Page 1 of A Seaside Scandal (Change of Heart #2)

Chapter One

ALICE

Ididn’t particularly enjoy wearing the same color as Charlotte, but she insisted that on our first day in Brighton, we both wear blue.

Her reasoning made sense. Blue was the color of both our eyes—and the color of the sea out the window of our townhouse.

Arguing with my dearest friend was never successful, so I chose my battles carefully.

The color of our dresses was not worth a fight.

After all, I had no intention of ruining Charlotte’s spirits on the very first day of our holiday.

My brother was making swift work of that already.

Edmund stood alone in the drawing room—the first one ready to leave, as usual. He wore a brown jacket, tan waistcoat, and a scowl. His dark hair was still damp, curling slightly on the ends.

“Have you told her yet?” he asked the very moment I entered the room. His deep voice was heavy with irritation.

I adjusted my white lace gloves. “Told her what?”

“Alice.” Edmund crossed his arms, raising one eyebrow at me. “You know my feelings on the subject. Please do not make me say something impolite. I will leave Brighton today if I suspect you are still trying to play matchmaker.”

I let out a sigh that was a touch too dramatic. “I don’t understand your aversion. Charlotte is beautiful, and she comes from a respectable family.”

Edmund laughed under his breath. “I do not find her family respectable. And you are right, she is beautiful, but I am not the only man to find her character lacking. It’s obvious that she is only driven by ambition.”

“You don’t know her as I do.” My voice was defensive. “As her dearest friend, there is nothing she wouldn’t do for me. She is loyal and strong, and I admire those things about her. Yes, she is ambitious, perhaps to a fault, but I truly believe the two of you would make an excellent match.”

Edmund shook his head harshly. “You must stop encouraging her. I assure you, my mind will not change. The sooner Charlotte knows where I stand on the matter, the better.”

I scoffed, but my stomach sank with dread.

Charlotte had been so eager to finally win Edmund over on this trip, and she and I had been busy concocting ideas for how she might impress him.

I should have known Edmund would be this stubborn.

I would hate to be the one to relay the news to Charlotte, but it seemed I didn’t have any other choice.

She would only embarrass herself if she continued to flirt with him when he was so disinterested.

“Come now, Alice.” Edmund laughed—at my downcast expression, no doubt. “There are plenty of men in Brighton. She will have no shortage of attention, and she will thrive on it. She will not grieve the idea of me for one moment.”

It was true, Charlotte did attract attention quite easily.

And she did thrive on it.

“Besides,” Edmund took a step closer and waited until I looked up at his face. “Don’t you have your own prospects to be worrying about? You might very well meet your match here in Brighton.”

I fought the smile on my lips. In truth, I had been hoping for such an outcome.

I could hardly imagine anything more romantic than falling in love near the sea, with its unpredictable waves and sprays, and the majestic beauty of it all.

My heart raced with excitement, but I did my best to hide it.

My brother could never see the romantic, insensible side of me.

He would surely tease me for it. Edmund was far from romantic.

His logical approach to everything vexed me to no end; it was where we differed the most.

“You could very well meet your match here as well,” I said with a pointed look.

He chuckled, obviously amused by the unlikelihood of the idea. “That may be so, but please try to remember: My match is not Charlotte.”

I gave a relenting nod, scowling down at the hem of my gown. Why must Edmund spoil all of my endeavors?

Mama joined us in the drawing room a few minutes later.

She had also agreed to accompany Charlotte and me on our trip to Brighton, which had come about with no small measure of begging.

For years, I had longed to see the town that had drawn tourists from all over the country.

Even the Prince Regent himself. London was pleasant enough, but Brighton was far more intriguing.

I was certain that a seaside background could elevate anything.

Mama looked lovely in her ivory dress and shawl.

Her dark auburn hair was the same as mine, though arranged differently.

I had often been told we looked alike, and I could only hope that I would age as gracefully as she had.

Her smile faltered as she noticed the scowl on my brow.

I tried to repair it, but I was too late.

“Is something amiss?” she asked, her gaze darting between Edmund and me.

I cleared my throat. “We have been discussing a minor disagreement, that is all.”

