Page 42 of Dropping the Ball

“I hired Bernadette to make my life easier,” he told Waldorf. “She has done that to the full extent of her capability, but as you well know, she cannot complete the job the way both of us would have her do.”

Waldorf huffed and shook his head with a smirk. “That is more of an answer than I was searching for, but since it is apparent you can think of nothing else but the one woman youcannot have while bobbing around a sea of ladies who would gladly accept your offer of marriage, I’ll accept it.”

Alden frowned at his cousin. “Is there another reason you’re here, or have you just come to poke fun at my misery.”

Waldorf waved his hand and closed the distance between the two of them. “I have every confidence that you and your sweet assistant will discover a way to have what you want. I am here to support you in whatever course of action you choose to pursue in order to achieve that.”

He paused when he reached Alden and brushed a hand over his ridiculous whiskers. “I am also here on crown business.”

“On crown business?” Alden arched one eyebrow suspiciously.

“Why have you abandoned your guests at such an early hour?” Waldorf asked, as if their exchange about Waldorf’s reasons for being there had never been mentioned.

Alden eyed his cousin for a long moment before giving up any hope of discovering the first thing about what Waldorf was up to. “Bernadette has suggested I lead an informational tour of the terrarium. She feels that by educating the young ladies as to the inhabitants of my collection, they will no longer be wary of them.”

Waldorf snorted. “And do you think that will actually transpire?”

“No,” Alden admitted with a helpless gesture. “But what other course of action do I have? I need to marry to avert the curse.”

Waldorf snorted. “You see? That is your problem. Yours and Cedric’s. You believe in that ridiculous curse.”

Alden’s brow flew up. “You do not?”

“No,” Waldorf said, as if the idea were ridiculous. “It is a farcical concoction, made up by Father to force those of us who have no wish to engage in the institution into marriage.”

“I have every wish to marry,” Alden said, his voice still filled with astonishment that his cousin didn’t believe in the curse. “But I want to marry the woman I want to marry.”

“Then call this travesty of a ball off,” Waldorf said, gesturing through the glass side of the terrarium to where Alden’s guests could be seen as watery blobs of color through the condensation that had gathered. “Take time to investigate Lady Bernadette’s prior marriage and to find a way to undo it. Do not waste your time on silly girls who carry cats around in baskets.”

Alden arched one eyebrow at the oddly specific statement. He did not have time to ask Waldorf just how acquainted he was with Bernadette’s friend, Lady Katherine, however. The colorful blobs had gathered near one of the terrarium’s doors, and moments later, Bernadette opened the door, letting a cluster of terrified, shivering young ladies in.

“Do not be afraid,” Bernadette said as she shepherded the potential brides into the humid room. It was somewhat noisy at the moment as well, as the parrots and other birds that made the room their home, along with the snakes, frogs, lizards, and crocodiles, were awake and showing off. “I can assure you that nearly everything in the terrarium is entirely harmless.”

“Nearlyeverything?” a small but buxom woman with mousey brown hair asked in a squeak.

Bernadette must have pretended not to hear the woman, lest she be forced to give an honest answer. She met Alden’s eyes across the room and smiled with unchecked affection.

Bernadette’s smile made Alden feel as though he could do anything, even endure an afternoon entertaining women he was supposed to marry instead of her. But as he took a step toward her, eager to begin the tour, if only for her sake, Waldorf reached out a hand to stop him.

“Whatever you do,” Waldorf said in a low voice, his thick whiskers making his frown seem severe, “do not make any hastydecisions. Father isn’t shuffling off his mortal coil anytime soon. You may still have a chance to win the woman you want.”

Alden wanted that to be true more than anything. Perhaps it was. But his grand scheme for a ball to choose a bride was already underway, and he had guests to entertain. He nodded to Waldorf, then set off across the terrarium to greet Bernadette and the tightly packed cluster of eight young, eligible ladies.

“I am so glad that you all chose to join me here in the heart of my home,” he told the ladies, clasping his hands together in front of him.

“Mama forced me to come,” Lady Wendine murmured from near the back of the pack.

Alden forced his smile to stay in place and pretended not to hear the comment. From the look of things, he was reasonably certain every one of the young ladies’ mamas had forced her to come. The only woman who looked glad to be there was Bernadette.

“I am glad that you are here regardless,” Alden said. “There are so many wonderful creatures in the world, but so many of them are grievously misunderstood. Take the common iguana, like Egbert here.”

Egbert had graciously come forward, skittering up the table near where the party stood and flicking his tongue at Bernadette, as if telling her he’d like to be picked up, thank you very much.

“Yes, Egbert,” Bernadette said, assisting him in the best way she could. She crossed to the table and reached for Egbert, letting him climb quickly up her arm to nestle on her shoulder, against her neck. “He’s really quite friendly, just like a housecat.”

The young ladies squealed and grimaced.

“Egbert is a knight anole from the region of the Caribbean,” Alden explained. “He enjoys sunning himself on branches and blending in with native flora, as well as eating insects. As you cansee, his coloring is quite striking. We do not have creatures of that shade of green here in Britannia, I can assure you.”

---