A Stern Earl’s Christmas Miracle (Preview)

Chapter One

The carriage came to a halt as Lady Emily Chiswick’s hands fiddled with the edges of her gloves. She peered through the window at the manor, a bright and cheery building, but Emily felt far from bright and cheery.

Her stomach was in a knot, and her breath felt too rapid. She swallowed hard, hoping to remove the tension in her neck and shoulders. At twenty years old, this Season would be an important one.

“There’s no need for concern,” her mother said kindly, resting a gentle hand on her knee. “It’s only a ball. They’re always great fun.”

Lady Margaret Chiswick cast Emily a kind smile. Her mother had always enjoyed a social gathering, particularly those hosted by her close friend, Lady Victoria Easton. It was as if her mother had forgotten all that had happened, though.

The ball was not what held her concern. News had arrived that Lord Benson would be in attendance, a man with whom Emily had little report. It had been some time since they were last at a social gathering together, and time spent in his presence was always uncomfortable.

He was a perfectly decent man, but a feud from years ago made things strained between him and Emily. It was to such an extent that they never spoke more than a few words. Only pleasant but forced greetings.

The ballroom was busy and filled with happy chatter. Emily wished that she could feel excited for it, and get carried away with the music and the dancing. Instead of that, she scanned the room eagerly for a sign of Lord Benson and his usually frowning face.

He wasn’t there. Emily let out a short sigh of relief. She greeted those who approached with warm smiles as she inched her way closer to the refreshments table. It wasn’t like her to be so desperate for something to drink, but she was eager to still her nerves.

“This is going to be an interesting night,” a voice spoke, close to her left.

Lady Philippa Rutherford beamed brightly at her. Emily was relieved to see the face of her friend there, rescuing her from her anxious thoughts. Her relief must have been visible as Lady Philippa let out a chuckle.

“Should we recluse a moment before joining the crowds?” she offered.

“That would be lovely,” Emily agreed.

They made their way toward a quieter corner where they could enjoy their refreshments and have a quiet moment before the dancing started. Emily tried a little too hard to behave normally, walking as upright as she could. However, she had misjudged her footing, stepping on the hem of her dress.

Emily stumbled forward, certain that her body would hit the floor. Within that second, she saw the spectacle it would create, the embarrassment, and the laughter that would follow. She envisioned the crowd that would gather to help her, the redness in her face.

A passing footman stopped it all. His body broke her fall, but his tray faltered a moment. Two glasses fell over, almost taking more along with them. His large stature was her savior. The footman barely budged.

“Oh dear,” he muttered, quickly helping her back to her feet.

Emily blushed a moment. “I’m so sorry,” she said.

He glanced at the fallen glasses and smiled. “It’s no worry at all, miss.”

That did not stop Lady Philippa from bursting into a fit of laughter. She dragged Emily away and toward a quiet corner, teasing her relentlessly about her clumsiness, reminding Emily of her failed dance lessons and her mother’s silent disappointment thereof.

“How are you feeling?” Lady Philippa asked when they’d finally escaped the crowd and any potential tripping hazards.

“Nervous,” Emily confessed. “How do I look? I can’t hazard my feelings showing on my face.”

“You’ve nothing to be nervous about,” Lady Philippa said. “All that nonsense between you and Lord Benson happened so long ago. Everybody has forgotten about it by now.”

“Everyone but me,” Emily said softly.

Emily and Lord Benson had once been good friends, but that hadn’t been the case for quite some time–not since the incident occurred in which their relationship had been irreparably torn. An incident that had given Emily countless sleepless nights since.

“I’m not sure if you heard, but Lady Anne Bradley was caught stealing from the modiste. They stopped her with a purse filled with pins and brooches. They’d been suspecting a thief for some time and had kept a closer eye on her.”

“Is that why she is not in attendance tonight?” Emily asked.

“How could she?” Lady Philippa asked. “She will likely be hidden away from embarrassment for the rest of her life. The modiste won’t allow her back. I’m certain that other shops will follow.”

“She has no reason to steal,” Emily said. “Surely she had the money to pay for her goods?”

“It’s a compulsion I heard someone say,” Lady Philippa explained. “She can’t help herself. Not that I think it’s an excuse for her behavior. What an odd compulsion to have.”

Lady Philippa had always been Emily’s best source of local news and gossip. A far more social woman than Emily, no information ever missed her. Their meetings usually started with Lady Philippa catching Emily up on all she had probably missed.

