“No, you were right.” Lady Worthing’s hard expression didn’t ease, nor did her tone when she said, “I’m sorry that I slapped you.”
“Are you?”
“No. Especially not now,” she admitted. Watching her husband talk to her parents across the room, she continued as if Cassandra wasn’t there, “I’ve always despised you. Your family loved you,obscenely.Mine scarcely tolerated me. I married a man who they arranged. The dutiful daughter, aptly named.” The tremble in her shoulders stiffened as soon as it arrived. “You caused the biggest scandal of the year. Now look at you, welcomed with open arms. Nothing ever happens to you.”
“I’ve been fortunate,” Cassandra agreed.
Shewasfortunate to have a family that loved her. Lady Worthing had wealth beyond measure, and once she learned how to use her power, she would be a force that could keep even Aunt Valentine onthe back foot. On the other side of that coin, all she would have was loneliness, and if she were fortunate, ason.
One person was hardly enough family to sustain a life.
Life was plagued with misfortune, all picked clean at theton’smerciless maw. From the fringes, there was little that Cassandra could do to fight against it, but she could provideloveto a woman who was given none.
“Honora.” Cassandra met Lady Worthing’s eyes with a genuine smile. “Do you have plans for Saturday morning?”
***
Seth cautiously watched Cassandra approach Lady Worthing on the other side of the ballroom. Watching his steps to ensure he didn’t walk on the plethora of skirts dancing around, he made his way to Cooper. He stood alone, still as a statue, with an untouched flute of champagne in his hand.
Focused across the ballroom, Cooper didn’t hear his approach. Curiously following Cooper’s gaze, Seth watched the Dorchesters socialize. Lady Jasmine entertained a crowd of gentlemen, her voice carrying to where they stood. Animatedly telling a tale, she threw her head back and laughed. Seth glanced back at Cooper, who looked at Lady Jasmine like he wasstarving.
Good Lord, was I that obvious?
With all the confidence and blind optimism of a newlywed, Seth decided Cooper needed a push.
“Someone should ask her to dance.”
Cooper jolted and faced him with narrowed eyes. “Half of the ballroom has already done so. Her dance card is full, I can assure you.”
“Commodore Leopold doesn’t seem to agree.”
Cooper’s head snapped up as the blond-haired Sampson in full dress uniform approached and bowed before Lady Jasmine.
“Someone ought to interfere,” Seth said.
Cooper sucked in one of his cheeks in a pout when the Commodore wrote his name on her dance card in a decidedly intimate gesture.
“I didn’t think you were such a coward, Matthew Cooper.”
Cooper turned to him with a lethal expression.
“Not all of us can blaze through a ballroom and steal a lady from a military man, Reeves.” He scowled and grumbled, “Either way, he’s twice my size.”
“I’d place my bet on you. You’re quite the pugilist.”
“Apparently.” Cooper barked a laugh. “I never thought I’d bestyouin a fist fight.”
“I let you win.”
“And you’re a good man for that.” Cooper grinned and then sobered as Commodore Leopold remained next to Lady Jasmine as he waited for their dance. “You don’t imagine that she’s… interested in him… do you?”
“Do you?” Seth raised a brow.
“No,” Cooper sighed the word and his shoulders slumped. “I don’t think she’s interested in anyone.”
A moment of silence passed between them. Across the ballroom, Cassandra finished her conversation with Lady Worthing and walked in their direction, stopping occasionally to greet acquaintances.
“I’ve been meaning to ask. During the harvest festival, wheredidyou and Lady Jasmine go?”