perhaps finally be ready to take off my widow’s weeds.” Lady Isabella held out her arms, as if to display the black cambric she was wearing. Perhaps its dark hue was why she looked so wan. She sighed. “I know I must eventually, but…”

“Whenever you are ready,” Lady Astrid said firmly. “There should be no rushing such things.”

“Is Zachary here?” Lady Isabella asked.

“He is,” Tiffany confirmed, with Sebastian and Gregory both nodding in unison. “He will also be delighted to see you.”

“I am looking forward to meeting him and his fiancée.” Lady Isabella shook her head, lowering her voice. “Though I must admit, I always assumed he’d marry Delilah.”

“So thought we all,” Lady Astrid muttered, her green eyes flashing with her displeasure at Zachary. Sebastian was just happy not to be on the receiving end of such a look. “Come, I’ll see you to your room and update you along the way.”

Glancing up at the balcony, Sebastian saw Miss Hu watching Astrid and Lady Isabella walk toward the stairs, arm in arm. There was a rather wistful expression on her face, at least he thought so, though it disappeared the moment she realized she was being watched and turned her gaze to him. For a moment, he felt like there was a real connection there, like a line extending through the air between them.

The sound of another guest arriving made him face forward again. Tiffany could not go off with her friends, and he could not go to speak with Miss Hu. Not even if he had not had the duty of greeting Tiffany’s guests with her and Gregory. Sebastian could hear whinnying outside as the new arrival disembarked from their carriage, and he rapidly went through the guest list in his head.

Either Drake had finally arrived, or this would be the Earl of Stanwick and his family, including his daughter Lady Darcy Alexander, the last of his potential brides to arrive. Since Sebastian assumed that Drake would arrive much like he had, on horse, and it sounded like there were a great deal of horses and voices outside, he guessed it would be Stanwick.

The supposition was partially correct—Drake’s carriage with his bags had arrived before Drake, his valet along with them, apologizing and informing Tiffany that his master would be along at some point this evening. Sebastian was glad that Lady Astrid was not in the foyer to hear that her betrothed was late, again. To say she held a disdain for her future husband was putting it mildly, and his being tardy again was not going to help.

Along with Drake’s things, Stanwick and his family had arrived as well, just behind Drake’s carriage. They waited with perfect aplomb, and Sebastian had plenty of time to study Lady Darcy as the family greeted Gregory and Tiffany before she performed the introduction.

Like the other prospective brides he’d met so far today, Lady Darcy was beautiful. She had light blonde hair, though not quite as fair as the Duchess of St. Albans’ unusually white-blonde shade, and bright green eyes that were more muted than Lady Astrid’s but which suited her looks perfectly. She was dressed to bring them out, wearing a mint-green day dress, cream gloves, and a matching mint-and-cream bonnet.

“Your Grace,” she said, with a dazzling smile when she was introduced, and dropped into a curtsy.