“I do not know what you mean, Henry,” Algernon replied, doing his best to sound bored at the question. “I am simply trying to enjoy my drink.”
He did not have to look up to know that his little brother was glaring at him.
“I believe something else is going on,” Henry accused under his breath, so those around them could not hear their tiff.
“You have been most strange about Beatrice from the very beginning, and I cannot figure you out.”
Algernon looked up. Not at Henry but to Beatrice. She still looked like a cake, he thought, but the ridiculous costume did nothing to hide her true beauty. It glowed bright under all those pastel flowers and cosmetics, going deeper than her flesh. It was a beauty from her heart and her soul that made her truly stand out.
“Perhaps you were right earlier,” he begrudgingly admitted, swirling his drink in his hand. “About me being overprotective. I have never had a woman under my care before, and perhaps because of such a thing I have overcoddled. I will step back, I promise you.”
Finally, he did look at Henry, and he was met with a suspicious expression.
“Your plan so far has been successful,” Algernon went on, “It seems you were right about everything. Go. Bask in your victory with your lovely companion. I noticed you have not asked her to dance yet, and I am sure you two will appear excellent together on the dance floor.”
Henry’s expression softened a little, and after a moment, his suspicion faded into understanding, and he looked toward Beatrice.
“I am still annoyed by your overreaching, do not think otherwise,” Henry countered. “However, I must confess I am starting to understand it. Beatrice truly is a breath of fresh air among this stifled society. I enjoy her company very much, and I do appreciate that you introduced us. I think… I believe… that if I were to take a wife, she would be perfect for me.”
Algernon forced a smile, even as pain rippled through his chest.
“I am happy to hear that,” he replied.
“I think you are right,” Henry said, straightening his jacket as he continued to look on at Beatrice. “I think it is time that I asked her to dance. As you say, we will appear excellent on the dance floor with our marvelous matching ensembles.”
Algernon fought the urge to roll his eyes. He found thecostumesquite garish, but what was important was that his plan was working. To have them married had always been his goal after all.
He was watching, his smile quickly fading as Henry approached Beatrice. Her smile was beautiful as she turned to him, and when he offered his hand to her with a dramatic bow, she laughed beautifully as she took his hand and offered him an equally dramatic curtsey. Henry led her to the dance floor just as a new dance began—a lively tune in which the dancers would switch partners occasionally. If Beatrice was nervous over the steps, she was not showing it. In fact, she moved with a grace of a young lady that had been practicing all of her life.
Despite his worry, despite the anxiety he noted on Beatrice’s face here and there throughout the night, at that moment Algernon had to admit that two of them were enjoying themselves. Such an admission, even just to himself in the quiet depths of his mind, made his stomach tighten in discomfort, and he pulled his gaze away from them as they began to dance.
Algernon instead scanned the crowd, looking for Simeon, his wife, and his other daughter. He had spotted them at the party when they had first arrived, but thus far, none of them had attempted to come near Beatrice. In fact, he was not at all sure that they knew she was there. Perhaps her costume truly had disguised her features enough to hide who she was from them.
Algernon continued his inspection for several minutes, looking out to the large, illustriously decorated ballroom as members of the finely dressedtonentered and exited through the many open French double doors that led to the gardens. Seeing nothing to worry about yet, Algernon abandoned his untouched glass atop the bar counter and waded through the sea of people until he stood at the edge of the dance floor.
His skin prickled in discomfort at being so surrounded, but even so, he stayed, using the center of the room and his height as a vantage point to see the comings and goings and even listen in on a little gossip too.
Several guests, particularly the ladies, were staring quite intently at Beatrice and Henry. Their smiles seemed wide and genuine as their bodies moved passively along with the music.
“Splendid,splendidgown,” he heard one murmur.
“Such a refined beauty. And mysterious too!” another whispered behind her fan.
“I do love when a new member oftonmakes themselves known however I must confess with thisLady in Bloom,I am having feelings of wild jealousy. She is here with Lord Henry, yes, but what if they end their courtship? How are the rest of us supposed to find courtship if every gentleman here is wanting to meet her?” another complained, contempt sneaking into her obviously forced casual tone.
Possessiveness wrapped around Algernon like a steel band, choking him, and before he could stop himself, he looked once more toward Beatrice and Henry.
Would it be possible for Beatrice to want to court another gentleman if things between her and Henry did not go well? Thus far, they had only discussed a possible marriage to Henry or her freedom, but what if other gentlemendidwant to call on her? Woo her.Marry her?
The thought pushed into his mind like a dark storm cloud, causing every tendon in his body to tighten and his fisted hands to shake.
“A snake in the garden is what I heard.”
Those words whispered with wariness snapped Algernon out of his possessive thoughts. He looked around quickly, trying to decipher which direction he had heard the vile words spoken from.
“I heard she has not been at France at all,” he heard another whisper. “That is all a great ruse, and in fact, she was actually shunned from her family for a deep dishonor.”
Algernon gritted his teeth as he looked around.Where were they coming from?