Page 29 of Refining the Debutante
A moment passed and nothing. The world upside down seemed equally as confusing as the world aright.
The door opened, and after a few footsteps, Ethan had a perfect view of the earl of Radnor’s hessian boots. “My compliments to your valet, Stephen. I can almost see my reflection in your shoeshine.”
Stephen chuckled. “I can’t take you seriously like this.”
Ethan bent his legs and rolled his feet back to the floor. He lifted his head slowly, releasing the built-up pressure. Stretching his neck, he raised himself to his full height.
“Dare I ask what you were doing?” Stephen had a reputation for being arrogant during their time at university, but it was a front to hide his soft side. Ethan knew that when Stephen asked about something, he intended to listen.
“Clearing my mind,” Ethan answered. “Doesn’t everyone stand on their head while they think through their problems?”
Stephen’s brow rose under the wild curls that fell across his forehead. “You should get your money back from the sawbones who told you to do that.”
“Very funny.”
Stephen held up a key and unlocked the ivory balls from the box at the end of the room. “We can play while you tell me what’s been on your mind all week.”
“It’s an awkward situation,” Ethan said, grabbing a wooden mace off the billiards table.
Stephen’s thin lips curled into a catlike smile. “My favorite sort.”
Taking the white ball from Stephen, Ethan spun it around with his fingers and leaned against the table. “Imagine courting one woman only to find another who suited you better. You sort out the dilemma, only to have the first woman come back into your life. You feel obligated to assist her because of your complicated history together. How do you keep both women from drawing unnecessary conclusions about your efforts?”
“Is the first woman beautiful?”
“She has the kind of beauty that haunts a man’s dreams.”
Stephen chuckled. “But you prefer the second woman?”
“The first is trouble.” Ethan dropped the white ball onto the table, blinking away Miranda’s image from his mind. “More so in her current situation than ever.” No use getting into things about how her father had destroyed all her chances at a decent marriage.
“And you want to help her?”
How to explain what he himself had trouble rationalizing? “Could you pass up the last boy you handpicked for the school?”
Stephen shook his head. “At only twelve, he could do mathematics better than my solicitor without any formal training. He deserved a chance.” He bent over and pushed the ball toward the net. “Sounds like you have a problem on your hands.”
“Made more complicated by the fact that she doesn’t want me to help her.”
“We can’t help everyone. It’s impossible. We do our best, and we must leave the rest up to heaven.”
Ethan leaned against the table and dropped his head. “Every day I’ve ridden from here to Gray House and have not had any sight of her. She could be sick.”
“Half the town has been struggling with illness. My butler just succumbed to it.”
“I’m tempted to storm the house and demand she leave with me.”
Stephen studied his next shot. “You will ruin your chances with the second woman if you lose your head.”
“I know, I know. I’m not thinking clearly.”
“Did standing on your head help?”
Ethan took a turn, but his concentration was not there, and he missed. “Physical exertion often does the trick for me, but not this time.” He blew out his breath.
“I’d give you a drink,” Stephen said, “but it sounds like you need your wits about you.”
“I do. I wish you would tell me more about Lord Aldington. I can’t seem to learn much about him.”
