and he could see tears brimming in her eyes. “Sometimes it is final, and there is nothing we can do about it.” She swallowed, then glanced at Caroline. “This is not one of those times, and you’d do well to remember it.”
Feeling his anger subside, Pierce gently brushed a tear from her cheek, suddenly feeling like a fool. “You’re right,” he said, nodding to her. “I will speak to her again.” A small smile played over his face. “Thank you for wearing shoes today.”
Charlaine laughed, quickly blinking away her tears. “Albert convinced me.”
“Did he now?” Pierce asked, surprised. “How on earth did he manage that?”
Charlaine grinned. “He said it would hurt less if I ever needed to step on someone’s toes and,” she held up her right forefinger as another thought pushed forward, “it would be more effective.”
Pierce smiled, and it felt good. “Whose toes do you intend to step on?”
Shrugging, Charlaine let her gaze glide over the many guests. “I have no immediate plans. But a woman always needs to be prepared.” She spoke lightly, and yet, there was a certain tension in the way she looked at those around her that Pierce could not help but notice.
Indeed, he’d observed here and there that similar to Pembroke, born in America and raised outside the English ton, Charlaine was viewed by most with a certain disapproval for she didn’t quite fulfill the expectations of what a respectable, young woman ought to be.
“I hope you’re enjoying yourselves.”
Turning to see Pembroke step up to them, Pierce nodded. “It is a splendid celebration. However, I cannot help but be surprised by it.” His brows rose. “I thought you detested the ton.”
Pembroke laughed, and so did Charlaine. “I cannot say my opinion has changed in that regard. Now, however, I have my wife to consider and she has a cousin very dear to her.” Pembroke’s eyes seemed to widen ever so slightly when he said the word cousin that Pierce could not help but wonder if he suspected something. Had he and Caroline been seen earlier in the hall?
Pembroke cleared his throat as his gaze shifted to Charlaine. “Would you mind granting me a moment alone with my friend?” he asked, a hint of an apology in his voice.
Charlaine smiled. “Not at all.” She grinned at Pierce. “If you need me, I’ll be on the lookout for toes to step on.” And with that, she strode away, her head held high despite the hushed whispers following in her wake. Was England truly the right place for her to be? Pierce wondered. Would she ever fit in here? Find a home? Be happy?
“She is a very unusual woman,” Pembroke commented, a warm smile on his face. “Remarkable to be exact.” He sighed. “She’ll have a hard time here.”
Pierce nodded. “I fear you’re correct.” Turning to his friend, he met his gaze. “What did you want to talk about?”
“It’s about my brother,” Pembroke began, concern tinging his voice as he glanced at the man who looked like him in every way but one: he was miserable. “When he arrived, I was happy to see him, hoping that he’d put Abigail behind him, that his heart might have healed in the time since.” He shook his head. “Now, I know it was a fool’s hope.”
Pierce nodded as he turned to look at the young man in question. Although Nathanial Caswell didn’t sulk in a corner, the look in his eyes whispered of a shattered life. He was polite and spoke with a kind voice. He asked questions and provided answers. He did what was expected of him. He possessed impeccable manners, more so than his wayward brother, and knew his place in the world.
But his eyes were dead.
There was no spark.
No emotion.
Nothing.
He’d had his heart broken. And now, he’d built a wall around it, afraid to have it happen again. “What can I do?” Pierce asked, wondering if there was anything to be done at all. How did one recover from such a loss? He wondered, and his gaze darted to Caroline before he forced it away.
Pembroke sighed. “I thought I could distract him, that all he needed was family around who cared about him. With our parents dead, I’m all he has left, but now…” he shook his head, “I fear I’m the wrong man to help him.”
“Why would you say that?”
He scoffed. “I see the way he looks at me and Rebecca. We remind him of what he lost. No, I’m the wrong man to