It had been such an innocent evening of fun, gambling a silly little thing like her reticule away and having fun in a way she had never dreamed that she could. Lexi had always said that acting the way she had, the dares that she had set herself with the list would come back to hurt her and here it was. Someone had finally noticed the wallflower in the worst way possible.
How would she ever recover? What would Cedric do if he heard of it, would he believe it? What he want to cast her aside? She would have to return to St Vincent sooner than she wanted to, any length of absence would only allow the rumors to grow.
Both her sisters wrapped their arms around her comfortingly and Louisa allowed herself to finally cry. How had it come to this?
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Cedric was aware that he was being exceptionally bad company tonight. The sideways glances his friends kept throwing his way were quite enough to clue him in, but add in the fact that they kept opening their mouths as if to speak before clearly thinking better of it and he was thoroughly annoyed. The tension in the air of the gentlemen's club was thick, and Cedric found himself with neither the ability nor the desire to cut it himself.
He was jolted out of his thoughts by Theodore nudging him with the side of his billiards cue. "Our turn, old chap. Would you like me to take this round?"
Cedric sighed. "I am perfectly capable of playing a game, Notley" he responded crisply. Theodore held his hands up in surrender, stepping back to allow Cedric space. Across the table, Gabriel and Hector smirked at him and he suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.
I'd be better off without the whole damned lot of you, he thought to himself as he lined up his cue. His mind drifted back to Louisa. Was he better off without her, too? Was she better off without him? He wished the answer was as clear cut as it may have been at the beginning of this whole charade.
A hearty cheer rang out from the other side of the table, and Cedric blinked. He had missed the opposing team's ball entirely, to the great delight of Gabriel and Hector. He turned to find Theodore trying hard to look as though he was not glowering.
Cedric shrugged sheepishly. "Apologies, Notley."
"I wouldn't have had this trouble with Campbell you know," warned Theodore. "If he wasn't off getting himself shot at we'd be sweeping this entire affair."
The laughter quietened at the mention of their absent friend, and Cedric thought idly that the tense atmosphere seemed to be getting even worse. Theodore rallied first and prodded Cedric with his cue again. "Come on chaps. Get your head in the game, Pembroke."
Cedric shoved him roughly. "Perhaps I have other things on my mind."
Ignoring his friends' worried expressions, Cedric turned and strode through the crowd. He threw himself down into a plush velvet armchair and snapped at a passing young waiter for another drink. Perhaps he could try drinking his sorrows away alone instead of with friends, he thought. Surely it couldn't hurt?As he resigned himself to his brooding, a figure dropped into the armchair opposite and Cedric groaned out loud at his oldest friend.
Theodore did not look impressed. "What have you done?"
"I don't know what you mean. I came here for a drink and a game, and I find myself being laughed at, poked, being reminded of sorrowful subjects. I have done nothing sir, and it seems I am the only one of us tonight who is on form." It was a pitiful attempt at deflection and both men knew it.
"Don't give me that, Pembroke. How long have we known each other? You're a mad man if you think we can't tell when something is wrong with you."
Cedric said nothing, staring doggedly at the bottom of his glass. The silence stretched on until Theodore broke it. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Try again." When Cedric looked up, Theodore was staring intently at him, the determination in his gaze telling Cedric that he would not be letting this go.
Cedric sighed. "Things are just rather tricky at the moment, that's all."
Theodore shifted uncomfortably opposite him, his expression hardening. "Have you hurt her?"
"What?"
"Louisa. Have you done something to her?"
Cedric felt his blood run cold. "Damn you. Damn you to Hell, Notley. How dare you wax on about our bonds of friendship and then accuse me of something unthinkable? Perhaps you don't know me at all, for I surely don't know you."
Theodore's gaze didn't waver. "Oh don't give in to histrionics, St Vincent. Of course we know each other. I wasn't suggesting you're the sort to strike a woman, much less your wife. But there is more hurt in this world than that which leaves bruises upon the skin, a fact I know you are as aware of as I am. I view you as a brother, you know it to be true. But Louisa has no brothers and so there is no one to defend her from ill manners. As her brother in law, I consider that duty to be mine. I won't accept her hurt or saddened by bad behavior, St Vincent, I must make that clear."
"Theodore, enough." Cedric hadn't noticed their friends approach, and Gabriel's voice startled him.
Cedric clenched his fists. "Well then, for your own peace of mind may I assure you that you have nothing to fear, sir. But I'll thank you to keep yourself out of my marriage for we need no interference from you."
Hector shifted from foot to foot nervously. "St Vincent, peace. I'm sure Notley was only-"
"No." The strength of Cedric's voice caused the group of men to fall silent. "We have no need for your interference, any of you. Louisa ismywife, she ismy everythingand if you think I'll let anyone come between us, lest of all men who I view as friends, you are mistaken sirs."
