Ch#57
Jered spoke in a low voice, ensuring his words remained unheard by others. Rosalyn appeared momentarily confused, but she soon nodded and turned away. It seemed she had chosen to trust his judgment and decision.
He watched her back for a moment as she naturally rejoined the crowd, then considered his next move. It was then that Dan Willis appeared in the distance.
Jered had tasked the attendant with watching over his sister-in-law today. He had ordered him to keep an eye on her from a discreet distance from start to finish. This was partly out of concern for Andreana’s lack of experience, and partly to guard against the attention of other men.
He didn’t want to imagine anything untoward happening in this mansion, but there was no harm in being prepared.
He immediately walked toward the attendant. Holding a half-empty glass of champagne, he maintained a leisurely pace, looking every bit the relaxed host surveying the ballroom. As Willis approached, he whispered into Jered’s ear.
“She is on the main balcony on the west side of the second floor.”
Jered did not nod. He didn’t even ask who she was with. He simply handed his champagne glass to the man and continued walking. Naturally. Without haste. Ensuring he drew no one’s gaze.
Only after he had slipped out of the ballroom did he quicken his pace.
The corridors, lit by gas lamps, were deserted. It was nearly ten o’clock at night, not a time when people would be wandering anywhere other than the ballroom.
Jered walked with long, heavy strides. He took the stairs to the second floor two at a time.
Around then, a new dance tune began in the ballroom. The performance of the chamber orchestra could be heard quite clearly even here.
When he finally reached his destination, Jered quickly took in the scene before him.
The west main balcony was a wide, rectangular space. On a fine summer night like this, it was often used for dinners or evening parties. Andreana was there. Along with Alexander.
The two were dancing. To the music drifting up from the floor below, they were performing an andante on the empty balcony. To any observer, they were a poorly matched pair. When their steps tangled and they made a mistake, they simply laughed together.
What on earth were they doing? Jered froze for a moment, stunned by the sight.
Alexander Glenn was a married man, but that wasn’t the issue. He was not a man who cared for public opinion or guarded his conduct, and he already had a respectable wife and children.
However, it was different for the lady. If this scene were caught by someone’s eyes, it would undoubtedly leave a deep stain on Andreana’s reputation. Furthermore, her sister, the Duchess, would become a laughingstock, and her husband’s prestige would be tarnished as well.
Therefore, this was absolutely no mistake or accident. It was a challenge, or perhaps a provocation, from his cousin.
“Andreana.”
Jered made his presence known, shattering the absurd scene. He struggled to hide his dismay and fury.
“Your Grace?”
“So this is where you were.”
The two stopped moving and looked toward him simultaneously. Jered walked over at a moderate pace and came to a halt a short distance away. Throughout the approach, he did not give his cousin so much as a glance.
“What are you doing here?”
“I just came out to get some air. The ball was getting long, and I was feeling bored and restless. Mr. Glenn was kind enough to guide me here.”
“The young lady said she wanted to dance. Can’t we change the rule about those who haven’t come of age not being allowed to participate in the ball? It’s unfair, especially since it’s only family here anyway.”
When Alexander interjected, Jered could no longer ignore him. With an expressionless face, he shifted his gaze to meet his cousin’s.
Despite having committed such a despicable act, Alexander had the gall to act as if he were merely pointing out an unreasonable rule. Not to mention Andreana, who stood beside him with a look of agreement.
Jered stared silently at his cousin, his lips pressed thin. He couldn’t very well demand to know what he was doing with a serious face. Nor could he allow the three of them to return to the ballroom together and draw attention.
The best course of action was to make it appear as though the Duke had been with her from the start. It had to look as if he had taken his sister-in-law, who was bored in an unfamiliar place, out for a brief breath of fresh air.
Having finished the script in an instant, he turned his eyes back to Andreana.
“I see. In that case, have a dance with me.”
“With you, Your Grace?”
“I should have realized you would be bored in an unfamiliar setting. I was inconsiderate. As an apology, I shall be your partner here.”
