Page 37 of Dropping the Ball

By the time they reached the rose garden and the assembly enjoying tea that was already there, Alden had a fair idea he knew what Lady Gladys was doing.

“Can you not say anything kind or flattering about any of the young ladies I might choose as my bride?” he asked, steering the two of them over to the side instead of diving right into the expectant throng of guests.

Lady Gladys put on a look of false surprise, batting her eyelashes in shock. “I cannot imagine what you mean. I am merely sharing important knowledge about each of your guests.”

“You are making them all sound like three-day-old fish that Cook left in the sun,” Alden muttered.

“If I have been harsh on any of the ladies, it is only because I care about you, Alden.”

The moment Lady Gladys took the liberty of addressing him by his given name, Alden wrenched his arm away from her clutches.

Lady Gladys either did not notice the deliberate movement or chose not to acknowledge it. “I want only the very best for you, my friend,” she said. “I know that I spoiled my chance of being the instrument of your lifelong happiness years ago, and that you will not consider me now, but I long only to make you happy. If it requires alerting you to bad choices you might make, then I will stop at nothing to be certain you do not make them.”

Alden frowned, uncertain how to proceed. His basest instinct was to tell Lady Gladys precisely what he thought of her and to order her away from his home. But she had invited a great number of the guests who were milling about the garden, and who were still arriving. Questions would be raised, and potentially ill-feelings would cloud the events of the ball. That might reflect badly on Bernadette and impede any future business planning balls that she might wish to undertake.

He could not do anything to undermine Bernadette’s future, and if allowing Lady Gladys to continue with whatever plot she had to make him change his mind about marrying would help Bernadette, he would keep the frustrating woman where she was.

No sooner had he thought of Bernadette than he spotted her near the other side of the rose garden.

His first thought was that she was resplendent in the sunshine. Her simple gown of pale yellow was a beautiful contrast to the somewhat overdone, garish garments of the ladies she was speaking with. She was one of the few ladies not shielding themselves from the sunshine with a parasol or a wide bonnet, but that only made her more alluring.

Bernadette had not covered her head and did not hold a parasol because she was moving too much, settling the groups of ladies, and a few of gentlemen who looked more like jaguars on the hunt for prey than party guests. Her efforts seemed tireless as she said a few words with a smile to one group of ladies, then stepped aside to direct one of the maids serving tea to an arrangement of chairs occupied by older ladies, who looked as though they’d desperately needed to sit down.

Bernadette was caring and competent. So much more than she had agreed to had just been thrown at her, and by all appearances, she was managing it all beautifully. Her friendswere helping her, to be sure, but even they seemed to be taking their direction from Bernadette.

For the thousandth time in the last few weeks, Alden desperately wished there were a way to circumvent whatever sham of a marriage Bernadette’s father had shackled her to so that he could make her his bride. He had held off taking any action aimed at Lord Hethersett, but now he felt like a fool for holding back. He would have to write to the man at once, explaining his feelings and–

“Do you not think that would be best?” Lady Gladys asked by his side.

Alden only heard her because she’d stepped closer to him and attempted to slip her hand into the crook of his elbow once more. Her touch blasted his thoughts to bits.

He flinched away and asked, “I beg your pardon?”

Lady Gladys’s expression was hard and cold, despite the smile she wore. “I said, do you not think it would be easier for you if you were to return to South America and your scientific endeavors? It is apparent to all that you do not enjoy this sort of entertainment in the least.”

It was not what Alden expected her to say. He was certain Lady Gladys wished to nab him as her own, which would require him to remain in Wessex.

“My traveling days are behind me,” he said. “While I would not rule out the possibility of another voyage of shorter duration, one designed to revisit the places I love, but for the sake of relaxation and not exploration, my duty is to Wessex and my family now.”

“But you clearly love wild things and exotic locations,” Lady Gladys said. “Would it not be more enjoyable for you to return to what you love? Perhaps after you’ve married to satisfy your uncle’s wishes?”

Alden gazed out over the growing spread of guests taking tea. His eyes and his heart went straight to Bernadette, who was now laughing at something one of the young bucks had said.

Jealousy joined longing in his gut. Not because he thought Bernadette would be susceptible to any of the younger men’s charms, but because he wanted to be the one making her laugh.

He could easily see Bernadette breathing in the crisp, salt air of the sea on a voyage across the Atlantic and into the Caribbean Sea. He could visualize her climbing through the verdant jungle with him, excited by the brightness of the flowers and curious about every new animal she encountered. He could also see her conversing freely and fairly with the local people, learning their customs and their cultures.

“You would, of course, leave whatever bride you choose behind to mind your estate,” Lady Gladys said.

Alden dragged his eyes away from Bernadette to face her. He was no fool. He could see now why she’d made the suggestion. She was paving the way for a marriage between the two of them so that she might enjoy Lyndhurst Grove without him.

“I could never do that,” he said, again considering how much damage it would cause to send Lady Gladys back to her own estate. “If I do find a bride this weekend, it will be for more reasons than to avoid my family’s curse. I should very much like to find a wife who might share my interests and who would want to sail away with me.”

Lady Gladys laughed, as if Alden’s sincerest wishes were a joke. “I wish you all the best in that endeavor,” she said, taking his arm again and not allowing him to avoid her this time. “Come. Let me introduce you to Lady Diana and her daughter, Lady Alyce. You would like Lady Alyce. It is rumored that she attempted to run away from her home with one of the family’s footmen last year. I believe there was some attempt to marry the girl off to an acquaintance of her father’s after the fact, thoughthe necessity for that sort of hasty marriage was eliminated by nature.”

Alden fought not to scowl at the cruel bit of gossip, as several of the ladies who Bernadette had invited were now watching his approach eagerly. Aside from the venomous intent of Lady Gladys’s gossip, Alden felt sorrow for Lady Alyce, who might very well have fallen in love with someone, albeit someone unsuitable, and had her hopes and dreams ruined by her class.

He would not allow any more hopes and dreams to be ruined. Whether he ended up choosing a bride at the ball on the morrow or not, he would put all his efforts into ensuring that his guests enjoyed themselves to the fullest so that Bernadette’s organizational services would be highly sought after throughout Wessex and the south of Britannia for years to come.

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