Surprised, Henry sat back, looking at his cousin with wide eyes.
“Is that so?”
“It is! She thinks very highly of you, I must say.”
“So it seems.” Uncertain of who it was that Mr. Brackwell could be speaking about, Henry frowned. “Who was this young lady?”
A little fearful that it might be Lady Judith, he held his breath, only for his cousin to laugh.
“You need not look so afraid! It was a Miss Joy Bosworth and, from how she spoke of you, it seemed as though you were well acquainted.”
A breath of relief escaped Henry and he smiled, though his heart filled with an unexpected warmth as he thought of the young lady.
“I am glad to hear that it was she, and not some other, that is all!” he explained, as his cousin laughed. “And you say that she spoke well of me?”
“Verywell. Is she connected to you in some way?”
Henry shook his head.
“Not in any particular way, no.” Seeing the gleam in his cousin’s eye, Henry’s frown quickly returned, though he fought to remove it from his expression just as quickly as he could. “That is to say, we are acquainted, and she has been a great aid to me in one or two matters, but that is all.”
“I thought her a very lovely young lady, though her mother is a little overbearing and somewhat condescending.” Mr. Brackwell’s smile broke away at the edges as he turned his eyes away. “It is as though Miss Bosworth was to blame for lingering behind her mother when I thought Lady Halifax ought to have turned around to make certain that her daughter was with her. If she had, then she would have noticed that her daughter was upset.”
Concern flared and Henry sat up a little straighter.
“What was the matter with her? What was the concern?”
“She did not say. In fact, she reassured me that she was quite well.”
“Oh.” Sinking back down, Henry chewed on the edge of his lip, not seeing the curious way his cousin watched him. “It must be exceptionally difficult to be a wallflower, I think. Though I confess that in the few Seasons I have been present in London, I have not always taken notice of them.”
Mr. Brackwell nodded.
“It does seem strange that someone so vibrant might be considered nothing more than a shadow. I will be glad to see her again.”
“You have made an arrangement, then?” Trying to disguise the sudden twist in his stomach by keeping his voice light, Henry’s hands tightened around the arms of the chair as his cousin nodded. “That is… good.”
“Would you like to join us?” Mr. Brackwell smiled and reached for his glass of brandy. “We thought to walk in the park again the day after tomorrow.”
It was as if a hand clasped around Henry’s throat as he considered. The truth was, he had no desire to linger in his cousin’s company, should he be making endeavors towards courting Miss Bosworth. Given the severe amount of discomfort he was in at present over the very idea of it, the thought of being present and watching their connection grow stronger was a painful one.
“I think… oh, do excuse me.”
Hearing the tap at the door, Henry called for the butler to come in, only for Lord Falconer to stride in ahead of the man.
“Lord Falconer, my Lord.”
“Yes, I can see that.” Grinning – and rather relieved that he did not have to answer his cousin’s question – Henry quickly made the introductions, “Falconer, you remember my cousin, Mr. Brackwell?”
“Yes, of course I remember!” Lord Falconer boomed, shaking Mr. Brackwell’s hand firmly and then walking to where the brandy stood. “A measure for myself, I think.”
Sitting back down, Henry chuckled as Lord Falconer poured himself a large measure and then came to join them.
“As you can see, Brackwell, Lord Falconer is a very dear friend, for he knows that he can help himself to my brandy without even a question!”
Lord Falconer chuckled and soon, a conversation struck up between the three of them. Many questions were asked, much laughter abounded and much to Henry’s relief, the topic of Miss Bosworth did not return to his cousin’s lips again.
“Didyou enjoy your dance with Miss Gilbert? I hear she is looking for the very richest of husbands.”
