The Captain's Redemption (Regency Romance): WINTER STORIES (Regency Tales Book 15) by Regina Darcy

Author:Regina Darcy [Darcy, Regina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clean and Wholesome Romance
Published: 2017-02-13T06:00:00+00:00

NINE

The evening’s masquerade ball was in full swing by the time Edmund showed up in his skeleton mask. He had stolen a spare one from the mummers’ case, so that they wouldn’t be able to identify him—no one in their group typically wore the macabre thing. Despite the dramatic incident at the pond earlier, no one stopped him from entering—there were plenty of men wearing similar masks tonight.

He didn’t know why he had come, but he suspected that it was primarily to check on Lydia, to make certain that she was fine after the incident at the pond. Now that he had seen her again, he supposed that he couldn’t very well stay away. She was intoxicating.

As he drifted around the manor, he picked up snatches of conversation.

“The poor girl is stark-raving mad. The young man’s own cousin, Mr James Smith, told me that he identified Mr Adair’s body on the battlefield.”

“She’s lost her marbles. A pity for the poor parents. Imagine that—your only daughter is beautiful, but empty in the head.”

“I remember that Adair fellow from St. John’s. Nice enough bloke, but very quiet. Shame about his passing. Looks like the fiancée never got over it.”

“She’ll have trouble finding anyone else to marry after that outburst.”

Edmund found himself growing hot behind his mask. By running away, he had only been trying to save Lydia from more heartbreak, but in so doing, he had ruined her social reputation. He ducked outside to get some air beneath the starry sky.

There, he heard a familiar voice. It was his cousin, James Smith. Hearing him again saddened Edmund. He wanted nothing more than to reveal himself to his closest friend, but that was out of the question.

Smith didn’t seem to notice the newcomer as he approached a plump man in a minister’s garb, who was making his way inside to the party.

“I just wanted to inform you that the wedding might be happening sooner rather than later, Reverend.”

“Congratulations, Smith, old boy.”

“Thank you.” James laughed. “Of course, the same conditions apply to our agreement.”

“Yes, yes.” The Reverend waved his hands. “If the blushing bride complains that she’s being forced to marry against her will, I’ll interpret that as premarital jitters.”

“Exactly.”

Edmund turned on his heel and hurried back into the party. What had that disturbing conversation been all about?

James brushed past him completely oblivious, making a beeline for a slender woman in the corner wearing white. Edmund stared. It was Lydia. She looked luminous, like a Grecian goddess of old in her shimmering gown, with her sad, downcast eyes. Edmund found himself biting his lip to prevent himself from calling out to her.

***

Smith was a terrible dancer. No, that wasn’t quite right. He knew all of the steps, and his rhythm was quite remarkable. Rather, the problem was, he was an agile dancer and but terrible person. Constantly attempting to caress Lydia as they danced.

She was willing to overlook a few instances, as though they had happened by accident. However, after his hand started moving to wrap around her waist, Lydia broke free of his clammy grasp.

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