There was no secret between them that Chester didn’t care for his mother. They had not got along at all as children and Chester had seen his nannies and his governess as more motherly towards him than his own mother. The countess knew this, and it infuriated her that her son didn’t hold her to the same high regard he held his governess at, thinking she was entitled to it because she was his mother.
Chester had other ideas about it.
Countess Winchester huffed and scowled, her mouth twisting.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have fought against the French. They took away all your manners.”
“The army taught me manners, I’ll have you know. I just don’t appreciate being forced into a ball less than a day after my father’s death.” Chester glared at her. “People would think you didn’t care about your husband.”
He knew the truth. Countess Winchester hadn’t cared for her husband for some time and even Chester had noticed it. It was a wonder she wasn’t out of her mourning garb already. That was disrespectful in its own right. To host a ball so soon after a death…that was a society death.
“Of course I care.” The countess huffed. “But finding a wife for you is more important right now. If you die with no issue, your cousin gets the title, and he doesn’t deserve it.”
That made Chester bristle.
“Cousin Eric is a fine man and I’m happy with him as my heir.”
“But you need an heir now!”
Chester sighed.
“Women are not dogs, Mother. It takes nine months before a baby arrives. You do know that, don’t you?”
The countess’ expression said she didn’t appreciate being spoken to in that way.
“Of course I know.” She sniffed. “You know what I mean.”
They were going to go around in circles with this and Chester wasn’t in the mood to discuss anything, least of all a ball. But if it made her happy…
He sighed heavily.
“All right, go ahead. You can throw a ball. But only once we’ve finished our mourning. We both have to mourn your husband and my father for a decent amount of time before you throw it. It’s not fair, otherwise, and people will find it disrespectful.”
If they went with social etiquette, that meant both of them would be mourning for a year, at the very least. That meant he had a year to breathe before Holly Lundie-Brown shoved the idea of marriage down his throat again. Chester was going to make the most of that year. From the look on her face, the countess didn’t agree with this condition at all. But she huffed loudly and nodded, throwing her hands up in the air as she stood.
“All right. I’ll mourn. But the moment you’re out of mourning, I’ll throw this ball.”
She then flounced towards the door. Chester couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. For a woman in her forties, the countess was acting like a spoiled child who had been told no.
His throat closing up and his eyes welling up with tears, Chester settled back and stared into the fire, allowing his grief to take over. He was sure that his mother would barely acknowledge the mourning at all.
If that was the case, she was going to wait a very long time for this ball.
***
A year later
“I can’t believe it.” Maisie Cowell squealed, almost bouncing around in her seat. “I’m going to a ball! This is going to be the best night of my life!”
Jethro Cowell rolled his eyes.
“Don’t exaggerate so much, Maisie. It’s just an evening wearing pretty gowns and smiling until your face hurts over things that aren’t funny at all.”
Maisie stuck her tongue out at him.
“That’s why you’re not a man with a title, Jethro. You’d be terrible.”
Her older brother shrugged.
“I prefer being who I am.”
Clementine sat beside Jethro, listening to her brother and sister squabbling. It was a regular thing with them, Jethro mainly teasing their younger sister. Ever since their parents had died during the pneumonia epidemic three years before, Jethro had been the one to look after his younger siblings. At thirteen and fifteen, Clementine and Maisie had been distraught to lose their parents as they had done. Jethro had barely turned twenty-one and suddenly he was in charge.
If they had had a title and Jethro had inherited an estate, things might have turned out well for them. But they were common folk, living simple lives. It didn’t matter so much when their parents were alive but now…things were tougher.
So to be invited to a ball hosted by the Dowager Countess of Winchester was, in itself, strange. Clementine remembered Lady Winchester and had thought she was a cold, cruel woman. How Daniel had ended up with her as a mother when he was…
Winchester, Clementine reminded herself. The boy she had grown up as a little girl was not Daniel Lundie-Brown anymore. He was the new duke, Lord Winchester. The title won over his birth name. It would be like committing society suicide if she spoke to him as she had done at eight years old.
Not that Clementine planned to make it into society anytime soon. She didn’t care for it much, either. But they had been invited, and she was curious to see her childhood friend again.
“Clemmy?” Jethro’s cool hand touched hers. “Clementine?”
Clementine looked up, realizing that both Jethro and Maisie was staring at her. She blushed and coughed.
“Sorry. I was thinking of something else.”
“Or someone else.” Maisie teased. She rolled her eyes. “You’ve been in a daze since we found out who was hosting this ball.”
“Maisie, quiet.” Jethro scowled at his sister, his expression softening when he turned back to Clementine. “Clemmy?”
Clementine wasn’t about to open up a sore subject again. Both knew she had a fancy for Winchester, ever since he rescued her from that frozen pond ten year ago. It hadn’t died away as everyone had expected it to. So to be in proximity to him for the first time in ten years…
She managed to smile.
“I guess I’m just nervous. This is my first ball after all.”
Jethro smiled and squeezed her hand.
“Stick close to me if you’re nervous. All you need to do is be yourself. No one’s going to fault you for that. And Dan…I mean, Lord Winchester, is a childhood friend. You don’t need to be scared of him.”
