Page 18 of The Sea Siren of Broadwater Bottom
The marquess snorted. “I highly doubt it, based on his letter. He sounds as dissolute as the rest of them. But his uncle is the Bishop of Worcester, so I can hardly refuse him a hearing. I would normally send Michael to the assembly,” the marquess said, nodding to his son, “but he hates to leave your sister even for an evening.”
Anne was heavily pregnant, with the baby expected in the next few weeks. “I suggested we go together,” she said.
Morsley, who was sitting beside his wife upon the sofa, took what Edward would term a deep and calming breath. He looked to be on the verge of some sort of thrombosis, truth be told, and Edward wasn’t without sympathy, given that Morsley’s own mother had died in childbirth when he had been a boy of nine.
“If you wish to go, we will go,” Morsley finally managed, doing a creditable job of holding his voice steady. He turned to Edward, looking him square in the eyes. “But I thought one of my brothers-in-law might beso goodas to spare your sister a long carriage ride over a bad road and represent the family on our behalf.”
Morsley accompanied this statement with what was not so much a speaking look as a shouting look.
“I thought it a capital idea,” Lord Redditch said. “After all, you’re family now.”
Edward froze. Normally, he would do anything to help his friends and neighbors, to say nothing of his own sister.
But this assembly was in Bourton-on-the-Water, which meant that Elissa St. Cyr was bound to be in attendance. And if there was one person on the face of this earth whom he needed to avoid, it was Elissa St. Cyr.
He cleared his throat, preparing to make an excuse and suggest Harrington attend instead.
But somehow the words that came tumbling out of his mouth were, “Of course—yes—I should be glad to.”
Edward frowned. Where hadthatcome from?
Morsley exhaled with relief. “I knew I could count on you, Fauconbridge.” He turned to Anne. “Is that all right, darling?”
“It is.” Anne laughed. “Truth be told, I wasn’t much looking forward to the carriage ride.”
Morsley took his wife’s hand. “Only think of how vexing I would be, asking if you were well every time we hit a bump.”
Anne beamed at her husband, looking not the slightest bit vexed. “You are exceptionally vexing, it’s true.”
Edward caught Harrington studying him. “Bourton-on-the-Water, you say? Why don’t I come along and keep you company?”
“Excellent,” the marquess said. “This has worked out better than I could have hoped. Instead of me, they’ll get two handsome bachelors. They’ll hope I have a conflict every year. I daresay they will schedule it themselves.”
They all laughed, and the conversation moved on, but Edward spent the rest of the visit with a strange mixture of excitement and dread mingling in his stomach.
CHAPTER8
Two nights later, Elissa went with her family to the New Inn, where the tables and benches that usually adorned the main room had been neatly stacked away so there would be sufficient room to hold the village’s spring assembly. She took up her customary position: standing in the corner with Cassandra.
Elissa would have preferred to stay home, especially with the contest just two weeks away. She needed every spare minute right now for study and preparation. But her mother always insisted she go, saying, “You never know who might be there.”
Well, Elissa had attended a great many local assemblies over the years, and Prince Charming had never been in attendance.
Suddenly the room fell silent. She glanced at Cassandra to see if she knew what was going on, but her sister looked as confused as she was. She joined those around her in craning her neck, trying to see what the commotion was about.
Just as quickly as the room had fallen silent, it filled with whispers. Cassandra gasped and grabbed Elissa’s forearm.
“What is it?” Elissa asked.
“It’s theAstley brothers,” Cassandra whispered, her expression full of glee. “Elissa, he’s here.”
* * *
As soon asEdward and Harrington entered the assembly room, the crowd fell silent, then burst as one into whispers.
Edward sighed. He didn’t enjoy being stared at, but he was used to it.
Beside him, Harrington seemed unperturbed. “So,” he said conversationally, “which one is she?”
