But he remembered the parade, if for no other reason than the constant beating of drums passing by and the clanging of the percussions that had been torturous.
The ball the night before also vaguely remained in his memory, but he had gone home alone that night—that he remembered.
“I beg your pardon. I do not quite rec?—”
“Well,” she said, “that is a shame. But I remember very well. I knew of your reputation, of course, but I thought what we had was rather special. Anyhow, the reason I came to you that night was to see if you, too, remembered.”
“What in the world would give you that idea? Why would you think that I would remember? That your visit would be welcome?”
She bit her bottom lip. “I came to the ball specifically because I hoped to see you again. In any case, I was under the impression that the ball was meant to help Lady Evelyn find a husband. I could not have known that you and she were secretly consulting with one?—”
“We were not consulting with one another,” he said, his voice rising more than was appropriate. Several people looked at him then. He took a deep breath through his nose, held it, and turned to the lady again.
“I understand that you think our time together in Scotland was memorable. But I assure you, it was not. Not to me. And in any case, why, when you saw me with Evelyn, would you then have immediately spread the news to everyone if you thought that you and I had something?”
“I understood in that moment that it wasn’t. That I was foolish. However, I felt that it was not right for you to keep your connection to her a secret, especially when you had half the men in the kingdom thinking she was available and you were actively trying to find her a husband. There were already rumors swirling, and when I saw that they were true, I felt it needed to be known.”
“It was not your news to share,” he said. “In any case, why are you bothering me now?”
“I did not mean to bother you,” she said, quite a bit louder than was necessary. Again, a multitude of eyes turned toward them. He looked at Evelyn. The lines between her eyes had deepened. She had to be suspicious of this. He knew very well how worried she had been about his visits to the club, and while he had been honest with her, he had to wonder if perhaps some doubt remained.
“Lady Charmaine, I would appreciate it if you left me at peace now. You have said what you had to say. I have reassured you that I do not remember our time together, for which I apologize. But really, you must let me be now.”
“Very well,” she said, her bottom lip quivering. “I do beg your pardon. What I thought we had was special—clearly, it was not.” She turned away and rushed out of the room in a rather dramatic fashion. He stood and dropped his head back so he could look up at the ceiling—and groaned. That was not a duly thing to do. He knew that. But at the same time, he was more than done at this point.
“My cousin has always been rather dramatic,” Julian said.
“Were you aware that she had constructed an entire affair between herself and I in her head?”
“I did not,” Julian said and laughed, “but I am not surprised. Charmaine thinks all manner of things are real that are not. She believes that if she wills something into being, it shall be. Thus far, she has rather failed—because, they say, she has not woken up a princess yet or married to the Prince of Wales.”
“May the good Lord help him if ever she finds herself in his company. It is fortunate enough for him that he is married already, or she would certainly set her cap on him,” Nathaniel said.
“Well, I do not think that he would agree with you that it is fortunate that he is married, given how he feels about his wife, but I understand what you mean. Should I have a word with my cousin?”
“There is no need,” he said. “I daresay that she understands my meaning perfectly well. However, I am uncertain if Evelyn understands what she just saw here, so I must tend to?—”
“By all means, go. We would not want the wicked witch to interfere with your fairytale.”
The friends parted, and he made his way across the room. Alas, before he could make it to Evelyn, who had now risen and was walking toward the window, he was ambushed once more.
“Your Grace,” Evelyn’s father said. “I wondered if I might have a moment of your time.”
“Not at this present moment. I am rather occupied, and I must speak to Evelyn.”
“It will not take but a second of your time. I know my daughter is exceedingly charming, but I daresay you have an eternity to spend together, and all I require is one minute.”
He sighed while Evelyn disappeared from view. “Very well. If it absolutely cannot wait.”
“I assure you, it cannot. I wanted to say that your speech was rather splendid. And I see you have much support amongst our fellow peers.”
“I do.”
He looked past his father-in-law to where Evelyn had gone, but no longer saw her.
“I am certain Evelyn has told you that I did my very best to rally support. I am by no means as influential as someone of your standing, but I did my very best.”
“And I am very grateful, as is Evelyn. Now,” he said, trying to push past his father-in-law, but the old man slipped in front of him.
