CHAPTER 12

The lively atmosphere of Lady Maria's garden tea party began to shift a little as the sun dipped lower in the sky. As the warmth cooled off a little, the garden seemed to get a little quieter. But that was not because the party was unsuccessful. Quite the opposite, this had truly been one of the best events of the Season so far.

As the first hint of dusk settled over the garden, Lady Maria's butler appeared at the edge of the crowd, his presence signaling a new event to keep the party going. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced in his deep, polished voice, "the drawing room is prepared for card games and tea. Please, follow me inside."

A ripple of anticipation moved through the guests as they began to make their way towards the grand French doors leading in to Lady Maria's stately home. Everyone seemed thrilled by the prospect of a card game, but not more than Wesley. He was hoping to catch yet another moment alone with Lady Sylvia, and he was hoping that this was the chance to do so.

As he scanned the drawing room, trying to seek her out, Wesley's heart raced with excitement. His walk with Lady Sylvia around the gardens had only intensified his liking of her. He had even told her he thought that she was beautiful, which she seemed to enjoy. Wesley smiled to himself, looking forward to the chance to compliment her again.

But as he located her, his heart skipped a beat. The joy that she had been exuding in the garden only a short time before seemed to have diminished and now she was a shadow of her former self. Wesley watched her closely, his curiosity piqued. Lady Sylvia's transformation was stark, almost unsettling. He wondered what could have caused such a shift in her mood. Before he could approach her, Harriet made her way to Lady Sylvia's side.

Welsey was grateful that his sister had noticed the same thing as him, but he was still a little nervous. He cocked his head to one side and watched as Harriet leaned in to exchange a few words with Sylvia. Their conversation was brief, but it seemed to bring a small measure of comfort to Lady Sylvia, who nodded in response to Harriet's kind words. He wished that he was a little closer to them, so he could hear what his sister was saying. But from where he was, he could only try and imagine the words being exchanged.

The only problem was he could not even begin to imagine what was happening.

He had absolutely no idea.

Before Wesley could fully comprehend what was happening, he found himself seated at a card table, paired with Lady Sylvia for a round of whist, instructed by Lady Maria's butler who was organizing everything. Their opponents, Harriet and Edward, settled into their chairs across from them, each wearing expressions of good-natured competitiveness. It was an unexpected turn of events, but not an unwelcome one.

Perhaps now Wesley could find out what had Lady Sylvia so upset.

Determined to lift Lady Sylvia's spirits in any way that he could, Wesley engaged her in light conversation as they began to play. "I must confess, I am not as adept at whist as some of our companions here. Do you have any tips for a novice like me?" he asked, his tone playful.

Lady Sylvia looked up, a hint of a weak smile touching her lips. "You undervalue yourself, Lord Wesley. I have a feeling you are more skilled than you let on. I suppose we shall see."

"Perhaps I am just good at bluffing," he replied, chuckling softly.

As the game progressed, Lady Sylvia's initial reserve began to melt away. She responded to Wesley's attempts at conversation with growing warmth, her sharp intellect and subtle humor gradually resurfacing. Her eyes sparkled with a familiar light as she made a clever play, and Wesley found himself genuinely enjoying her company.

Harriet and Edward, meanwhile, proved to be formidable opponents. Harriet's strategic mind and Edward's talent for discerning the sentiments of those present, kept the game lively and challenging. It was so much fun that everyone ended up laughing and enjoying each other's company.

But Wesley could not shake off the awareness surrounding him. Across the room, his mother sat with a group of her own friends, her posture impeccably straight, her expression inscrutable. Wesley could not help but steal glances at her between plays, sensing a powerful hint of disapproval in her demeanor. It was a subtle thing, a slight tightening of her lips, a narrowing of her eyes, but Wesley knew what was troubling her.

She was not happy that again he was messing things up for her by not giving Lady Arabella the attention that she needed. But this was not his fault, he had not arranged who he was playing with. Yet he knew he was going to feel the wrath of this later.

What did she want him to do? Cause a scene and insist that he played with Lady Arabella? Actually, that was probably exactly what she wanted. Anything to stake his claim on the diamond of the Season.

Well, he was not going to do that. He would not be nothing more than a pawn in his mother's game. He continued to focus on the cards instead, pleased to see that he and Lady Sylvia were actually in the lead. He shared a glance with her which made his cheeks heat up with joy.

Finally, the last card was played. Lady Sylvia made the winning move with a deft flick of her wrist, and a soft cheer escaped her lips. Wesley's heart swelled with pride as he looked at her, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

"We did it," he said, his voice filled with delight.

Sylvia's eyes sparkled with the same joy. "We did," she replied, her smile radiant. "Perhaps we make a good team. Or maybe you really were bluffing before."

"Oh, do not worry. That was all you!"

Harriet and Edward joined in the applause, their good-natured congratulations adding to the moment's warmth. "Well played," Harriet said, shaking her head with a smile. "You two seem to be able to read each other's minds, which helped you win."

Edward nodded in agreement, shooting Wesley a playful wink. "Indeed. It was a pleasure to play against such formidable opponents. I enjoyed that very much."

