Chapter Two

Fitzwilliam collapsed onto the sofa beside his sister, stretching out his long legs and taking a sip of brandy and heaving a great sigh.

Madeline giggled at his theatrics.

“It’s a ball, not the gallows, Fitz,” she reminded him with a grin and he sighed again.

“It’s just the whole attitude of the Marriage Mart,” he complained. “For the last two weeks, I feel as though I’ve been on display like a side of meat in a butcher shop, rather than just dancing with a pretty girl or two. Every dance is fraught with hidden meaning…” his voice raised to imitate a squawking female, “Ooh, he’s dancing with me! Perhaps he loves me! Perhaps he’ll propose marriage right after this gavotte!” He sighed again. “It’s exhausting, Maddy.”

Madeline grinned at her older brother. Though six years separated them, they had grown immeasurably close in the last two years, following the death of their excellent father. Their mother had died many years before, leaving the three of them to manage without the strong guiding hand of a woman.

Their mother’s last wishes were for Fitz to marry a lovely, elegant, capable girl, and for Maddy to marry high above her station.

Obviously, neither wish was granted.

“Exhausting for you?” Maddy teased. “Try being pumped for information about the ‘handsome Stafford boy’ all the time, and being ignored at all the dances by any man less than about fifty years old. Your prospects are certainly better than mine.” With his dashing good looks, eligibility, and title, Fitz was a catch indeed for many of the ladies attending the Season.

Fitz reached a hand across and squeezed his little sister’s hand affectionately. He felt a constant sense of failure that he hadn’t married her off well, and was still determined to give her the life she deserved – someone as kind, sweet, smart and lovely as Maddy deserved a fine husband.

Anyone watching the two of them would doubt they were even related: Maddy was blonde and blue eyed, her porcelain skin setting off her delicate features. Fitzwilliam, on the other hand, had a tumble of dark hair framing his brown eyes, and his shoulders were wide, setting off his height, whereas Maddy looked like a pixie compared to him, tiny in stature and size. And yet, there was something of both their parents in them, despite their contrasts.

And no one could doubt the sibling affection between them.

“Don’t say that, Maddy,” Fitz said somberly. “I…”

She raised a hand to stop him. “Think nothing of it. Let’s just go to the ball, and enjoy ourselves, yes?”

Fitz sighed again, making Maddy laugh. “If you insist.”

“And besides,” she said with a teasing tone, “If you don’t find your lady love tonight, there’s a ball tomorrow, and a night of supper and cards then night after that, and then another dance…”

Fitz’s groan drowned out Maddy’s recitation of the Bath entertainments, and she laughed, standing up to ready herself for the evening, leaving Fitz to his fortifying brandy.

###

Madeline nervously tucked a stray lock behind her ear, examining her face in the mirror one last time before grabbing her wrap and heading for the door to her bedchamber.

She’d been to what seemed to be hundreds of balls and parties in the last few years, so why was she nervous about this one, she wondered, snicking the door shut behind her, even as she knew the untruth  of her thought.

Because of him.

The Earl of Wyrestone.

Jameson.

Jamie, she had called him in their youth. Jamie, who was fast friends with her brother Fitzwilliam, and would spend weeks on their estate after his father died unexpectedly when he was but a teenager.

She’d been enamored with him then, as a young girl often has crushes on her brother’s friends.

But seeing him again today, in the flesh, looking like a grown man… well, it explained the butterflies in her stomach as she smiled and took her brother’s arm at the bottom of the stairs.

“You look very pretty, Maddy,” Fitz said warmly. “The men will be lining up to dance with you tonight,” he said, steering them outside and into their carriage.

“I very much doubt that,” she said primly. “Let’s hope better luck for you.”

Minutes later, they were alighting from the carriage and moving into the din of the Marquess’s ball, where it seemed all of Bath had turned out for the event. Madeline held on to Fitz’s arm as they struggled through the crowd, searching for an empty spot, a familiar face. They greeted friend and acquaintances, but Madeline’s eyes roved the crowd, looking for only one face.

Jamie.

Shaking her head, she tried to rid herself of the image of him, concentrating instead on those dancing and socializing around her.

After what seemed ages, she and Fitz found a space along one wall, drinks in their hands and smiles on their faces as people scooted by. Maddy jumped as a pair of arms wrapped around her neck with a squeal.

“Madeline!”

Maddy laughed as she disentangled herself from Rose, her closest friend. Miss Rose Rivenhall, daughter of Baron Braeston, had spent the last several months in London, and Maddy had missed her companionship terribly, and was delighted to see her back in Bath. “Rose!” she said with a laugh. “You’ve returned!”

Rose smiled at her friend, her shockingly red hair a stark contrast to Maddy’s pale hair, her green eyes dancing with delight. “My god, it’s good to be back,” Rose said dramatically. “It’s been absolute ages since we’ve seen each other. You have to tell me everything I’ve missed! I want details!”

Maddy grinned. “Only if you tell us about the glittering life in London,” she replied, clasping her friend’s hands in hers. “I’m sure you’ve got fabulous stories. I’ve missed you so.”

“And I, you,” Rose replied. Rose and Maddy appeared to be unlikely friends – whereas Maddy was relatively quiet and even keeled, Rose was boisterous and impetuous and always with a twinkle of mischief in her eye, but they adored each other completely, having become friends as young girls and remaining close throughout the intervening years.

Fitz turned from his conversation beside them and sent a warm smile in Rose’s direction. “Miss Rivenhall has returned,” he said jovially. “Back to the boring life in Bath, eh?”

Rose’s eyes dropped to the floor for a moment before she plastered a smile on her face again. “It’s nice to see you, my Lord.”

“And you, Miss Rivenhall,” Fitz replied easily. “Now that you’re back, we’re sure to have constant entertainment, no?”

Rose blushed slightly under his teasing, and Maddy regarded her thoughtfully, unsure why Rose would blush around Fitz, who had been a part of their circle for so long. “I’ll do my best, my Lord,” she replied demurely.

“Shall I fetch drinks?” Fitz inquired, and both ladies nodded their assent. He struggled through the crowd, and Rose watched his retreating back before whirling back around to her friend. “So, what’s the latest gossip from the ton?”

Maddy took a breath, and then decided to jump right into the most important development in her world. “Jamie’s back,” she said quietly.

Rose’s eyebrows rose. “Jameson? He’s back from France? It’s been years…”

Maddy nodded. “He’s just returned to Bath. We saw him at church on Sunday. He has said he would be here…” she replied, her eyes automatically scanning the crowd again, and Rose watched her, biting her lip.

“Still nursing that childhood crush?” she teased, and Maddy flushed. “Still as good looking as we remember?”

“Better,” Maddy replied wickedly, and Rose laughed, hugging her friend to her again.

“Maddy, listen…” Rose said after a moment, drawing back. “I just want to caution you… don’t let him break your heart. You know that you aren’t…”

Maddy nodded, cutting her off. “I know. It could never happen, not with my circumstance, but…”

“A bit of something lovely to look at is nice, though, isn’t it?” Rose said with a teasing grin, and both girls dissolved into giggles, happy to be back together again.

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