Husband Wanted (HC #1)

15: A Sway in the Ballroom

The group stood there, just inside the ballroom, not quite sure what to do with themselves. Though the rest of the guests hadn't noticed their hushed conversation with the Thornes, eyes did begin to wander to them now. Now the men shuffled, uncomfortable for a completely different reason.

Matt was the first to cave. "Damn it all to hell," he growled under his breath, earning a scowl of reproach from Beth. "I'm going to find Thorne's whiskey."

He stalked off, skirting the ballroom. Vincent opened his mouth, thought better of it, and just ended up nodding in their youngest brother's direction. Then he followed after him.

If they weren't in view of so many acquaintances, Beth would have rolled her eyes.

Simon caught her elbow. "A dance, sister-mine?" he asked quietly. His eyes were gentle – it was Simon after all – but they also kept flickering to the crowd; it was surely filled with desperate mothers and their simpering progeny. His offer was as much for his sake as it was hers.

Beth was always happy to help. "Of course."

She took his arm, and they left John in the care of Bart. Neither made a comment, so she threw a last look over her shoulder to make sure they were alright. She was just in time to watch Bart fix his outgoing smile onto his face, a shimmering happiness entering his eyes as clearly as if he'd built a moat. Almost immediately he spotted someone he knew at the edge of the crowd, and he moved forward to engage.

John didn't follow, and she shifted her gaze to see why; he was looking at her.

She turned around quickly.

Simon was a truly excellent dance partner, so she didn't complain when, at the end of the first dance, he immediately swept her up into a second. A matronly lady at the edge of the crowd frowned so deeply at Beth that she supposed he might be avoiding her in particular.

"Who is that?"

His eyes darted quickly to the side, but the groan had already escaped. "Lady Hawkins. I bought horses from her husband last year and made the mistake of accepting an invitation to tea. Now she hounds me."

Beth glanced up at his face and confirmed he was scowling.

"Hawkins?" she thought for a moment. "Lady Winona Hawkins?"

"Is her daughter," he confirmed gravely.

This may be a different brother, but she still wanted to roll her eyes. "Winona is lovely – you could do much worse." She wasn't lying either; the girl she'd met was petite, blonde, and demure.

Simon made a noise of disgust through his teeth. "She's a child, barely eighteen!"

The dance required a brief partner change, and Simon passed her off to an older gentleman who kept fumbling the steps. Beth wasn't too fussed, and instead focussed on what Simon had said. By all accounts it was a rather flimsy excuse. The girl had already been out for a year, and many of their acquaintance had married with far larger age gaps. Simon was only 27 after all! Hardly a conspicuous difference.

She returned to Simon just in time to raise an eyebrow at him. "You do have to marry eventually, you know."

His posture straightened slightly. "I am well aware of my duty, Beth." The words were curt enough to make her wince.

"I didn't mean to say..." She sighed. "I only want to see you happy."

With almost perfect timing, the musicians played the final notes of the song and all the dancers separated to offer a gentle clap. Ever-forgiving, Simon's smile returned.

"Let's see you happy first."

She'd barely left the dance floor before Bart swept her up into another dance. He tried to keep her for a second, but she begged off.