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“H ow long have you been in love with her?”
Edward tripped over his foot at Mirabelle’s bold question. “What? I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Denial. That was a tried and true form of answering a question one had no intention of actually answering.
“What’s she doing right now?”
“I have no idea who you’re referring to.”
“You know.” She gave him a pointed look.
“I don’t know—”
“I may be a spinster nearing thirty who will soon have to ensnare a man into marriage, but I’m not oblivious to love. Especially when the attention is directed at my cousin who I’m an acting chaperone to. She did ask you to dance with me, didn’t she?”
Denial would be a fool’s play at this point, so Edward nodded.
“It’s not the first ball that she’s made that request of you.”
He shook his head.
“So then you might as well answer my questions.” Mirabelle gracefully twirled and when she met him face to face again, tilted her head. “How long?”
If Edward had a free hand, he’d be wiping the lower half of his face right now. Less than a handful of men knew of his true feelings, and he had been working diligently to keep them at bay.
“Far too long,” he caved.
“How long, precisely?”
“About five years.”
“Precisely since her debut?”
“Precisely. The first time I saw her, I fell for her.”
“Hard not to. She’s precisely a delight.” Mirabelle smiled.
“That she is.” His eyes darted to find her, but they didn’t have to roam far. Tracking her movements had started the second she left his arms on the dance floor.
“What’s she doing now?” Mirabelle repeated her earlier question.
“She hasn’t quite made her way out of the main room. She’s distracted.” He grunted the last word.
“By a man?”
“Yes,” he grumbled. “What the devil is she doing now? Oh my God.”
“What’s happening?”
“She dropped her handkerchief on the floor for the Duke of Thornhaven to pick up.”
“Did he pick it up?”
“No.” He tried and failed to stifle a laugh. “A footman just bent down and handed it back to her, thinking he’s being helpful.”
The two chuckled together.
“How come you’ve never made your move?”
He was in it now, may as well open up to the woman. Perhaps a cousin’s perspective could help him get over his feelings. Or at least manage them better.
“Let’s just say that she’s never dropped a handkerchief for me to pick up.”
“I see.”
“The woman wears her heart on her sleeve, so I know she’s not interested. And I have my pride.”
“Don’t we all. Until we don’t.”
“I’m afraid to know what you mean.”
“How long are you willing to continue on like this? Pining.”
“Ah, yes. That’s what I thought you were hinting at.” He wanted to scratch a nonexistent itch on his chin, but the dancing prohibited it. Instead, he found Lenora again.
“Bollocks. That woman is mad. She’s practically embracing the man she’s standing so near to him, lingering, waiting for a dance invitation.”
“She’ll be waiting a while. Gabriel is a bit clueless.”
“Are you on a first name basis with the duke?”
Mirabelle shrugged.
“Oh my God. She just accidentally bumped into Gabriel then lifted her hand to stabilize herself. Instead of the duke reaching out to steady her, she knocked into a passing footman who lost his tray of petit fours. That’s sad on so many levels.”
Mirabelle hid her chuckle by dipping her head.
“This woman is relentless. She just left her fan on the table right in front of Gabriel’s eyes, and now she’s walking away.”
“Please tell me the same footman is retrieving it for her?”
“It’s uncanny. He is.”
“She does tend to pick up puppies in her wake.”
“I resent that.”
“You’ll get over it, pup.”
Edward grunted his disapproval. “I’m not a puppy.”
“Then show her that.”
“That’s your advice?”
“Yes. But that’s not my only advice. I actually have two pieces to offer you, and you can choose which one is more palatable.”
“So gracious of you.”
“I thought so.” He moved her around on the floor a few steps before she continued. “My suggestions are as follows. One, tell her how you feel and see if she might feel the same.”
“An unlikely choice.”
“Two, help her find the right man so that she stops making a fool of herself. Or worse, chooses incorrectly and ends up miserable. You know that she spoke about trying to get the attention of the Duke of Ravenshire? What was she thinking?”
“You do know that Sebastian eloped with Seraphina, don’t you?”
“What?” Lost in shock, Mirabelle stood still for a fraction of a second. “Oh. That bears some investigation on my part. At a later time. Right now we have work to do.” She patted his shoulder in a sororal fashion. “What are you going to choose to do with Lenora, duke?”
It only took him a second to answer. “I’ll do exactly what I have to.”