Edmund’s lips twitched.

Mama’s curious gaze stabbed at me, but I didn’t offer any further explanation.

Thankfully, Charlotte entered the room then, allowing me a narrow escape.

The blue of her gown paled in comparison to her eyes, which were large and inquisitive.

She was a bit of a perfectionist with her hair, even though the sea breeze would be sure to unravel a few of the golden strands.

She had accessorized her gown in true Charlotte fashion, with perfectly matching gloves, a shawl, bonnet, and parasol.

Her jewelry was delicate, as if to indicate that her presentation had been effortless.

She rushed forward with a smile. I clasped her hands as she reached me, and my mood lifted instantly.

“We shall be the prettiest ladies on the beach,” Charlotte whispered in a sly voice. “The talk of Brighton.”

A thrill raced through me. Charlotte did tend to exaggerate, but at the moment, I wanted it to be true. I squeezed her hands and spun in a circle, laughing as my giddiness overwhelmed me.

Mama and Edmund led the way out the front door.

Charlotte and I followed, arm in arm. The air outside smelled of fish and saltwater, the summer breeze warm against my skin.

Since arriving, I had already noticed a difference in the texture of my hair, the moisture from the sea making it less tame and straight. I didn’t mind though.

“You are smiling like a ninny,” Charlotte whispered with a laugh.

“We must be taken seriously.” She demonstrated her own soft smile and beckoning eyes, and I tried to replicate the expression.

But the rows of shops, clubs, and libraries distracted me as we made the downhill walk toward the main beach.

The streets were crowded, though the peak season was still a week or two away. It was rumored that the Prince himself would be arriving at the Royal Pavilion soon, and the most elite members of society would be sure to follow. Charlotte was right—looking like a ninny would be a grave mistake.

As we came closer to the beach, I was surprised to see pebbles instead of sand, and dozens of seagulls swooping down from the cloudless sky.

And there it was—the sea—formidable and wild, full of unknown creatures and depths I couldn’t begin to comprehend.

The waves rolled ceaselessly, their white crests curling and collapsing upon the shore.

The water stretched to the horizon, and I blinked against the brightness of the reflection of the sun on the surface.

The beach was dotted with well-dressed men and women, their laughter and conversation drifting on the breeze.

The golden domes and minarets of the Royal Pavilion gleamed in the distance, standing out among the townhouses and hotels that lined the streets.

Further down the beach were neat rows of wooden carriages painted in blue and white.

Bathing machines.

I had only heard stories of the contraptions.

As the stories went, early in the mornings, dippers were employed to guide ladies into the water for an invigorating and beneficial seawater bath.

Charlotte had already scoffed at the idea, but I secretly wanted to try it.

A grin tugged on my lips despite my effort to contain it.

Closer to the promenade, merchants sold shell trinkets, sugared almonds, and even coral jewelry.

Children ran along the beach, gathering pretty stones and fragments of seashells.

The tide was low, revealing a long stretch of wet sand beyond the edge of the pebble beach.

I started in the direction of the water but felt a tug on my arm.

“You must distract your mother,” Charlotte said in a quiet voice. She looked ahead, pulling my gaze away from the sea and toward Mama, who was holding Edmund’s arm as they walked. “If you draw her away from Edmund, it will open the door for me. I would very much like to walk with him.”

I swallowed hard, my delight vanishing. “Charlotte—there is something I must tell you.”

“Tell me later.” Her dismissive tone left little room for argument.

I bit my lip, choosing my words carefully. “It might be premature for you to be seen paired off with Edmund in public. If gossip began circulating, you might not have as many other suitors.”

She gave a light laugh. “I don’t require other suitors. You know he’s the one I have chosen.”

“Yes, but—”

“We are losing time,” Charlotte snapped. “Are you going to help me, or not?”

I slowed my pace, realizing how much faster she was walking in her attempt to catch up to him. “I want to help you, I truly do, but I am trying to warn you against the endeavor.”

She scowled, her pale brows drawing together. “I thought you were on my side.”

“I am! Please listen.”

She gave me a skeptical look before wriggling her arm away from mine, striding forward with surprising speed.

I let out a frustrated sigh.