Marrying her Best-Friend - Fiona Miers Page 0,8

innocent in her fun. Her words of truth still resonated in his mind.

Carson recalled ushering her to his coach, his arm around her waist in order to keep her upright and stop her from tipping over. She giggled as she spoke muddled words that amused her to no end, but he’d still been mesmerized with her.

He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling her beauty and how difficult it had been not to kiss her. Her long brown tresses had loosely tumbled down her narrow shoulders, her lips stained red from the wine.

The coach journey was even more entertaining than the stable, as they had reminisced even more about their childhood, bringing forth even more chuckles and laughter. There had been countless moments where Carson had to fight the urge not to kiss Lizzie, but he was well aware that it would have been wrong.

He could not possibly live with himself if he had taken advantage of her in such a vulnerable state. Also, he was certain that Lizzie would not have remembered anything, making it much worse.

Despite spending the entire night with Lizzie, he hadn’t been able to disclose his feelings for her. He was rather upset and disappointed in himself for not being forthcoming. Had he not tortured himself long enough by keeping his feelings inside?

Carson drew in a breath as he left his bedchamber and made his way down the large stairwell to the downstairs parlour. His sister adored that space, and it was where she often requested breakfast to be served.

The room was bright as he entered and the table in the centre of the room was already packed to the brim with delicious-looking breakfast fare. A small platoon could be fed with the amount of food on the table, but he expected no less from his sister.

The scent of fresh roses suddenly filled the air and he heard footsteps behind him. Adrienne stood in the doorway, holding a vase with the beautiful flowers and smiling brightly at Carson.

“Good morning, brother,” she greeted cheerfully, walking past him and placing the vase on the mantel. “I do hope you’re hungry.”

“Hungry?” Carson muttered. “With this much food, I ought to be famished.”

“It is not every day that I can enjoy a breakfast with my dear brother,” Adrienne shrugged and glanced at him.

Carson narrowed his eyes, knowing his sister well enough to see that there was a hidden agenda behind her perfectly poised smile. “What is the matter?”

“Nothing is the matter. Can I not simply enjoy a meal with you?” Adrienne asked as she sat at the table. “Now, sit.”

Carson reluctantly sat at the table as well, his gaze lingering on his sister. What sort of scheming was on her mind? But instead of attacking the problem head on, he chose his sister’s favourite topic.

“Are you still enjoying yourself at the hospital, Adrienne?”

As expected, Adrienne’s eyes sparkled at the mention of the beloved hospital and she nodded with great enthusiasm. “Indeed, Carson. If there is one place that brings me constant joy, it is the hospital. It is truly life-changing once a person finds their passion and a vocation for which they were meant. I simply cannot tire of expressing my love for what I do every day.”

Carson grinned. He admired the passion Adrienne felt from helping people at the hospital and wondered whether he’d ever have the opportunity to speak so passionately of something he loved.

As Adrienne continued to share amusing tales of the patients since the last time he had seen her, he quietly listened to her while his thoughts wandered.

How would Lizzie be feeling this morning? And would she recall all the details of the previous evening? Despite the night being long, he remembered every single moment of it. There was no better way to spend a tedious ball than with Lizzie, whether she was foxed on wine or not.

Would she be feeling under the weather? Hopefully she would not blame him, since she had been the one who had suggested taking two bottles of wine from the ballroom instead of one.

“Are you even listening to me, Carson?”

Adrienne’s voice echoed through the room and Carson glanced at her with a furrowed brow.

“Where did you disappear to, brother?” Adrienne demanded after he made no attempt to respond.

“My apologies, sister. I am rather distracted this morning.”

“I can certainly see that,” She answered and lowered her gaze. “Your excursion at Lord and Lady Wealing’s was, without a doubt, exhausting.”

Carson glared at his sister and cocked his head. “I beg