A Stranger at Castonbury - By Amanda McCabe Page 0,42

more à la mode as well,’ he said. ‘Yet I must say I think I prefer that tent in Spain.’

Catalina glanced past his shoulder to see that most of the crowd around them had turned to stare at him, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the long-lost Castonbury heir, found alive and returned amongst them. Most of the ladies were smoothing their hair or straightening their gowns as they watched him.

‘Too much attention here?’ she said. Jamie had never been one to seek to draw attention to himself. He had always quietly observed the world around him. He did not have to seek attention; it naturally came to him, as if all the light in every room collected only on him. And it had nothing to do with his rank, or even his handsome looks, but from that quiet strength at the core of him.

So much had changed since Spain, but that quality about him had not.

Jamie shrugged. He didn’t even turn to look at the room, he just watched her. ‘They are merely staring at my father. My siblings tell me he has seldom left the house these past few years. Everyone has forgot what he looks like.’

Catalina shook her head. ‘You know that’s not true. It’s you they want to see again.’

‘I am nothing to see. Just this blasted stick. They will tire of gossiping about me soon enough.’

She was sure that was not true, not when he had given them so much to gossip about. Coming back from the dead, an imposter wife and son, financial twists and turns, a passel of shocking marriages amongst his siblings—the scandal broth seemed bottomless. She didn’t want to add to it.

But there was still so much she longed to know. What had he done in Spain? ‘Jamie...’ she whispered. Someone jostled her from behind and she remembered that this vast crowd was no place for confidences. She spun away from him and slipped past the knots of people to Lydia’s side. Phaedra and her aunt Wilhemina were walking ahead of them, and Catalina could hear snatches of their conversation.

‘It is too bad Jamie can’t dance now,’ Phaedra was saying. ‘He used to enjoy it so much. And all the local ladies sought him out for their partners all the time.’

‘Hmph,’ Mrs Landes-Fraser said. ‘They should count themselves lucky he does not dance with them now. He has become far too dour and silent. Not to mention not as handsome as he once was.’

Catalina’s gloved hand curled into a fist as anger swept through her at those words. She had to bite her lip to keep from shouting in Jamie’s defence. But could she really defend him? She didn’t even know any longer.

Phaedra did it for her. ‘You can hardly blame him for being silent! He nearly died in Spain, and I am sure he saw some horrible things we cannot even imagine. He is not the person he was when he left. None of us are.’

Phaedra glanced over her shoulder, past Catalina to where Jamie still stood near the wall. Catalina looked back to see that a portly, red-faced gentleman and two young ladies had him cornered, talking at him as he stared at them with a frozen expression.

‘I only wish he could find someone to confide in,’ Phaedra added softly. ‘If I did not have my Bram, I would have gone insane sometimes.’

‘Hmph,’ Mrs Landes-Fraser said again. ‘You would have done much better to marry higher in the world, girl. I do not understand any of you children...’

Lydia drew Catalina’s attention then, pointing out a gown she liked across the room. They became separated from the others in the crowd, pressed in on all sides until Catalina managed to find them a spot near the windows where there were not quite so many people. There was a small breeze flowing from outside as well, and Catalina could watch the passing of the crowd as they flowed by.

‘Oh, Mrs Moreno,’ Lydia cried, her eyes shining with excitement as she looked out at the room. Catalina hadn’t seen her so happy in any London ballroom. ‘Isn’t it pretty? And everyone so welcoming. I could stay at Castonbury for ever.’

‘Miss Westman! Mrs Moreno,’ a voice called out. Catalina turned to see Mr Hale pushing his way past a laughing group to find them. His smile was just as enthusiastic as Lydia’s—especially when he looked at Lydia herself. ‘How wonderful to see you here. Are you enjoying our local entertainments?’

‘Oh, very