Page 52 of The Viscount's Diamond Bride
He had wanted to wed. Most men and women did. The trouble was, whenever he met a young lady, they were often silly and trite and easily distracted.
Let it not be thought that this did not reflect upon womankind in anyway whatsoever. No, mostmenthat Jonathan met were every bit as trite and silly and easily distracted. Even so, he could not imagine spending his life with a woman who could not and would not comprehend the darker parts of Jonathan’s person. He had been a soldier. He had gone to war and nearly died more times than he could care to imagine. He had killed and watched his friends die in front of him.
He could not put that aside simply to spend his life sitting in drawing rooms and speaking of dress patterns and gossip. No, he could not.
And then, as if on cue, she appeared in the distance. Charlotte Winter was slowly and carefully winding her way through the crowd towards him. Her eyes never left his face as she continued on her way, smiling at him. Jonathan’s chest constricted as he thought for a moment that he was heading for trouble.
Oh, dear,he thought.I am swimming in deep waters.
Miss Winter reached him, and beamed up at him.
“Are you not dancing, Lord Hartwell?”
“I’m afraid not,” Jonathan sighed. “I am not much of a dancer. I am however, observing our friends cause quite a stir on the dance floor.”
“Oh, Ursula and Lord Sinclair? Yes, Ursula is a fine dancer. So graceful,” Miss Winter added, with a faint sigh. “She’s my dearest friend, and I am often reminded of how dumpy and plain I look beside her. It’s almost amusing. You know, many friends of mine have counselled me to drop her in favour of a plainer acquaintance. I laugh and laugh until they give up asking. As if anything would make me give up my Ursula.”
He glanced sharply down at her. “Do you mean to tell me that there are people in Society who deem you plain, Miss Winter? They must surely have taken leave of their senses.”
She laughed aloud, which took him back a little. “Oh, very droll, Lord Hartwell. I was not seeking flattery, but you are nevertheless very chivalrous.”
He blinked at her, bewildered. “I don’t understand. I was not being chivalrous. I am not generally chivalrous. I was merely saying what I believe I generally do.”
Her smile faded, and she glanced up at him with curiosity.
Before another word could be exchanged, the dance ended, and there was a flurry of applause and laughter. Graham and his wife came hurrying across the ballroom towards them, their faces flushed and laughing. They were holding hands, Jonathan noted.
“Goodness, I’m exhausted after that,” Graham laughed. “Miss Winter, Jonathan, it is good to see you both! Now that we’ve found you, perhaps you and my dear wife might sit and rest, while Jonathan and I take the air outside?”
“I shan’t say no to taking the weight off my feet,” Ursula laughed. Arm in arm, she and her friend disappeared into the crowd.
Jonathan found himself looking after them, watching Miss Winter’s dignified, becoming burgundy gown disappear in a crowd of silly silks and satins.
A few moments later, he and Graham stepped out onto the terrace. The terrace was rather busy, and so they moved a little further forward into a hedge-maze just in front of the terrace, which was quieter.
“You’re fond of her,” Jonathan remarked, after a long and comfortable pause.
“Yes, I’m growing fond of her,” Graham responded, nodding. There was no need to specify who he meant. “I am afraid, though. My father was fond of my mother, once. Margaret, that is.”
Jonathan winced. “You are not going to becomehim, Graham.”
“I imagine he thought the same.”
“Nonsense. He was an awful young man, and grew into an awful old man.”
“I just…” Graham paused, rubbing the space between his brows with his thumb. “My motives for entering into matrimony with Ursula were all wrong. The guilt weighs on me. And to top it all off, I can’t stop thinking of…” he trailed off before he could speak her name.
“Jane?”
He nodded tightly. “I often think that if Mother had not interfered, then Jane and I would be wedded by now. At the time, I never imagined espousing another woman.”
There was a rustle in the hedge behind him, but it stopped at once. Jonathan eyed the hedge, frowning. Graham barely seemed to notice it at all.
“Likely just a rat or something,” he remarked, nudging Jonathan. “Pay no attention.”
Sighing, Jonathan turned back to his friend.
“You speak often of how your mother interfered, offering Jane money to end the betrothal. You forget a key point.”
