Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

" T he Duke and Duchess of Aldworth!" the steward announced from the top of the stairs. "Along with His Grace's sister, Lady Adeline!"

"Thank you so much for being here with me," Adeline whispered to Christine as she followed behind the Duke and Duchess.

"Have you become used to being called that yet?" Theodore asked his wife.

"Yes, I believe so," Christine muttered. Her eyes danced around the people in the great hall. They had been announced, so if her family were there already, they would be looking her way, and she would surely spot them. Yet, there were many people already packed into the hall, and it was hard to pick out any individual person.

"You are looking for your sister," Theodore noted as they reached the bottom of the stairs. He reached out a hand and shook it with a lord Christine did not know.

"I have not seen Irene in so long," Christine told him. "I miss her terribly."

"Now, do you think she will be looking for her dear sister, or will she be looking for the man who has ruined all other men for her."

"Oh, my goodness," Christine scoffed.

"I can't help it, and it was not my intention," Theodore told her. "I danced with her, and no man will ever be as dashing or charming. It is a burden and a curse."

Christine shook her head and smiled. "We shall dance together later, and I know I shall not be ruined. Is that why you came here? Do you wish to charm women and ruin them for other men, or are you here to chaperone your sister."

Christine noticed Adeline scanning the room behind the Duke's back. Her mystery man might be in the building this evening.

"My brother is not here to dance with anyone but you, of course," Adeline interjected. "He is married now."

"Yes, I am a married man, and society dictates that I must act a certain way," Theodore agreed.

"Why do you have to say it like that, Theo?" Adeline moaned. "You always act the perfect gentleman, but you can be so crass and blunt sometimes."

Christine looked between the brother and sister. She felt they were both living separate lives that the other did not know about.

"The people expect it," Theodore said. "Another burden and a curse. They see how handsome and charming I am and expect to hear some banter from me, some double entendres. They would go home disappointed if they did not hear that from me."

"I don't believe that is true," Adeline said.

"You are still young and naive, dear sister," Theodore replied.

"How about some refreshments, and then we can aid Adeline in filling her dance card?" Christine suggested. "We can begin by watching out for any rogues." Christine made sure to lock eyes with her husband as she said it.

Theodore chuckled and spun around lavishly, taking two glasses of sherry and handing them to his wife and sister mid-spin. "I shall return when I have found some good brandy," he declared.

Christine watched him walk away. She still could not believe she was married, let alone that she was a duchess. And while she did not concern herself only with looks, she was still astounded to be married to a man as handsome as the Duke. As they had walked down the stairs, and she had searched for her family, she had looked at many of the young gentlemen. There were many handsome men dressed in finery, but none were as handsome or fine as her husband.

It worried her a little. She had not actually received a reply to her question about whether he would sleep around with other women while they were married, and while she was sure he would not be caught in a compromising position with another woman that evening, she did worry about him dancing with another.

"Cheers!" Christine said to Adeline, trying to take her mind off such things.

"Cheers!" Adeline said, taking a small sip.

"Good. Don't drink too much too quickly," Christine instructed her. "It is fine to have some sherry to lose your nerves and increase your courage, but be sure to drink plenty of water between dances and visit the powder room to refresh before dancing with a different partner."

She was reminded of the night she met the Duke at a ball similar to the one they attended but at a different residence. Irene had gone to the powder room, and Christine had followed the Duke outside to give him a piece of her mind. How was she to know it would change the entire direction of her life?

"Oh!" Adeline gasped.

"What? Is it…?" Christine asked, inquiring if her mystery man was at the ball.

"No, it's…"

Christine looked around to observe a young lord approaching. The man was in his early twenties, dressed well enough, but looked from Adeline to the floor and back as he approached.

"Good evening, Your Grace," the man said to Christine. "I perhaps should have waited until His Grace returned, but I was on my way over when he walked away, and I did not want to lose my chance."

"Perhaps you could introduce yourself?" Christine suggested.

The young man shook his head quickly and smiled. He had a way of smiling, as if he had to force himself to do it. He raised both palms in surrender. "I can be such a bungler at these events. I am Owen Barnett, the Baron of St. Vincent."

Christine bowed her head a little. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord St. Vincent. I assume you have approached to talk with Lady Adeline."

"I have, yes," the Baron agreed.

He stuttered a little, obviously nervous around the two women, but the way he acted suggested that he was equally nervous around everyone.

"Then let's introduce her," Christine said. "Lady Adeline, this is Lord St. Vincent."

Adeline curtseyed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, My Lord."

"The pleasure is all mine," the Baron replied as he bowed far too low. When he came back up, he asked, "Might I have a dance with you tonight, Lady Adeline?"

Adeline looked at Christine.

"It is your choice," Christine told her.

