A Midsummer Night's Kiss (Howertys #1)

Chapter 21: Rumour Has It

Angel flicked her fan open to cool herself as she walked along the edges of the ballroom. It was a hot evening, and the ballroom was suffocating even with the garden doors wide open. Many guests had moved out to the garden, where a faint summer breeze provided a small amount of relief from the heat. The hostess, Lady Bates, had ordered servants to light small lanterns in the trees and bushes, which made the garden look as if filled with tiny faerie lights.

Or will-o'-the-wisps hoping to lead us astray. The thought made her smile. She'd had enough of the stifling ballroom and was on her way to enjoy some fresh air outside. Jessica had spoken to her earlier and shared some rather expressive nouns describing Joan after finding out about the incident. Then a suitor had asked her friend to join him outside, and she'd had to leave.

Coming through the doors and entering the garden, Angel took a deep breath, enjoying the slightly cooler air. It had been an odd evening, with several people giving her strange looks and whispering between themselves. Unsure of why, she had looked to make sure her dress wasn't on backwards, just in case. But no, she looked perfectly presentable. Had they somehow found out about her kissing Nathaniel in her room? It seemed unlikely since the only ones who knew were her and Nathaniel, and he certainly would not spread any rumours, since it would most likely force him to marry her.

She caught sight of Jessica standing a short distance away speaking to Viscount Leighton. Making her way through the crowd spread across the lawn, she reached her friend's side and greeted Lord Leighton with a smile.

"Congratulations on your engagement, my lord."

"Thank you, Miss Grafton." Leighton bowed, but couldn't hide a cheery grin. Rumours said he had compromised Lady Amelia, and that was why they had to marry, but neither party would confirm the gossip and acted as if it was a regular engagement. Since Lady Amelia was the daughter of a duke, no one dared to question them.

A moment later, the viscount disappeared in search of his new fiancee, and Jessica turned to her. "Have you seen my brother?"

Not since our near-kiss in James's library. She fought back the heat threatening to fill her cheeks and shook her head. "No, and not mine either. I think they may have abandoned us."

"That would not surprise me at all." Jessica laughed and took her arm. "I hear that Lady Bates has a beautiful conservatory. While almost everyone is outside, shall we go inside and take a look?"

They strolled through the garden, which was extensive for a London townhouse. A fortunate thing on an evening like this, when most guests preferred the open air to the hot rooms of the house. As they passed two gentlemen, she again noticed the strange looks she was getting.

"Have you noticed that I'm receiving more looks than usual tonight?" she asked her friend.

"You do look lovely this evening," Jessica replied, always her biggest supporter.

"No, not in that way." She wasn't sure how to explain the phenomenon, but it was making her skin crawl. A feeling of unease had settled low in her stomach and would not go away.

Back inside, they went straight to the conservatory on the other side of the house. As they reached it, Jessica smiled. It was beautiful, filled with exotic flowers and plants of all shapes and sizes. A heady smell permeated the room and tickled their noses as they walked further between the rows of flowers.

"Beautiful," Jessica murmured as she reached out to touch a large bloom.

Angel walked ahead of her but halted as she heard some angry voices coming from an area hidden behind a tall trellis of clinging roses. Was that Nathaniel's and James's voices? Waving for her friend to join her, they moved closer so they could glance around the side of a rose wall and hear what was being said. Their brothers stood facing each other, their faces grim.