“Amazing,” he said. “I have never seen anything quite as beautiful. How have you been? How is your betrothed?”
William excused himself from his mother and sister and walked with Edward over to the refreshments table where they each took a glass of wine in hand. “That is…” William paused, taking a moment to drink a little more wine than what was necessary. “Miss Dawkes broke our engagement.”
Edward huffed a stupefied laugh. “She broke it off? Does she not want to marry?” He shook his head. “Certainly this will mire her chances moving forward.”
William exhaled, staring at the red wine as he swirled it around his cup. It smelled of orange blossom, warm spices, and nights spent under the cover of night, his lips worshipping Charlotte. He shook his head to cast the thought away. “I suspect she found someone else. There was a young man that worked for her father, and the two had grown up together. believe she left me in pursuit of him,” he said. He refused to admit, even to his closest friend how much he actually knew about the nature of her leaving him. It most definitely had been in pursuit of Owen.
Edward frowned, but he did not look surprised. He took his friend by the shoulder. “You will recover. There is someone out there for both of us, do you think?”
“I have actually begun courting someone new.” William swallowed hard, eyes darting around the room. “You are familiar with the Earl of Pemberton, yes?”
“You have begun courting him?” Edward asked, chuckling. “How lovely.”
“His sister, you dolt.” It was impossible not to roll his eyes. For their entire friendship, Edward had savored any opportunity to mock him.
Edward smiled. “You are in love with her, then?”
William exhaled, his breath seemingly rattling around in the air in front of him before it dissipated. The words alone shook him. “I seem to have gotten myself entangled with her due to her insistence that she would never marry. I, of course, wished to prove her wrong and in turn have now forsaken myself to…” he paused. “Um, committing to such a ridiculous lie.”
“Pardon?” Edward asked, face scrunched up. “Like a false courtship?”
“Sometimes,” he said. “And sometimes I think…well it does not always feel that way.”
Edward began to laugh, so he set down his glass to avoid dropping it. He held a hand over his stomach and cackled. “You have done this? You are more a fool than I imagined.”
“Edward,” William shook his head.
“Listen,” He put his palm up. “If you are to fix this for yourself then you must reveal the truth to her even if you lose her. It is better than getting invested again. You need to take care of yourself, especially after such a difficult come down from your last courtship.”
William chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck and fidgeting. “What truth?”
“That you care for her,” he said.
“No. That is very funny. There is more to this arrangement than I mentioned, but I certainly wouldn’t call it romance.”
“You absolute…”
Edwards voice blended in with all the noise when Charlotte entered the ballroom, nose upturned, already seeming to be rather upset about something. Her hair was combed back into a braided updo. In her hair, a green feather flopped down. Her dress was a deep emerald, her sleeves seeming to drip off her shoulders like water. Just the sight of her alone shook up such an appetite in William that he was desperate for her to simply notice him.
She didn’t though. She spun on her heels, walking with purpose the opposite way. William followed her attention to where his sister was once again being accosted by Lord Gouldsmith. The man had not learned his lesson the last time she had belittled him. This was bound to be entertaining.
“William?”
Rubbernecking, he turned to look at his friend who had realized that he had been ignored for the greater part of two minutes. “Come. My sister is being hassled,” he said, prompting Edward to follow him. They pushed their way through the ballroom until they came across the group in question.
“Lord Gouldsmith, I will say I am quite surprised to see you again,” Charlotte said. “I was disappointed you did not ask for my dance at the last ball.”
“Why would I do that, my lady?”
Charlotte pursed her lips. “Your fondness for me seems challenged. If you wish for me to leave you to your own devices, my lord, you should at least attempt to win my grace.”
Lord Arthur sighed, glancing at Lavinia to determine whether she was really worth the trouble. “Fine,” he said. “You will save me a dance, then?”
“Oh,” Charlotte put her hand to her cheeks to feign embarrassment. “Heavens no. I am fully reserved.”
“With whom might you be dancing with all evening?” At this point Arthur was beginning to raise his voice slightly, causing William to choke down his amusement.
She shrugged. “Someone important is bound to ask me.”