Emily was about to ask more about the idea of such a strange compulsion when the mood in the room suddenly darkened. She felt the shift before she spotted him walk through the doors. Lord Benson towered over most men, his dark hair always neatly combed away from his face, leaving his stormy blue eyes undisturbed.

He glanced through the room, and she hoped he wouldn’t see her there. When his eyes did fall on her, she wished that she could hide behind Lady Philippa. It was only a glance—barely a second that he looked in her direction.

She noted the clench in his jaw as he turned his attention to those around him. His aunt, Lady Easton, and the host of the ball raced over to greet him and introduce her to anyone he hadn’t met yet.

“The fun has officially begun,” Lady Philippa teased.

***

“You’re here!” Lady Easton said with an excited smile. “Oh, I’m so pleased to see you. I’ve been looking forward to this ball for weeks. In cold weather like this, we all need some cheering up.”

“Yes,” Everett Benson, the Earl of Belburn, replied. “There’s been a lot of ice. Almost more than usual for this time of year.”

“Oh, it’s expected to be a very cold winter,” Lady Easton said, as she did every year before Christmas. “I nearly had a dangerous slip not too long ago.”

Everett cast an eye across the room to take stock of who was in attendance. That way, he could anticipate the kinds of conversations he would be pulled into. Most of the time, people spoke with him about business and politics and he remained polite in response.

In truth, he found that little truly interested him anymore. His interest in the world had ended when his father had sent him to boarding school as punishment. Everett had never recovered from that.

It had restricted his world completely, narrowing his outlook on life. All he knew after that was business. Some days, Everett felt as if he didn’t know who he was. He’d never had the chance to find out.

In the far corner, he spotted someone he hadn’t seen in some time. It left a tugging feeling within him. Lady Emily was already looking at him, her blonde hair tucked away from her neck. Her brown eyes seemed to darken at the sight of him.

“Lady Chiswick has been saying to me all week how excited she is to see you again,” his aunt continued. “It’s been far too long. Years, even! I was shocked when she told me.”

“Not since before my father died,” he confessed. “They used to have many dinners together, few of which I attended

“Well, you were away. I’m sure there are no hurt feelings,” she said. “I promised I would take you right over to them as soon as you got here.”

She glanced over at him, and he knew there would be no way to refuse. He gave her a short nod and followed her through the crowd. The room was full. His aunt had always been able to throw a good party.

Nobody ever refused an invitation, except for Everett. His aunt understood, though, and he appreciated her for that. She was the only family that Everett had left.

“Lady Chiswick, Lady Emily,” his aunt said with a smile. “My nephew is here at last!”

Lady Chiswick turned and gleamed at him. “Oh, Lord Benson!” she exclaimed. “It is just wonderful to see you again. Look at you!”

She glanced up and down at him as an old family friend might, someone who had not seen him grow up.

“The pleasure is mine,” he answered, being as polite as possible.

“You’re doing so well for yourself,” Lady Chiswick continued. “Lord Lindensale hears only impressive news of you.”

Lord Lindensale and Lady Chiswick had been close friends of Everett’s parents. There had been a time when he and Lady Emily had been close friends, too, but not for many years.

“That’s very kind,” Everett said with a practiced smile. “I’m so pleased you could make it tonight.”

He glanced briefly at Lady Emily. She had grown into quite the woman. The young girl he had been friends with was no longer there. He felt a sting in her eyes when she glanced back at him.

“You are in need of refreshment,” Lord Lindensale said with a kind smile. “Why don’t I make sure you get one. You have many people still to greet, and you’ll need it.”

“Thank you,” Everett said kindly.

Lord Lindensale had always treated him with kindness, he remembered that. Growing up, most of the time when his parents had announced that Lord Lindensale and his family would be visiting, he would be excited for it.

They had not set foot in his home in many years, though. Lord Lindensale had been part of many business meetings, but little more than that. They had become strangers to Everett.

Lord Lindensale followed through on his promise and pushed a drink into Everett’s hand. He sipped it eagerly.

Everett hoped that their greeting would pass quickly so that he could busy himself with other business partners or friends. Lady Emily kept her eyes on him and it felt as though her stare scratched at his skin.

He took a large sip of whiskey as his aunt made small talk with the Chiswick family, all of them excitable and chuckling. He would laugh when appropriate and make sure to smile every few seconds.

It was a practiced manner of socializing that Everett had adopted. That way, he could attend enough social events to appease society and still convince those around him that he was eager to be there and invested in their conversation.