Clementine knew it was more than being scared of him. But she didn’t say anything.
***
Chester stood off to the side of the ballroom and watched over the dancing. Everyone was having fun. A lot of laughing, a lot of smiles.
A lot of fake smiles. Chester could count on one hand how many people were giving genuine smiles.
He was beginning to wish he was back in the army. There were no titles except ranks and there was none of the shenanigans that his mother liked.
Lady Winchester loved the glamour and the beauty of a ball. She also loved the fakery. She seemed to thrive on it. Chester preferred things to have more substance than simple contacts.
Which was why he had put Jethro Cowell and his sisters on the guest list. Lady Winchester had protested but Chester was firm on it. He hadn’t seen his old friend in a long time and he was keen to see Jethro again. And, even though they had driven him mad, Chester was interested to see how Maisie and Clementine were doing. The last time he had seen Clementine was lying unconscious in her bed, looking bedraggled and shivering from the cold.
He wondered how they were coming along. It was only polite to invite them as well.
Chester heard a deep voice that sounded unfamiliar and turned. A tall, raven-haired man came into the ballroom, followed by two young women. One was clearly still a child, dark-haired like her companion wearing a pale green dress. The other a tall, beautiful redhead in a blue dress. She looked very regal compared to her sister, who was bouncing from foot to foot in an excited manner.
Chapter 3
Old Friends Reunited
C hester stared. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The Cowell family, ten years on. And
Jethro…he had to have grown a foot in ten years. He looked magnificent.
“Jethro?”
Jethro turned. His eyes alighted on Chester, widening before he recognized him. With a beaming smile, Jethro approached him.
“Daniel!” Then he stopped himself. “Or is that Lord Winchester now? I don’t want to be disrespectful.”
“It’s Lord Winchester.” Daniel grasped his old friend’s hand and shook it. “Although you can call me Chester. I won’t get upset for that.”
“Sounds a lot better than Danny on you.” Jethro looked him over approvingly. “You’re looking well. The army did you some good.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Chester grunted. He stepped back and took in Jethro’s appearance. Tall, dark and muscular, this man was clearly a labourer, as evidenced by his calloused hands. “You’re all grown up now. You’re a fine-looking man, Jethro Cowell.”
Jethro laughed.
“I wouldn’t say that. Not compared to my sisters.” He beckoned the two women over. “You remember Clementine and Maisie, don’t you?”
“I certainly do.” Chester bowed to Maisie. “Miss Maisie.”
Maisie giggled and curtsied.
“My Lord Winchester.”
Still the same giggly girl. Chester almost rolled his eyes. He had a feeling Maisie had barely changed. Then he turned to Clementine, who looked very cool and collected standing tall, hands folded in front of her.
She also looked very lovely. She had grown into a beautiful young woman. Chester remembered to bow before he started openly staring.
“Miss Clementine. You’re looking much better than the last time I saw you.”
Clementine gave him a small curtsy, a slight smile curving at her lovely mouth.
“Well, I was soaking wet and unconscious.”
“There is that.”
For a moment, Chester thought he was going to say something. Then Clementine’s face flushed deeply, and she started looking around like a frightened rabbit.
“Excuse me, I need a drink. Come on, Maisie.”
Maisie started to protest but Clementine grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the dining hall. Chester watched her go. He was confused. The Clementine Cowell he had known hadn’t been this shy or easy to blush.
“Was it something I said?”
“No, it’s not you.” Jethro chuckled. “She’s just nervous. This is her first ball.” He paused. “And it’s been ten years since she last saw you.”
Chester knew what that meant.
“Is she still infatuated with me?”
“I’m afraid so. It didn’t die so much as lay dormant.” Jethro shook his head. “She’s scared of making herself look like a fool in front of you.”
“I’ve had worse this evening.” Chester was still staring after Clementine, who had disappeared from sight. “She’ll have all the men eating out of her hand soon.”
“I hope not.” Jethro grimaced. “I’ve got Maisie to worry about without Clementine’s nerves.”
Chester didn’t know about that. But he was sure the moment Clementine looked at the right person, they would be walking over hot coals for her.
***
Clementine didn’t want to be here. This was a mistake. As soon as she had seen Lord Winchester, her heart had started up so fast she couldn’t catch her breath. Tall, curly black hair and broader in the shoulders with a trim waist, dressed in dark blue, he looked every bit a soldier and a duke.
Whatever foolish fantasies she had had about him as a child didn’t compare to seeing him now. He was magnificent, even more so than before. He was a man.
And Clementine wasn’t prepared for her reaction towards him. Her eventual reaction was to run away. And that she had done. It was going to make her look like a foolish girl but Clementine didn’t care. She was struggling to breathe properly and Winchester’s closeness wasn’t helping.
Maisie decided she was going to walk away talk to some random people in a crowd. They accepted her almost immediately into the group. Clementine watched from a distance as she sipped at her glass, seeing Maisie laughing and chattering with the other women. She fitted right in.
She could do the fakery as easily as anybody else. It wasn’t for Clementine though. She didn’t want to be a part of it.