With the card game concluded and the room buzzing with the gentle hum of conversation, Wesley and Lady Sylvia found themselves momentarily at the sidelines of the party, much to Wesley's relief. This was the chance that he had been looking for all evening long.

"Shall we find a quieter corner?" Wesley suggested, nodding towards a pair of armchairs near a tall window. It was not as much privacy as he would have liked in order to talk to Lady Sylvia, but his mother's eyes were already upon him. He could not do anything to anger her further.

Lady Sylvia smiled and nodded, following him to the chairs. Once seated, Wesley made sure to pour them both a drink to accompany their conversation. One he hoped would be able to last a long time without his mother's interruption.

"That was quite the game," Wesley began, his tone light. "I must admit, I did not expect us to win."

Lady Sylvia laughed softly, a sound that seemed to lift the very air around them. "Neither did I. But it was fun. I have not enjoyed a card game so much in a very long time. Lady Harriet and Lord Edward were a lot of fun."

"I could not help but notice," Wesley began cautiously, approaching the topic that he was anxious about, "that you seemed a bit... distant earlier. Is something bothering you?"

Lady Sylvia's gaze dropped to her tea cup, her fingers tracing the delicate rim. "I suppose I was feeling a bit overwhelmed," she admitted. "These gatherings can be so demanding. Sometimes it is hard to keep up the facade of constant cheerfulness."

He was sure that she was hiding something from him, that there was a lot more to this, but he also sensed that it would not be a good idea to push her too much. He did not want Lady Sylvia to pull away from him.

"Everyone feels that way," he assured her instead. "Just know that you always have friends if you need them. I will always be there for you, and Harriet too."

She smiled and nodded, but did not open up to him in the way that he hoped.

That was unfortunate, but there was really nothing that Wesley could do about it.

Not now anyway.

As the evening drew to a close and the guests began to take their leave, Wesley found himself lingering near the door, exchanging polite goodbyes with everyone else who had been in attendance at the party. He could not help but feel a pang of disappointment as he watched Lady Sylvia move towards the door, wishing that he could spend more time with her. She made everything so much better. He really could spend all his time with her, and not get bored.

"Lady Sylvia," he said softly as she prepared to leave, "it was truly a pleasure. I hope we have more opportunities to talk in the future."

Lady Sylvia turned to him, her eyes warm and genuine. "I hope so too, Lord Wesley. Thank you for helping me to get through this night."

They shared a brief, meaningful smile before she stepped outside and into her carriage, and Wesley watched as it rolled away into the night, his heart sinking as it went. With a sigh, Wesley turned to join his mother, who stood a little distance away from everyone else, frowning with displeasure. Wesley knew that he was going to be yelled at once they were alone and he tried his absolute hardest to brace himself for it.

But shockingly, that was not what happened.

The ride home was marked by an intense silence. Wesley sat across from his mother and sister in the carriage, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels on the cobblestones the only sound breaking the stillness. He had been waiting for her to express her displeasure with him. But she remained silent, staring out the window, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere.

This uncharacteristic quietness unsettled Wesley. He cast a few glances her way, waiting for a word, a sigh, any indication of her thoughts. But none came. Every time he caught Harriet's eyes, she seemed surprised as well.

Choosing not to dwell on his mother's unusual demeanor because there was nothing that he could do to change it anyway, Wesley allowed his mind to drift back to the more pleasant moments of the evening. His thoughts returned to Lady Sylvia: her laughter, her quick wit, the way her eyes sparkled when they shared a victory in the game. She really was fun, and he had never connected with anyone the way that he did with her. It really was a shame that she was not the sort of Lady that his mother deemed appropriate for him.

If that were the case, then all of his problems would be solved.

As the carriage continued its journey through the quiet streets, Wesley found himself looking forward to their next meeting. The prospect of seeing Lady Sylvia again filled him with a sense of anticipation and hope. He wondered what their future conversations might hold, what other layers of her personality he might uncover. He knew that there was so much more to her, so much he could learn, and he could not wait for it to happen.

When the carriage finally arrived at their home, Lady Victoria stirred from her reverie. She stepped out gracefully, her silence still unbroken. Wesley and Harriet followed, feeling a mixture of curiosity and unease about her unusual quietness. He was even too nervous to even ask his sister what was happening, although Harriet did not look like she had any idea what was going on either.

As they entered the house, Lady Victoria paused in the hallway, turning to her children with an inscrutable expression, one which made his heart skip a few anxious beats "Good night, Wesley, Harriet," she said simply, her voice soft but firm. "I shall see you both in the morning."

"Good night, Mother," he replied, watching as she ascended the stairs, her thoughts still a mystery. Wesley turned to his sister, but Harriet looked far too exhausted to engage in a conversation with him. So, he said nothing, and let her wander off to her room.

Wesley made his way to his own room, the events of the evening playing over in his mind. His mother's silence, though unsettling, could wait for another time. For now, he chose to focus on the memories of his time with Lady Sylvia, allowing the warmth of those moments to guide him into a restful sleep. He hoped to only dream of Lady Sylvia and the way that she made him feel. Because that was the lightest he had felt in a very long time.