Chapter 11

L ucy needed to know what was happening in her brother's study. If not for Charlotte, she'd be outside the room right now, her ear pressed to the heavy wooden door. But her best friend was adamant about Lucy leaving the two men to their discussion.

She rose to her feet and began to pace. Charlotte watched her—no doubt to ensure she didn't storm into the study—but said nothing. She couldn't explain why she was so worried.

She glanced at the clock over the fireplace mantel. They'd left the room two minutes ago, and she was beset with worry about what was happening. Alex was being insufferably overprotective of her. She could understand why, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

Perhaps she should have told her brother that she was the one who'd propositioned Holbrook. And that he'd turned down her suggestion they have an affair, insisting instead that he wanted to court her.

No, she couldn't do that. She wouldn't be the reason Holbrook was ostracized from his circle of friends.

But maybe her brother wouldn't care as long as Holbrook made her happy.

"You're making me dizzy," Charlotte said, intruding on her spiraling thoughts.

"I'm a widow, for heaven's sake. Holbrook shouldn't need to ask for permission to court me."

Charlotte was clearly trying not to laugh at her very real concern. "I doubt very much that Holbrook is asking for permission. But I can't guarantee that Alex won't threaten to call him out if he hurts you."

Lucy threw herself onto the settee next to her friend.

Charlotte wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a sideways hug. "Why are you so worried? I haven't heard anything that would lead me to believe there's any danger of Holbrook acting dishonorably. I've made several discreet inquiries on the matter."

Lucy shouldn't have been so surprised, yet she was. "When? Why?"

"Before we invited him to dinner on the eve of the ball, of course. As the only single gentleman on the guest list, I wanted to ensure I wasn't inviting a snake into our midst."

"Like Mansfield."

Charlotte looked away. "Exactly." She forced a smile and faced Lucy again. "But everyone said complimentary things about him. And if Ladies Cranston and Hargrove are to be believed, he played an instrumental role in helping their husbands overcome their reluctance to marriage."

Lucy hadn't heard anything about that. "So he's a matchmaker?"

Charlotte laughed. "Not as far as I know. But apparently he does have a steady nature and is very good at seeing what one is trying to hide under the surface."

Lucy felt a spark of alarm. Had Holbrook been able to see what she'd been trying to hide? That she was unhappy and felt a tiny bit jealous of her friends' marriages?

She let out a soft sigh. Of course he had. She suspected everyone knew that.

The clock struck eight, and Lucy shook off her reverie. It had been more than five minutes. She should go see whether Holbrook was still here or if he'd escaped out a side entrance. The thought that he would give up on her had her jumping to her feet.

"I should go check on them…"

Charlotte grasped her arm, preventing her escape. "They're coming."

Lucy listened and realized her friend was right. The soft murmur of deep voices, growing louder by the second, reassured her that Holbrook hadn't fled.

"You should have seen the look on his face when I told him I wasn't going to support his bill," Alex said.

Holbrook was clearly amused when he replied. "No doubt it was the same sour expression he donned for the rest of that session."

Both men were laughing when they entered the drawing room. Holbrook's gaze sought her out immediately. He winked.

And Lucy's heart turned over in her chest.