well to be overly polite, Georgiana. I believe what you meant to say was that you are glad I am here instead of sitting in my bachelor lair and sulking because I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing you two together…”
She didn’t know how to respond to that, but, fortunately, Walter was there with her, and he said, “I think honesty would probably be best. I fully admit to not liking you, but I do hope you can still be friends.”
Ambrose seemed to appreciate the sentiment, but Felicia chose that moment to cut into the conversation. “I think he might grow on you if you can give him a chance, Walter.”
“I’m sure,” he retorted, looking at her pointedly which, for whatever reason, made her blush.
Georgiana looked up at Walter, curious as to what she was missing, but did not feel like asking directly just then. “Well, shall we enter the ballroom together?” she asked the other two.
“Gladly,” Ambrose replied, as the four of them walked in that direction. There was a slightly awkward silence before he remarked, “I must admit I am impressed at the size of your engagement party and how many people are here.”
“That was Aunt Adelaide’s idea,” she replied with a relieved smile, glad to have an easy topic to talk about. “I was content with the idea of something small, but she convinced me otherwise.”
“Would you have been so easily convinced if you had been the one making all the arrangements? I have little doubt your aunt has done most of the work.”
“Your assumption is entirely correct, and you are right. I probably wouldn’t have agreed if she hadn’t taken over for me,” she admitted.
By then, they were stepping into the ballroom, where everyone wanted to talk to her and Walter. They received many words of congratulations, questions about wedding plans, and hints about forthcoming heirs.
Eventually, however, the couple snatched a moment to talk to each other when dinner was announced and everyone was seated. Georgiana thought it the perfect opportunity to ask a certain question.
“Oh, before I forget again, there is something I want to ask you. What exactly was that look you gave Felicia when we were talking? The look that made her blush?”
He grinned as she asked him, clearly knowing exactly what she was referring to. “Well … I haven’t mentioned it, because we haven’t found the right … the right time to talk about Rowley, but I can now share my suspicions with you and tell you … I think she likes him. And watching them together this evening, I think he is growing to like her, too.”
“No, really?” she asked incredulously, her head swiveling to find the pair where they were seated, as she took a bite of food. “How did that happen?”
“Hmm, well, I know she felt sorry for him that day at the park. Later that day, she mentioned to me more than once he was so sincere and fully aware of how wrong he had been. She has been spending a lot of time with him since then, at first to console him and, lately, because she genuinely likes his company. Though, from the way she speaks of him, I think her feelings go beyond that.”
Georgiana’s eyes had found the pair in question and watched them closely as she listened. She did not know Felicia well, but she did know Ambrose, and the slight flush that came to his cheeks at something she said to him made her grin. “I think you might be right. But didn’t she have someone in France she was interested in?” she asked.
“Hmm, a little. Some fellow had caught her attention, but she never acted in such a manner around him. I just hope Ambrose has learned something.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, Felicia came here to help me, and now she has, there is technically no reason for her to stay. If he gets the courage to ask to court her, then she would assuredly stay. Would you mind them being together? It would make you and Ambrose related...”
“Oh, yes! I have always wanted to be related to him,” she replied, excited at the idea. “And I feel sure he won’t wait to ask her after he waited too long with me.”
Walter was amused at her enthusiasm. “And you wouldn’t feel it awkward?”
She had to pause to consider the question, taking a few bites of food while she thought. Eventually, she admitted, “I think my relationship with Ambrose is still fragile, but we have