“I can think of nothing I wish to do more than chat with ye,” Asher interrupted, seizing the opportunity to speak alone with Lady Constantine, or relatively so given they were in a parlor full of people. They could, at least, have a somewhat private conversation.
Lady Longford beamed at them, and when she departed, Lady Constantine said in a whisper, “Please choose your words carefully, Your Grace. You give my mother hope where there is none.”
“I apologize,” he replied, glad they were apparently still speaking bluntly. It made what he wanted to ask much easier. “Shall we stand by the window where it is cooler?”And more private.
She looked toward the window and then smiled at him, understanding in her gaze.
They made their way over, and he noted the eyes that tracked them. The gossip by supper would be that he was courting Lady Constantine. That could present a problem with Guinevere, but there was no help for it. He needed answers.
Lady Constantine met him with a frank stare. “You have something you wish to ask me?”
“Aye. Is it Kilgore who has yer affection?”
The woman lost all color, and for one moment, he thought she might faint. “I—” She darted her gaze around, searching, he imagined, for her mother or perhaps Kilgore.
“Yer mother is on the other side of the room by the pianoforte, and Kilgore has not graced us with his presence yet.”
A bit of her color started returning to her face, but when she brought her hand to her hair, it was trembling. “How did you know?” she asked, fiddling with her hair. “Was I obvious?”
“Nay. I guessed at supper last night, but I never would have had we not spoken last week. Might I ask, did Kilgore ever indicate to ye that ye had his affection?”
“Yes,” she said, turning nearly scarlet.
Good God. The woman had no idea what her face gave away. Asher would wager his fortune that Lady Constantine had given Kilgore her innocence. “If ye believe ye have his affection and ye have stated he has yers, why is it, would ye guess, that he has not offered for ye?”
“I do not know.” She sounded and looked pained. “The year I made my debut, he all but told me he was going to call on my father and ask for my hand.”
“How long ago was that?”
She bit her lip. “Five years ago.”
Fury rose in him. That was the same year Kilgore had kissed Guinevere. He had to warn Lady Constantine that Kilgore was a blackguard, that the man must enjoy toying with women. Had Kilgore failed to conquer Guinevere and that was why he was pursuing her still?
“Lady Constantine, I think it best that ye forget—”
“My, Lord Pierce!” Lady Constantine burst out, looking past Asher at the same moment he felt a presence behind him.
He turned sharply to find his brother a hairsbreadth from him. “I believe we are to be paired for tomorrow’s skits,” Pierce said, looking at Lady Constantine.
“Oh,” she said, “I did not realize the pairings had been announced other than Kilgore’s choosing Lady Guinevere as his partner.”
Asher did not miss the hurt in Lady Constantine’s tone, and by Pierce’s knowing look, his brother had not missed it, either. He also did not seem altogether surprised by it, which indicated Pierce may have known something about Kilgore and Lady Constantine, or possibly just Kilgore.
“They have not been announced,” Pierce said, “but our esteemed hostess just told me.”
“I will look forward to tomorrow, my lord,” Lady Constantine said. “If you will both excuse me…” She did not look at either of them.
Asher frowned as her face went pale, and he followed her gaze to the parlor door. Kilgore was in the entranceway with a lady Asher did not know, but they both looked as if they had just been well satisfied.
“I’ve a horrid megrim suddenly,” Lady Constantine blurted and rushed away before Asher or Pierce could reply.
Asher followed her progress through the crowd and to the door, where she nearly plowed Kilgore over to get by the man. He did not so much as spare her a glance, but when she passed by him, his face did seem to tighten.
“So, Brother,” Pierce said, “shall we be expecting a betrothal announcement between you and Lady Constantine?”
“Nay.” Asher turned his attention to Pierce, who looked surprisingly sober for once. “Her affections are engaged elsewhere.”
“I had heard gossip of that nature, but I’m not one to spread tales.”