"I only wonder if I should wait for my brother?" Adeline asked.

"It is obvious that Lord St. Vincent is a fine young man, and I am sure he is a very adept dancer," Christine replied.

The words acted like soil the Baron had been planted in, and he grew a few inches in stature. "Thank you, Your Grace."

Adeline looked around the hall quickly, then at Christine, finally resting her eyes on the young lord before her.

"Yes, I would like to dance with you, Lord St. Vincent," Adeline agreed.

"I am very glad." The Baron let out a deep breath, not trying to hide his awkwardness.

He filled in a slot in Adeline's dance card and then went on his way with more of a spring in his step.

"He is… an interesting young man," Adeline said.

Christine laughed. "Yes, he is."

"I am glad he came and asked me to dance," Adeline said. "I have been nervous about who I might dance with, but he was very pleasant, and he was so nervous that I don't feel nervous at all to dance with him."

"That is good," Christine said. "Oh, there…!" Christine spotted her sister, but she did not want to leave Adeline all alone.

"You found your family," Adeline said. "You should go and speak with them."

"I won't leave you by yourself," Christine said.

"No, look, it is fine," Adeline asserted. "Theo is on his way back now. Go and visit with your sister, and I shall tell Theo about Lord St. Vincent. I really am glad you are here."

"I am, too," Christine said. She took a quick look at Theodore and smiled before she took off toward her father and sister.

Irene spotted Christine as she approached and headed her off. The two sisters embraced for the first time since Christine's wedding day which had been a blur.

"I am so glad to see you, Christine," Irene stated. "It feels like you have been gone for far too long. I don't know if I will ever get used to it."

"I have missed you terribly, too," Christine admitted. "And you shall not have to get used to it. Soon, you will be married, and you will be off on your own adventures."

"So many changes," Irene complained.

It was the most talkative and excited that Christine had ever seen her sister at a ball, and Christine was the reason for it.

"Father," Christine said, hugging her father also. "I am glad to see you here with Irene. You picked out a splendid dress for the occasion. The Green of the gown matches the emerald decor."

"I wish I could take credit for it, but it was all your mother's doing," Cornelius admitted. "She wanted to have some part in the planning, and she was able to choose the dress and jewelry."

"That warms my heart," Christine said. "How is Mother doing? Has there been any change?"

"No, there has not," her father replied. "That is both a blessing and a curse. She hasn't fallen more ill, but she has not shown signs of improvement."

"It will take some time," Christine said.

"I know it will, but time is all we have, and it slowly slips through my hands," Cornelius bemoaned.

Christine looked at Irene, whose pout matched her father's tone. It was hard enough to have a sick mother at home, but that also meant she could not attend balls with her daughters.

"Oh, let me take a look at you!" Christine exclaimed. She took her sister by the shoulders and twisted her back and forth to get a better look at the dress from multiple angles. "You look wonderful. Your dance card must already be full looking like that, Irene."

Irene blushed. When she spoke, she was quiet as a mouse. "Perhaps half-filled." She raised her eyebrows a little.

"Wonderful!" Christine said, trying to keep the conversation away from miserable thoughts.

"What about you?" Irene asked.

"What about me?" Christine asked.

"You are married now," Irene replied. "How is it to be married?"

"It has been pleasant," Christine replied. She thought about that for a moment. "No, it has been interesting. It is far better to be interesting than pleasant."

"You should always be pleasant," Cornelius stated. "A man does not like an unpleasant woman."

"I never said Irene should be unpleasant," Christine maintained. "Only that… Oh, I don't really know what I am talking about. There are many men who like pleasant women and some who like interesting women, and you can be both simultaneously. All that is to say, I am enjoying being married, and I know you will enjoy being married when you find the person you are supposed to be with, Irene."

When Christine thought about it, she was not sure if she would describe her marriage as enjoyable, but there were moments dotted through the past weeks like gemstones in the dirt. The last few days had gone some way to tipping the scales in favor of her marriage. It would always be one of convenience, but Theodore was more tolerable now that he was not trying to distance himself from her.

And she had the dance to look forward to.

"I should return to Adeline," Christine noted. "You are in capable hands with Father."

"I am," Irene agreed. "Thank you for coming over to hug me. When the dances are done, perhaps we can talk some more?"

"I would like that," Christine said.

She left her sister and father to go off in search of her new family. She had two distinct reasons for doing so. She wanted to ensure Adeline was not left alone and getting herself into trouble—Christine worried about the man she had developed feelings for—and she was looking forward to dancing with the Duke.

Christine had not known Adeline for a long time, but she had become protective of her, like a sister. She needed to be by her side. There were not many things that could take her from that responsibility.

Visiting with her family was one of the few things.

Dancing with the Duke was the other.