As he turned to leave, Philip cast one last glance at Verity. Her smile, radiant and full of unspoken promise, stayed with him as he made his way through the crowd.
The whispers and glances of the other guests no longer mattered. He had found something far more precious An unexpected bond that he was determined to nurture.
Philip sought out a quieter corner of the ballroom where he could collect his thoughts after that conversation with his mother. Leaning against a pillar, he closed his eyes briefly, savoring the memory of their dance. The way Verity had looked at him, the way their conversation had flowed effortlessly… these were moments he wanted to hold onto. Now he just needed to find a way to hold on to them without dishonoring his late wife.
Perhaps this was finally time that he could escape out on to the terrace, to take a look at the starry sky. That way he might be able to feel Julianna again, and to gain a better idea of what she might think about all of this.
Philip turned away from the bustling ballroom, grateful for a chance to catch his breath at long last. It had been another long night, and with the Season only just beginning, there was bound to be many more just like it.
He made his way through the grand halls of the estate, the strains of music fading behind him as he reached the terrace. The night air was cool against his skin, a welcome respite from the stifling atmosphere inside. Philip gazed up at the starry sky, its vastness reminding him of the uncertainties that lay ahead.
“Julianna,” he whispered, his voice barely audible above the distant murmur of voices from within. He closed his eyes, imagining her beside him, her presence comforting yet elusive like the stars above. “What would you think of this, my love?”
But of course, he did not get an answer, because this was a dilemma for him to deal with.
And him alone.
CHAPTER 11
Don’t look, Verity warned herself as her trembling fingers reached out for the scandal sheets. It’s better to ignore what is being said…
But she already knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid hearing the gossip about herself. If something had been written about her, then she absolutely had to know what it was and how it would affect her.
Her hands shook as she unfolded the paper, her eyes scanning the headlines instinctively. The bold headlines sent chills down her spine, especially the one speculating about the dance between the spinster and the widowed marquess.
Herself and Philip…
Verity’s cheeks burned with embarrassment and anger, knowing that the ton would stop at nothing to fuel the flames of gossip, which would of course turn this in to something dramatic and out of control.
Verity glanced up to see her mother shooting her a sympathetic look.
“Don’t let the rumours get you down, Verity. This will pass…”
But Verity already had tears brimming in her eyes. She hated being spoken about, especially after everything that had happened with Cedric. How had this happened when she had tried so hard to stay out of the public eye as much as she possibly could?
But Lord Easton’s presence was just too captivating for her to ignore…
Verity startled when Henry slammed his hand on the table, reminding her that he was in the room with them. Fury danced in his eyes as he glared at her.
“A scandal like this could be enough to absolutely ruin your chances with Ambrose, Verity, do you understand that? Do you see what you have done here?”
“I… I…” Verity desperately wanted to defend herself but could not think of the words. She had not meant for this to happen.
“There is no way the marquess would truly pursue a courtship with you, as everyone knows the hushed rumors that he is still not over his late wife.” Henry rolled his eyes. “He is only showing his face in society due to his sister’s debut.”
Verity felt like she had been slapped in the face. She could not stand the vitriol being flung her way. But it seemed like Henry wasn’t yet done.
“The marquess was also seen dancing with Lady Rosalind Fitzwilliam anyway. I overheard Cedric saying that he is set on making a match between them, so I would back off now before you absolutely humiliate yourself once more.”
Sickness swirled in Verity’s stomach. She so desperately needed her brother to stop talking, but that was clearly not going to happen.
“You are not a striking young debutante, Verity. You so not have an endless supply of suitors, so I would not advise you to push away the one chance you have at securing a match.”
“Alright, Henry,” their mother intervened softly. “I think you have said enough now.”
But Henry was clearly not interested in anything she had to say. His tirade was far from over.
“Mother, Verity needs to see that her options are limited. She needs to start being grateful that Ambrose is even looking her way. I have put so much effort in to making this happen, into trying to get anyone to look at Verity after what has happened. It’s very difficult to make anyone care when there are new debutantes coming of age every single day.”
