Page 31 of A Lady's Propitious Match
CHAPTER 14
Christopher circulated the garden party in a bit of a daze after his intimate moment with Clara at the fountain. He knew that he was surrounded by lots of other people, but the only eyes flooding his mind were hers. She really was something special.
But the intense moment by the fountain gripped him the most. He kept replaying those sparks that went through him when his bare fingers brushed her gloved hand. That was something he had never experienced before in his life. He had never felt so… alive touching another person.
What did that mean for him? What did that mean for them?
As much as he did not enjoy his conversations with Miss Deveraux, he truly loved talking with Clara. Her artistic eye really inspired him and made him want to create. Just hearing the awe in her voice while she talked about art was wonderful. Something he would love to listen to all the time. It was something that they shared in a way that he did not share with another living soul in the world.
If only he knew what would unfold between Clara and himself. This was supposed to be a ruse, a ploy to distract their families from the ones that they had chosen. But it felt more real than anything else. Christopher had truly never had his heart beat quite like this for another person. He felt like he was in too deep already, and that there would be no way to extract himself from this without sustaining wounds along the way.
“Christopher, there you are!” The sound of Elliot’s excited voice finally drew him back in to the present moment and away from his spiraling thoughts. “I have been searching for you. This is going rather well, do you not think?”
Christopher blinked as he darted his eyes around the party. “Oh yes, I think my mother has done a rather good job…”
“No, that is not what I mean.” Elliot leaned in a little closer so no one else could overhear them. “I am talking about the rumors already swirling around the party. Everyone is discussingClara and you already. Talking about your cozy turn through the rose garden. Some guests are even speculating if a courtship may be budding.”
A smile crept up on Christopher’s lips. At least in the midst of all the confusion, their plan was working. He was going to have to be careful around his mother, of course, because she would not take this well. But they were going to have to overcome that hurdle to get to where they really wanted to be.
Free to make their own decisions.
That was the aim of this all along. To have freedom and to search for love in the places that they wanted to. To be able to explore a real connection with someone, other than the people they were expected to marry.
Although Christopher struggled to imagine a real connection with anyone else, stronger than the one he already had with Clara…
“Thank you very much for your participation in the games,” Leonora announced loudly. “I hope we have all had a great time playing shuttlecock and battledore. But now I would like to invite you all inside for more tea and games.”
Christopher and Elliot exchanged a look. There was still more to be done. The more they gave the guests to talk about, the more his mother would have to accept that this was the way that things were going to be.
As he walked inside with Elliot, he found himself worried again about how he was going to manage her reaction. Of course that was something he had considered when starting this ruse, but the closer he got to actually facing it, the harder it felt.
“Oh my,” Christopher murmured to himself the moment he set foot in the grand drawing room. His eyes were immediately drawn to Clara and he found her sitting with his aunt.
What were they talking about? It was likely that Aunt Abigail had overheard the whispers surrounding the party. She was very perceptive when it came to things like that, much more than his mother.
Maybe she was trying to see how much she also liked Clara, to decide if she thought she was a good fit for him or not.
Christopher swallowed hard.
That made him very anxious.
“Mr. Fitzhugh, how good it is to finally see you. I was looking for you on the courts.”
“Miss Devereux.” It was hard for Christopher to keep the disappointment from his voice. “I hope you are enjoying the party.”
How was he going to keep watch of Clara and his aunt if Henrietta desperately wanted all of his attention?
“Oh yes, and the refreshments on offer here are truly divine. Your mother must have the keenest eye when it comes to creation. I am inspired by her all the time.”
“Yes, she does.”
Christopher moved ever so slightly. He wanted to get closer to his aunt so he could over hear what they were saying. But of course, Henrietta followed him.
“Did you help her with the preparations? I am sure you must have had a hand in it. Since you like art and the cakes are arranged in a way that I would describe as an art form…”
“No, no, that was something Mother did all by herself.”
It was not easy to keep his focus on Henrietta, but he attempted to do so, remaining polite as he edged his way through the crowds.