“This is a beautiful party,” he said, adding a carefully placed sentence into the conversation. “My aunt has always been an excellent host.”

“Oh yes,” Lord Lindensale said. “We never refuse an invitation from Lady Easton.”

“I have the sense that tonight will be a particularly entertaining event,” Lady Philippa said, glancing curiously between Everett and Lady Emily.

Everett glanced around him in search of someone he might use to excuse him from the conversation. However, his aunt had her arm wrapped around his, and she was keeping him firmly in place.

Chapter Two

The first dance was announced and Everett found himself still in the presence of Lady Emily. Lady Easton perked up and looked at Lady Chiswick. Some kind of conversation occurred between the two women without a single word being spoken.

“Oh! We must dance!” Lady Easton said. “Off you go!”

She took Lady Emily’s arm and drew her closer, nudging Everett in her direction, too.

“Oh, uh…” Lady Emily said and he saw as she sought desperately for a good enough reason that the two of them couldn’t share a dance, without mentioning the bad blood between them.

Everett faltered over his words, too. Lady Emily looked to Lady Philippa, her eyes begging her for an intervention. Lady Philippa’s eyes widened.

“Oh, I’m just itching for a dance,” Lady Philippa said, stepping forward with the intent of taking Lady Emily’s place.

Lady Easton glanced around her. Her son, Thomas, was already making his way over, likely to greet Everett.

“Perfect timing!” Lady Easton said happily.

She tugged at her son’s sleeve and pushed him toward Lady Philippa. It was decided then. Everett clenched his jaw, slight enough that it wasn’t obvious, but tight enough that Lady Emily had noticed it.

He held out his hand to her and she took it, doing her best to steady the tremble in her hand. She took a slow, deep breath as he led her out to the dance floor. They were silent even as the music started.

Everett’s hands were on her, an unexpected turn of events. Lady Emily kept her eyes focused on the rest of the room while he concentrated on not taking a wrong step.

He saw Lady Philippa and Mr. Easton dancing on the other side of the room. They wore wide smiles and seemed to be enjoying each other’s company. He wondered what she and Everett must look like.

Neither of them smiled and neither of them said a word. Their movements seemed stiff and labored. Everett was counting the seconds, wondering how much longer the song would continue.

“Your parents look in good health,” he said, breaking the silence. “I’m pleased to see it.”

The sound of his voice so near seemed to have startled her. Her heart raced then as her eyes flicked up toward his. For just a moment, his blue eyes met hers before glancing away again.

“Thank you,” she said nervously. “The summer months have been pleasant. Many afternoons spent in the sun have made them glow.”

He chuckled. “I recall one particularly bad sunburn your father suffered after our day out on the boat.”

Her father had burned so red that a doctor had stopped him in the street, worried that he’d been ill. The sun had made him ill, of course, but even after that had passed, the redness on his skin remained for weeks.

“He spent the rest of the summer miserable and in the shade,” Lady Emily said with a small laugh.

For just a brief second, it was as if they were children again. As if they were friends without a care in the world. They had played together often, chasing each other through the house and taking long walks on the grounds of his father’s estate.

“After that day, my mother was always concerned about me going into the sun,” he said. “She would be beside herself if she saw me sitting in the sun. She was always rushing me back into the shade.”

Lady Emily smiled. “Probably for the best. I’m not sure the color red suits you all that well.”

It felt like second nature to tease each other. That was how they had always spoken to each other when they were still friends.

Everett looked down at her again, a pleasant smile on his face. The moment their eyes met, though, his face fell. He was once again the unfriendly man he had become toward her. Silence had fallen between them again.

They moved across the dance floor, following the motions as they waited for the song to end. She glanced again toward Lady Philippa and filled with jealousy. They were enjoying each other’s company. It was a stark difference compared to what Lady Emily and Everett were doing.

The song had hardly ended and Everett stepped away from her. He gave her a curt nod and walked away. Lady Emily was left feeling bruised and confused by it all. For just a brief moment she had felt as if the estrangement between them had fallen away.

Everett had joined a group of men who debated among them the complex systems of import laws that made their business management difficult. Everett had inherited his father’s shipping business but sold it almost immediately. Precisely because of all the laws and intricate understanding of the details required to successfully run the business.

He nodded every few moments to make it believable that he was paying close attention to what was being said. In reality, his mind was far away. He was thinking of the dance he had shared with Lady Emily.

