Sebastian glanced around at the bystanders before offering Beatrice his arm. Caroline smiled brightly when she noticed a bright grin lit up her sister’s face.
Beatrice glanced at Caroline over her shoulder and her brow furrowed in a pleading frown, one Caroline understood at once.
‘Please, Caroline,’ the furrow said silently. ‘Join us.’
With a sigh, Caroline joined the couple and quite soon it was her voice drowning out the chatter that followed them. Beatrice was not unaware of the chatter and her grin brightened as the whispers drifted towards her.
“... suppose they are courting…”
“... soon we will have a Fairchild and Wentworth wedding…”
“... oh, Lady Beatrice will be a lovely bride…”
She took in the whispers with pride and a lifted chin, while Caroline glanced at Sebastian with an impish grin. He looked positively dour and she laughed softly as she glanced up at him.
“You look positively miserable, My Lord,” she whispered as she moved forward and Sebastian lifted a brow, looking down at her.
“I wouldn’t say miserable,” he said softly too, “though I must admit that I do not enjoy being the talk of town.”
Caroline laughed with a shake of her head. “Oh, what is not to enjoy?”
Before Sebastian could answer, however, a hand reached out and took hold of Caroline’s gloved wrist. She swung round, her face falling when she met the eager brown eyes of Edward Pembroke.
“Lady Caroline,” Edward said eagerly. “I hear a waltz is about to start. May I have this dance?”
Caroline flashed Edward a stiff smile and nodded, though she could not deny that there was a part of her that was rather curious about Sebastian’s retort to her latest comment.
“Of course,” she answered dutifully, following Edward onto the dance floor. She forced a small smile onto her lips as they took up position on the dance floor and the waltz began. Almost instantly they fell into step, their bodies moving in perfect synchrony to the music.
Edward's hand rested firmly on her waist, his fingers pressing into the delicate fabric of her gown. Caroline glanced up at him, though she quickly averted her gaze upon noting the intensity in his gaze as he pulled her closer, their chests nearly touching.
“Caroline, you look absolutely lovely tonight,” Edward murmured softly, his breath tickling her ear.
Though the intimacy of the moment filled her with unease, she allowed herself to laugh, the sound sounding quite foreign to her ears. “You flatter me, Edward,” she said as they swayed across the floor. “And may I just reiterate how much I do enjoy our friendship. It truly means the world to me.”
Edward’s brow furrowed slightly at this, but he quickly masked it with a smile. “Yes, friendship is important,” he agreed, then spun her out before drawing her back into his arms. “But… certainly you must know that my feelings for you run far deeper than mere friendship.”
Caroline’s brow furrowed at this, her heart sinking at his words. “You… are kind,” she sputtered, searching her mind desperately for any way of redirecting his misguided affections. She glanced around the room desperately, her entire being longing to join the lively conversations and laughter of the other guests. Edward, though, would not allow it, his grip tightening around her waist.
There was something different about him, Caroline thought, finding herself growing increasingly uncomfortable at his touch. Edward’s hand seemed to drift lower on her back, his fingers grazing the edge of propriety. She tried to subtly shift away, but Edward merely held her closer, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that had her shuddering. “I want more than what wehave,” Edward whispered, his breath hot on her ear. “I want you to be mine, Caroline.”
It was terribly improper, and Caroline pushed him away slightly.
“Edward,” she managed to get out at last, her voice strained. “Would you mind terribly if we took a break? I’d love to catch up with some of the other guests.”
Edward, however, merely shook his head—a possessive glint appearing in his eyes. “Nonsense, Caroline,” he insisted. “I’ve been looking forward to this dance since I was invited to this ball. Certainly you can spare a few more moments for your dearest friend?”
Caroline forced a smile, her cheeks aching from the effort. She nodded then, resigned to her fate as Edward led her through the rest of the waltz. His presence, which she had so often enjoyed, suddenly felt suffocating and inescapable.
Relief coursed through Caroline as the final notes of the music faded away. She curtsied quickly, before yanking her grip from his.
“Thank you, Edward, for the dance,” she mumbled and then she breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed the vibrant red hair of her best friend, Martha White. “Oh, I see Martha, do excuse me,” she muttered before rushing off and grabbing her friend’s arm.
“Please, Martha,” Caroline pleaded even before greeting her friend. “Would you be a dear and keep Edward company for a bit? I do find myself quite in need of some fresh air.”
Martha, seemingly understanding her friend’s distress, nodded at once and Caroline rushed away after a quick squeeze of her friend’s hand.
She sighed deeply once she got into the garden, closing her eyes and enjoying the silence—and the freedom from Edward’s odd behavior.