Jethro had said they would only be there for a short period. Clementine hoped it wasn’t too long. She decided to give it an hour and hide somewhere that nobody would find her. If Jethro wasn’t ready in an hour, she would get their carriage to take her home and then come back for her brother and sister.
Being around Daniel Lundie-Brown, Duke of Winchester, was going to be a struggle for her.
Clementine put her glass down and set off looking for the parlour room. There was a chaise longue that she could sit on and wait until it was time to go. It saved anyone coming up to her and asking her to dance. Three men had tried already but Clementine had to pretend she was waiting for the man she had come with. It was rude to turn people down but Clementine didn’t want to dance.
She was glad this wasn’t her every day life. How Winchester could stand it, she had no idea.
Clementine was lost in thought as she turned into a corridor that she guessed led to where she wanted to go that she very nearly didn’t see the woman collapsed on a window seat, her shoulders shaking. It wasn’t until Clementine got closer that she realized she wasn’t laughing – she was crying.
Then Clementine recognized her.
“Melissa?”
Melissa Merryman had been another childhood friend of Clementine’s. She had been the older sister of Clementine’s friend Ruby. Their father was the Earl of Reading and while they weren’t supposed to converse, Reading was happy to let his daughters have friends with whoever they liked. Melissa had been on the society scene for three years and, as far as Clementine knew, she was fitting in well.
So why was she crying?
“Clementine.” Melissa sat up and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. “I’m sorry, I’m causing a scene.”
“Hardly since it’s just me here.” Clementine sat beside her. Hiding would have to wait. Her friend was more important. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” Melissa tried to stand. “It’s just me being foolish.”
Clementine knew a diversion when she heard one. She grabbed Melissa’s hand, stopping her from moving away.
“Melissa. You know me. What’s really wrong?”
Melissa hesitated. Then she sat back down and let out a shuddering sigh, ending on a sob.
“Jonathan ended it with me. He’s broken off our engagement.”
“What? I thought it was good between you two. You were going to get married next week.”
Jonathan Farley was the son of the Marquess of Somerset. A very upstanding, respectable gentleman and Clementine had thought he was a good match for Melissa, who would have been the perfect woman to be the next Marchioness of Somerset. So hearing he had broken the engagement was shocking.
“Oh, he’s getting married.” Melissa sniffed. “Just not to me.”
That was when it sunk in. Clementine sighed.
“He was stringing you along.”
“No, not that.” Melissa was gnawing at her lip, her eyes brimming with tears. “His parents never liked me. I had no idea why; nobody would say. I thought once we were married things would be better. Then he told me just now his parents have agreed for him getting married next week, providing it’s to a girl they’ve chosen for him. The daughter of a baron.” Melissa almost spat that out. “If he doesn’t marry their choice, he’ll be cut out and he won’t inherit once his father passes. It’ll go to his brother and Jonathan hates his brother.”
Clementine had had no idea. She had thought the current Marquess and Marchioness of Somerset, from the few moments she had been in their company, had been cold people. That they would do this to their son to keep him in line…
“Oh, Melissa. I’m so sorry.” Clementine squeezed her friend’s hands. “H
e’s not worth it. If he really loved you he wouldn’t have cared about losing his title.”
“I’m realizing that too late.” Melissa whimpered and bowed her head. “I feel like such a fool.”
“You’re not a fool. He’s a fool for doing that to you.” Clementine found her own handkerchief and dabbed at Melissa’s cheeks. “Look, dry your eyes and go back in there.”
“But I can’t. He’s in there now with his future bride.”
Clementine had seen that. She had been surprised another woman had been standing close to Jonathan, hand on his arm like she owned him. Now Clementine understood why.
Then she had an idea.
Chapter 4
The Ball
“J ethro’s here. You like my brother Jethro, don’t you?”
Melissa nodded, managing a little smile.
“He was always very sweet to me when we were younger. Very respectful. I know he didn’t like Jonathan though.”
“That’s because Jethro’s always had a good judgement of people.” Clementine smiled and urged Melissa to stand. “Why don’t you go to him and ask him to dance? I know that’s rather forward but I know he wants to ask you.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Clementine squeezed her hands. “He’ll cheer you up. And Maisie’s here. She always makes you smile.”
That seemed to make Melissa’s mind up. She straightened up and nodded.
“I’ll do it.”
“Go. Jethro was in the ballroom when I last saw him.”
Melissa managed a smile and smoothed her hands down her dress. Then she turned and walked away, keeping her head high. Clementine watched her go, hoping that Melissa would find Jethro. Her brother had been half-hoping Melissa would be there. There had always been a soft spot for Melissa Merryman, even with Melissa’s impending marriage. Now it wasn’t there, Clementine hoped Jethro would step forward and make Melissa smile again.
Then Clementine realized she was still smiling long after Melissa had gone. And she was smiling directly at Lord Winchester.
***
Chester had been surprised to find that Clementine had vanished, even more surprised that she had attempted to sneak away. For a beautiful woman like Clementine Cowell that shouldn’t have happened. She should have had scores of men lining up to dance with her.
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