His aunt had often asked him why he and Lady Emily no longer spent time together, and Everett had always given her a new explanation. Lady Easton had always been fond of Lady Emily and spoke of her often. He shouldn’t have been so surprised when she’d forced them into a dance.

But his aunt didn’t understand how irreparable the break in their friendship had become. He’d had a different life when he and Lady Emily were close. That had ended suddenly.

Staring into the distance, Everett recalled the day that the shift in their friendship occurred.

Everett and Lady Emily pushed the door open as slowly as possible so that it would not squeak. They checked behind them one last time that nobody was there before stepping softly into the parlor. They stifled their giggles as they snuck around the room, looking at everything.

Everett was close behind Lady Emily. She would follow him anywhere, and he would follow her. Their parents saw each other almost every week, and so Everett and Lady Emily did almost everything together.

Her hair was untucked and wild from running in the gardens just minutes before. She had scuff marks on her blue dress from where it had caught on some branches. Something she’d already been in trouble for that day.

“Look!” she said, pointing toward a vase.

Everett wanted to stop her. When her hand reached for the vase, he whispered for her to stop. The urgency in his voice had startled her. She tried to pull her hand back, but her sleeve caught against the edge of the cabinet.

The cabinet rattled and it seemed to Everett as if time had slowed. The vase swayed from side-to-side. Lady Emily gasped and reached out to stop it, but she made it worse. Her fingers brushed against the vase and it tipped.

Everett held his breath and watched as the vase crashed to the floor. Shards of porcelain shattered around them and landing out around their feet. The sound traveled through the house, giving away their position.

Thundering footsteps came toward the room, and the door burst open. Everett and Lady Emily stared up wide-eyed as his father, the Earl of Belburn, stared at the chaos. He looked then to the empty spot on the cabinet, and Everett’s blood froze. He knew just how much trouble he would be in then.

His father’s face turned bright red and his hands began to shake.

“It was an accident,” Everett tried to explain, but he knew it was no use.

He and Lady Emily were not meant to be there, and nobody was ever supposed to touch that vase. At ten years old, his father didn’t trust him alone around such expensive items.

“I’m sorry,” Everett said.

On the floor lay the pieces of his father’s most prized possession. A family heirloom passed down for generations had been turned into nothing but a heap of shards and dust.

Everett’s life had been forever changed that day in a way that couldn’t possibly be repaired. It was a memory he tried to forget, and most days, he succeeded. He kept himself busy with his tenants and his search for new business ventures.

He sipped at his drink as he tried to refocus on the conversation around him. Not much had changed. They still spoke of business and difficulties. It was nothing that Everett hadn’t heard before. It was starting to feel as if the people he knew cycled through the same few conversations each time he saw them.

There were other things that interested him. Everett enjoyed poetry and had an interest in textiles that came from the far edges of the world. Places he could never even dream of seeing. Those were things he kept to himself, though. Boarding school had taught him to do that.

“Excuse me,” he said softly before taking a step away from them.

Everett felt conflicted. He had promised his aunt that he would be there that night and already he was searching for a good enough excuse to leave and return home. His aunt was urging him to think of marriage.

She believed that he needed someone to care for him, someone to start a family with. Both of Everett’s parents had passed away and he had no siblings. His aunt worried that there would be nobody to inherit his legacy one day.

Everett didn’t see it that way.

He glanced toward the refreshments table and pondered another drink. He changed his mind. It was warm in the room and with the dancing well underway, the room was starting to feel very small around him. Instead, he went in search of somewhere he could get some air and a moment of quiet.

Everett slowly made his way toward a small balcony door, stopping to greet those who spotted him along the way.

Chapter Three

Lord Hurston was clever and quick-witted as he struck up a conversation with Emily and Lady Philippa. He was charming. Emily felt he was perhaps a little too charming. She brushed it off, though, eager for the distraction from her dance with Lord Benson.

It did not go unnoticed by Emily just how many times Lord Hurston would glance in her direction. Every time he did, his eyes lingered a moment longer on her. Occasionally, Emily would meet his gaze. This would bring a smirk to his face.

When the time came for the next dance, he turned his attention to Emily.

“May I have this dance, Lady Emily?” he offered.

She glanced at Lady Philippa, who wordlessly urged her on.

“Absolutely,” Emily answered, taking his hand.

He led her to the dance floor. It was entirely different to the dance she had shared with Lord Benson. When Lord Hurston faced her to dance, an eager glimmer shone in his eyes. His touch was gentle, but determined.

