Page 45 of A Chance to Dance with the Duke
Your young man has been nothing but inappropriate with regards to you from the first, he’d finally said.I was willing to overlook much for his sake?—
For his sake. Those words still hurt even now.
But if that reckless lad thinks he can continue to make a fool of this family by stringing you along without a firm understanding…
The rest had fallen on deaf ears.
Meg had heard enough. Her father knew he didn’t truly wish to marry her.
Everyone knew it.
Only her sweet, optimistic friends believed Carver had true feelings for her.
“Perhaps you could…talk to him.” Jane’s voice was so soft, Meg nearly missed it.
But all eyes swung to the pretty blonde, and her cheeks flushed scarlet at the attention. “Or not,” she added quickly. Then, with a wince, she added, “Heaven knows I’ve neversummoned the courage to say anything of significance to my fiancé.”
Meg reached out to pat her hand in comfort, but Jane continued, her voice stronger than Meg had ever heard it.
“But you are not me, Meg.” She turned her hand, clutching Meg’s in a decidedly firm grip. “You have never been a coward. And you don’t shirk from confrontation.”
Meg’s brows arched. “Don’t I? It sounds as though you’re describing Felicity, not me.”
“No,” Felicity interjected quickly. “Jane’s right. We’ve always admired the way you hold your head up no matter what people say.”
“Even when Carver humiliated you,” Ann added. With a wry smile, she added, “You only hid for a very short while.”
“I would have hid forever,” Jane said quietly, her smile wry.
“You were a sight to be seen at that first ball,” Felicity said, her smile filled with pride. “Standing up to Carver with your head held high.”
“Even dripping wet from the fountain incident,” Ann added. “You kept your pride and your strength.”
Meg looked from one friend to the next, until it became clear that she was thoroughly outnumbered. “All right, I’ll speak to him. But I do not know what you wish me to say.”
“Speak from the heart,” Jane said.
“Tell him he’s a blasted nitwit for getting you into this pickle,” Felicity said.
Ann was quiet. And Meg found herself waiting for her practical friend to chime in. “Just be honest, Meg. If you’re truly to marry this man, isn’t it best that you begin with no secrets?”
Meg nodded. But while the others went back to chatting, talking at length about the next ball in one week’s time…
Meg tried to sort through the riot of emotions Ann’s advice had stirred.
If she meant to be honest with Carver, then she’d have to be honest with herself first.
And that was the most terrifying part of all.
15
Carver’s aunt nudged him. Hard.
“Oof,” he grunted.
“Stop craning your neck like that,” his aunt muttered. Somehow, despite her low tone, he could still make her out clearly even with the music coming from the ballroom and the loud laughter echoing off the halls of the foyer. “Your fiancée will be along at any moment. You’ll have plenty of time to gawk at her then.”
“You’ll have a lifetime to gawk at her soon enough,” Kal added.
