Page 10 of Shining Knight
“Yes, thank you.”
“I shall call on you tomorrow. If you would like to go on a drive or to one of the museums, I will be at your service.”
She forced a smile she did not feel and curtsied to him.
“Well, my dear, you are making some rather grand conquests,” her aunt said, beaming.
“Is that what it was?” For some reason Eugenia did not feel very grand. “Is Tinsley leaving?” Her eyes followed Graham as he left the ballroom.
“Yes, I believe so. Perth is one of the catches of the Season now that he is looking for a wife. I had not thought Farnsworth intended to marry again, but I had thought there were nephews,” her aunt continued.
Eugenia could not bear to say the words that he had offered for her, because it made them feel more real. “Rowley gave his permission to the duke,” she managed to admit, knowing her aunt would understand.
“Did he, now?” She knew as well as Eugenia that Rowley had not approved of anyone previously. “I wonder why, but I am sure he has his reasons. Perth has also applied to him. At least you will have good choices, my dear. Both men are of impeccable lineage and reputation.”
Unlike me, she thought. “May we go home? I do not feel much like dancing anymore.”
Her aunt looked keenly at her. “Perhaps the afternoon’s events took more of a toll than I realized. You have certainly met your obligations tonight. Is there any partner you need to make an excuse to?”
Eugenia shook her head. “No. I saved the last just in case.”
Why had she said that out loud? That she had hoped Graham would apologize and ask her to dance?
Mayhap it was only the fact she felt at odds with him that was affecting her spirits. He had always been there to talk to; to give advice in a non-prosy way and laugh with her at her mishaps. She shook her head as they climbed into the waiting carriage. There was a hollow feeling in her chest, left by his absence, even as his scolding words from that morning came back to her. He needed to realize she was no longer a child and, hopefully, that did not mean they could no longer be friends.
A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. She was grateful for the darkness. Growing up was a cursed business. Besides being allowed to behave independently, it seemed she was going to have to make some difficult choices. What she would not give to go back to that morning and start again! Now was when she needed his advice more than ever. Graham had always been easier to talk to than her brothers, except Edmund. And now she was facing one of the biggest decisions of her life.
*
The next morning,Graham could not decide if he should call on Eugenia to go riding or not. He had known her since the cradle and this enmity really disturbed him.
She had made it clear she did not wish for him to protect her like a brother, but could they not still be friends? That decided him. He would go on as though nothing had changed between them. That is what he would do for his own sister, would he not?
He gathered his whip and hat and stopped at Lady Hambridge’s mansion before sending a groom for the horses. He was not completely certain of how Eugenia would behave that morning. Winfred let him into the house.
“Good morning, sir.”
“Good morning, Winfred.” Graham began walking to the breakfast room, as he had every day for almost two years.
“Lady Eugenia is not here, sir.”
Graham spun about. “She is not here?” He refrained from pulling out his pocket watch. He knew very well how early it was.
“She has gone riding with Lord Perth this morning.”
That was the second time in less than four-and-twenty hours that Perth had taken away what had always been his. He tried not to examine his anger while in front of the old butler.
“Very good. She must have forgotten to send word.”
Graham left and headed for the mews. He was perfectly capable of riding by himself and there was every chance his friends were already in the park as well. Certainly, he was not going to see Eugenia and Perth flirting. The thought made him ill—just as it would if someone were flirting with his sister, of course.
Thinking of siblings, he reflected, it would be another week before Knighton could reach London. One more week and then Graham would be free. He would not take up this obligation again for thousands of pounds.
As he mounted Xerxes and headed for the park, he realized he had not even thought to check the news-sheets that morning. Although he assumed Perth would know if Eugenia had been credited with something scandalous and in that case would have cried off from the ride. Graham was hopeful as he crossed the street and headed for the riding path. As he urged Xerxes to a healthy canter, he did feel somewhat guilty about the contretemps with Eugenia yesterday. He could take off on his mount as hard as he wanted to go and no one would say a word. As he rode, he nodded to a few acquaintances, but he did not see Perth or Eugenia anywhere.
Petersham and Sir Martin would doubtless arrive shortly, so Graham continued a circuit around the park, keeping an eye out. There were not many places in London to ride, and Perth was a high stickler, so Graham had no idea where they could be.
He made a full circle of the park before he ran into Petersham and Hardy. “Good morning, gentlemen. Have you seen Lady Eugenia and Perth?”