“You’re an excellent dancer,” Emily said. “I’m afraid I’m not the most graceful.”

“Perhaps you’ve never had a good leader,” Lord Hurston said with a smirk. “Follow my lead, and you’ll do just fine.”

She blushed slightly. Lord Hurston nudged her a little closer to him. He was right. Emily released control to him, and she did not step over her dress, or bump her feet into his toes. It was a new experience for her.

“Lady Easton speaks fondly of you and your family,” Lord Hurston said.

“Our families have been close friends for as long as I can remember,” Emily said, being reminded again of the tension between her and Lord Benson.

“It must be difficult for Lord Benson,” he said. “He lost both parents too young. It must be difficult, especially since he was so far away when his mother passed.”

Emily nodded. It had broken her heart to learn that Lord Benson hadn’t made it in time to see his mother before she had succumbed to illness. There had been times when she’d considered writing to him, only to throw the letters away, certain that he had no interest in her condolences.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “It’s been a difficult few years for him, but I believe he is doing quite well for himself.”

Emily was doing her best not to let her bitterness be evident in the tone of her voice. As they moved across the dance floor, she caught a glimpse of Lord Benson. He was in conversation with men who had been in business with his father.

“You’re a better dancer than you think, Lady Emily,” he said. “In fact, I’m almost disappointed. I keep waiting for you to tread on my toes, and you don’t.”

Emily chuckled. “You’re an excellent leader, as you said.”

“It’s the least I can do in my attempt to whisk you away,” he joked. “Is it working? Are you whisked away, Lady Emily?”

Her cheeks flushed slightly. “It’s far too early to tell,” she teased back. “I’ve never been whisked away before. I wouldn’t know what it feels like.”

He tutted. “That’s a pity,” he said. “I’ve never been whisked away, either.”

Both of them burst into a quiet fit of laughter then. He had broken the tension that had been looming over her the entire evening. Her shoulders relaxed and a bright smile broke over her face. She looked up at Lord Hurston, forgetting all about Lord Benson .

“It sounds fun though, doesn’t it?” Lord Hurston teased.

She felt his hands firm against her. He led her and twirled her in a way that made her feel free of the night’s concerns. The music sounded brighter, and the air felt warmer against her skin. She no longer wondered about the cold outside, or who was watching her.

It seemed for a moment as if there was only her and Lord Hurston in the room. She’d never met someone quite so charming. His charm had broken through to her.

“Now tell me, Lady Emily, what is it that occupies your mind tonight?” he asked. “You have been distracted.”

“Is it that obvious?” she asked, feeling somewhat deflated again.

“You wear it well,” he said quickly. “I noticed you when I entered the room. It would be impossible not to notice a beautiful woman such as yourself. Yet, this is the first time I’ve seen you properly smile.”

“I suppose these events make me a little nervous,” she said, choosing not to be honest about what bothered her.

“They do?” he asked. “That surprises me. A woman such as yourself is surely invited to many of these events?”

She swallowed. “Is it not normal to be nervous at events like these?”

Lord Hurston shrugged. “I suppose. What is it in particular that worries you so?”

His charming nature made him easy to talk to. Emily felt as though she could share things with him. Conversation flowed easily between them.

“I worry that I will make a fool of myself,” she confessed. “Already, I have stepped on the hem of my dress and fallen into a footman. Thankfully, nobody saw, and he broke my fall.”

Lord Hurston laughed and she immediately wished she hadn’t told him about it. Emily wanted to retreat again, feeling embarrassed about her clumsiness.

“That’s not too embarrassing,” he said. “I once arrived for a party on the wrong day. There I was, dressed and ready for a ball, and arrived, interrupting their dinner and making a fool of myself.”

It was kind of him to share his own embarrassment in order to lessen hers and once again, they found themselves sharing a laugh. For the first time ever, Emily wished that the music would last just a moment longer so that she might continue to forget her concerns in his presence.

“You are lovely,” Lord Hurston said as the music ended. “I am honored to have shared a dance with you.”

***

Everett wasn’t making good progress in his goal to get fresh air. He’d entered a conversation that he’d not been able to escape. Friends of his father were reminiscing about their times together, telling Everett stories about it.

Then, a drink was handed to him. One that he felt obliged to accept. The whiskey burned his throat, and he hoped it would loosen him up enough to enjoy the conversation. He did not often reminisce about his father fondly.

“Your father was an excellent man,” one man said. “He is missed, and he always will be.”

“Thank you,” Everett said with a nod.

