almost laughed. It had been a long time since someone had wanted to take care of me. Protect me. I’d been so independent for so many years that their hovering natures almost made me uncomfortable.
Rafe grinned. “Touché, my dear sisters-in-law.”
I smiled and shook my head. Rafe was incorrigible and I loved him for it. But at times, I swore he used his charm to cover something deeper, a fleeting feeling the others didn’t seem to notice. Aye, he’d experienced pain. I could sense it. There was something dark about him.
“You look lovely,” Lillian whispered, wrapping her arm around my waist and pulling me close. “Whether dressed in wool or dressed in satin.”
“Ah, here’s Oliver,” Rafe said. “Arrived to do his duty and dance with you.”
I blushed. He made it sound like a chore, and from the look upon Oliver’s face, it was. He bowed low and took my hand. “Shall we?”
“If we must.”
He hesitated, searching my features. I didn’t miss the confusion in his eyes. “You don’t wish to dance?”
“Of course she does,” Jules added, trying to smooth things over.
Jules felt the need to keep everyone happy. Like an overly protective mother, she was forever making sure I had everything I needed. And God forbid anyone even look at me the wrong way.
“Well,” I said. “I’d prefer a more romantic partner than my own brother. Especially a brother who obviously wishes to be anywhere but here.”
I wanted him to deny it. He didn’t.
“Oliver hates all societal events, don’t take it personally, Sweetheart,” Rafe said.
Lillian claimed Oliver was so smart, that it made it difficult for him to understand all the rest of us who weren’t on his level. Perhaps she was right. Mayhap, his avoidance of me had nothing to do with me. So why did it hurt?
“Shall we?” Oliver led me toward the dance floor. They were all handsome, but Oliver was stunning. However, his demeanor and dour face, along with his blunt comments seemed to keep the women far away. “Ladies often dance with their relatives, you know.”
“Ah yes, women mustn’t be touched by a man who isn’t related.”
He didn’t respond, merely paused in the middle of the floor. We stood apart from each other as we waited for the orchestra to start. I stared at him. He stared at the orchestra behind me. No doubt he was counting down the minutes until he could return me to Jules and Lilly.
“Oliver, we were close at one time, or do my memories deceive me?”
He finally looked at me. “Close? We played together. We were close in age, which is probably why we were together so often.”
I would take his comment as a yes. “Yet, you seem to want to avoid me now.”
A flush started in his neck, just visible over the collar of his jacket and dress shirt. So, he could show signs of emotion after all. “Of course not.”
He was a horrible liar.
It hurt. The pain that sliced through me brought tears to my eyes. Not once had any of my brothers or their wives made me feel dirty, wrong. But Oliver continued to ignore me like I was a leper. “Are you so very disappointed in me?”
He frowned. “Whatever for?”
I lowered my voice. “You know why.”
He was silent for a moment. The orchestra started. I could practically see his mind spinning as he attempted to understand my comment. “Ah, you mean the baby.”
Dear lord. I glanced around to see if anyone had heard. All other dancers were engrossed in their partners. Jules had planned to discreetly mention Izzy to a few of the older, important women tonight. Of course, they would believe the child legitimate. It was all so very secretive, that it didn’t sit well with me.
Yes, Oliver was blunt, and it could sting at times. Yet, most of the time I appreciated his honesty. I was tired of the silly coyness of the wealthy. Exhausted with their mind games. I felt as if I’d spent the last year trying to understand a language which I’d never been taught.
We stepped close, moving in time to the music.
“No,” he said. “Other’s might look down upon you, but in my opinion it’s a rather normal occurrence that when men and women are together, privately, things will happen.”
I cringed. Lord, I’d grown up in the slums, where it was so crowded, nothing was private, and even he could make me blush. I waited until we were together again. As he took my hands and we started down the line