At his gentle tone, Andreana blinked. To make it look real, Jered even forced something resembling a smile. However, when he turned his gaze back to his cousin, his mouth inevitably hardened.
“I regret making you do what I should have done myself, Brother Alexander.”
“Don’t mention it. I want everyone to enjoy this musical evening. Doesn’t everyone have that right?”
“I shall keep that in mind. You should head back now; I’m sure everyone is waiting for you.”
“For me? Who?”
Jered had to put more strength into his hands to keep from clenching his fists.
“Ah, I was being tactless. I shouldn’t interfere with a brother-in-law and sister-in-law wanting to spend some quality time together.”
He had to stop himself from punching Alexander’s smiling face.
“Well then, Miss Fairfield. I shall take my leave first.”
“Thank you, Mr. Glenn.”
“The pleasure was all mine.”
Alexander, bowing his head slightly like a gentleman, looked at Jered. After a smirk, he walked a few paces, brushed past him, and stopped briefly behind his back to add a word.
“Don’t worry, cousin. This, of course, stays between the three of us.”
Jered didn’t even force a smile. He stood with his gaze cast down, waiting for the other man to disappear. He waited until the sound of shoe heels clicking against the stone balcony faded away leisurely.
Even after Alexander had left and only the two of them remained, Jered did not speak immediately. He could see that Andreana, sensing something was wrong, was frightened, but he didn’t care. This reckless girl needed to be a little scared.
“Andreana.”
As he finally spoke, his expression shifted. Casting aside the pretense of a nobleman and a gentleman, he let his anger show. The more he thought about it, the more his fury flared, making it impossible to hide.
A sister’s indiscretion is fatal to a lady. If Andreana’s conduct became a subject of gossip, it would be a direct blow to Rosalyn. Moreover, hadn’t Rosalyn practically raised her younger sister herself?
“From now on, something like this must never happen again.”
Jered chose his words carefully, suppressing his rage. He didn’t spit out the question of whether she was in her right mind to be alone with a man in the middle of the night. It was too harsh a thing to say to a young noble lady, especially one who was still a minor.
“You did something very dangerous today. It is unacceptable behavior. Do you not know that a maiden must always be accompanied by a chaperone in social settings?”
“I know that.”
“Then why did you leave the ballroom on your own? When Rosalyn is inside?”
“Sister had to take care of the guests. I couldn’t ask her to come out with me.”
“So you followed a strange man out? I cannot understand how you could be so reckless.”
“I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else. But he is your cousin, Your Grace.”
Andreana was confused. Her face showed she didn’t understand why she was being reprimanded like this. Meeting those innocent eyes, Jered found himself at a loss for words.
The brother-in-law’s cousin. Such a person should originally be someone one doesn’t need to guard against. And if something untoward were to happen, shouldn’t the man be the one facing heavy criticism? Yet, he knew for a certainty that reality was not like that.
“Mr. Glenn was very polite in his proposal. He said he would guide me so I could step out for a moment if I wanted. He was truly, truly a gentleman.”
Andreana argued her point in her own way. She was intimidated, but her tone still carried a sense of unfairness, and Jered reached a point where he didn’t know where to begin refuting her logic.
Having never had a sister, he didn’t know how to handle a young sister-in-law. It wasn’t as if he could explain every single circumstance an unmarried maiden wouldn’t understand.
As he contemplated an appropriate response, his anger gradually subsided, and it eventually felt ridiculous that he had even been angry with this child. Finally, he spoke in a softened tone.
“Your sister is worried.”
Andreana looked up at him blankly. Jered met her gaze for a moment before turning his head. Toward the coniferous forest in the distance, now hidden from view.
In the deep night, the forest was in total darkness. The gas lamps flickering sparsely in the garden were nowhere near enough to drive away the shadows. Andreana fell silent at the mention of her sister, and Jered interpreted it as a sign of self-reflection.
Furthermore, he felt relieved that it had ended like this. He was glad he could step in before someone else noticed and it became a more troublesome matter.