When another man joined their conversation, and Everett looked up to greet him, something in the background caught his attention. Lady Emily danced with Lord Hurston, a wide smile on her face. That was not how she had danced with him.

With Lord Hurston she seemed to move with freedom. He watched her closely as Lord Hurston’s eyes looked at her with hunger. His jaw clenched as he raised the glass up to his lips again. It bothered him to see her that way.

He was frustrated that the sight of her having a good time bothered him at all. She was well within her rights to dance with whoever she wanted. It should have been good to see her enjoying herself.

When they laughed again, Everett felt angry. He wanted to walk toward them and separate them. He wanted to put an end to her fun.

He told himself that it wasn’t jealousy. It bothered him to see her having fun when he hadn’t had any fun for years. Emily was the main cause of that. It had been her actions that had changed his life for the worse. Meanwhile, hers carried on without any change.

“You’ve been staring,” Thomas said, sneaking up on him.

Everett and his cousin had always been close. After Everett’s mother died, Lady Victoria had become a mother figure to him. He and Thomas had spent a lot of time together. They were more like brothers than cousins.

“I didn’t mean to,” Everett said, finally taking his eyes off Lady Emily.

Thomas glanced at the dancing couple. “Ah, Lord Hurston. I’ve never met a woman immune to his charming ways.”

That did nothing to help put Everett at ease.

“Although if you ask me, his charms are not without motive,” Thomas said. “They’re often followed by prying questions.”

“Prying questions?” Everett asked.

“Lady Francis shared a dance with him at my mother’s previous ball,” Thomas said. “She said he was charming and friendly, but as the dance progressed, he turned his attention to asking about her father’s business. He wanted to know about business partners, and future plans.”

“That’s rather…inappropriate,” Everett said, glancing back at the dancing couple.

“I wonder what he’s after with Lady Emily,” Thomas said. “Well, perhaps it’s nothing. She’s a beautiful woman of good stature. It’s entirely possible that he is interested in courting her.”

Everett had to take a moment to breathe then. The thought of it had filled him suddenly with rage. He clenched his jaw again before swallowing back the last of his whiskey. Thomas cast him a sideways glance.

“She’s a smart enough woman,” Thomas said. “If anyone can see through his charms, it will be her.”

Everett nodded. “Yes, I suppose. I don’t know her that well anymore, so I couldn’t know whether or not to agree with you.”

“She’s still the girl you knew,” Thomas said. “She’s just older and a little more careful. She used to be so outspoken and bubbly as a child, do you remember?”

Everett didn’t answer that question. He remembered just how fun she used to be, and all the things he used to enjoy about her.

“She’s still the same Lady Emily, only quieter,” Thomas continued.

Everett didn’t want to know who she had become. It had taken him a long time to let go of the friendship they used to have. In doing that, he had convinced himself that he didn’t care about her at all.

“I was surprised to see Lord Hurston in attendance,” Thomas said. “He’s been rather bitter in nature of late. I’ve seen him at other balls, but it’s been some time since he’s accepted an invitation from my mother.”

“Why does she keep inviting him, then?” Everett asked.

“She wants him to enjoy the life he deserves, not the one he’s been handed,” Thomas said with a shrug. “After his family lost their fortune, she feels badly for him. It wasn’t his fault that his future was taken away from him.”

Everett recalled the way his father had often spoken of Lord Hurston’s father. They had been in business together, but they had not gotten along very well. Lord Hurston’s father had been unreliable, and had often caused trouble for Everett’s father.

“You know, I was rather surprised to see the two of you dancing together,” Thomas said.

Everett had been staring at her again without realizing it had happened. He had been deep in thought and his eyes had settled on her somewhere in the process.

“My aunt was persistent” Everett responded. “I didn’t feel I had much of a choice.”

“It must have been odd after all this time,” Thomas continued. “Lady Philippa makes for rather enjoyable company.”

Everett forced a small smile. “Everybody seems to be getting along rather well tonight.”

He heard how short his responses were to Thomas, and he felt poorly for it. Thomas was merely trying to make conversation and keep him company, but Everett was having a difficult time meeting his efforts.

“Don’t worry, the song will soon come to an end,” Thomas teased. “Then I’m sure Lord Hurston will turn his attention to another debutante.”

“I need another drink,” Everett said, searching for a footman.

Thomas laughed. “That makes two of us. If we go in search of one together, then we might successfully avoid more business talk.”

Everett followed eagerly, happy that his cousin was there to support him and distract him.