“Only a young lady would be more concerned about dancing than the criminal activity underfoot.” He said it with an indulgent laugh that made her jaw clench. Her lips twitched with the urge to protest.
She did protest, in the end, and she managed it with a smile that nearly killed her. “It will only be for a short time. Less than an hour, I’d think. But surely all your men deserve to hear what our visiting nobility have to say.” She forced a laugh. “After all, it is not every day that we receive a visit from the great Earl of Elwood.”
Roger smiled down at her. The affection in his eyes that normally made her smile in turn now made her stomach churn uncomfortably. “I have no doubt you’re right, Minerva. I am certain the younger officers will be delighted to know that you are looking out for their interests.”
Her smile made her cheeks ache. “Then it is settled,” she said. “I’ll let Father know you agree, and we shall both let the guards know.”
His easy agreement rankled more than it ought.
When Abigail joined her at the refreshment table a little while later, she was still stewing over it.
“You seem awfully disgruntled for someone who’s just gotten her way,” Abigail said mildly as she took a sip of her lemonade.
“Mmph.” A grunt of agreement was all Minerva could manage as she turned to face the large room which served as the fort’s assembly area whenever her father or Roger was called upon to address the dozens of young officers who made up their small contingent.
“Are you not pleased that your Roger was so accommodating?” Abigail asked.
“He is not my anything.” It came out a bit more defensively than she’d intended, and she did not miss the way Abigail’s brows arched in surprise.
“Min, is anything the matter?”
Minerva pointedly ignored her sister’s stare. “You mean aside from the fact that our shores have been overrun with pirates and smugglers?”
Abigail’s voice was laced with amusement. “Yes. Aside from that.”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. Well, almost honestly. The vision of a certain bearded, handsome scoundrel wouldn’t stop filling her mind’s eye and memories of his lips on hers seemed to be seared into her skin. A part of her could not shake him loose, no matter how much she told herself that it was ridiculous and meaningless.
Soon enough it would be just a memory.
He would be just a memory.
“Why, Minerva.” Abigail’s concern-filled voice cut into her thoughts. “You look as if you might weep.”
Minerva blinked up at her sister. Did she? That was not terribly surprising. The urge to cry was making it hard to breathe, let alone speak.
But she did not cry. Not often, at least. And certainly not over a man who was little more than a stranger.
Lie. Her inner voice mocked her. She might not have known Marcus long, but she had never once thought of him as a stranger.
Abigail’s smooth brow furrowed as she wrapped an arm around her in that motherly way that came so naturally to her younger sister. “Is it guilt that is weighing on you?”
“Guilt?” she choked out. What on earth should she feel guilty for? Well, aside from going behind her father’s back, but that could hardly be helped. And besides, she would be paying the price for that deception soon enough.
Abigail frowned. “For lying to Roger as you did.”
Minerva stared at Abigail for a long moment. “Oh. That.”
Well, now she felt the guilt her sister mentioned. She looked away in shame as she realized how little she’d cared about the lie. Now she felt guilty that she hadn’t felt guilty. Again.
Goodness, perhaps she was their mother’s daughter after all. So self-absorbed that she did not have the basic kindness and conscience that came so naturally to her sisters. Perhaps her portion of goodness had gone to Abigail instead. She obviously had a double share of empathy and concern.
“Dear Min,” she said as she squeezed Minerva’s shoulders. “This will all come out right in the end. Have no fear.”
Minerva nodded. Fear was one thing she did not have. She had every confidence that Marcus and his cohorts would handle this smuggler matter. She had no doubt that the thieves behind this would be brought to justice and the excitement and intrigue would disappear from their lives just as quickly as it had entered.
And perhaps...
She swallowed, pretending to watch the musicians tuning their instruments as they prepared for the dancing to begin.
Perhaps that was what she feared. That this would end. For when the threat was gone, the excitement would be gone as well. And with it, the sense of purpose that she’d come to realize she craved.
She would go back to being the caretaker of her household. Managing her father’s home and her sisters’ schedules. But her sisters no longer needed her the way they once had. Even Hattie had grown into a young lady this past year. She was no longer a child who needed Minerva’s guidance and discipline.
She supposed that meant it was time for her to start her own family. She bit her lip as she watched Roger laughing with some of his friends nearby.
He glanced over and she looked away quickly, oddly feeling as though she’d just been caught. Perhaps she did feel some guilt, after all.
The thought was mildly reassuring.
“Come,” she said to Abigail, who still hovered beside her. “We’d best mingle with the others and be good hostesses, don’t you think?”
“I suppose,” Abigail said with a sigh of resignation that was unlike her.
“Is everything all right?” Minerva asked.
“Oh yes, of course.” Abigail’s smile was brilliant as ever, but Minerva found herself watching her sister closely. Despite her efforts, her smile seemed a little strained.
But Abigail was already in action, smiling and laughing and dancing just as soon as the music got underway. Rebecca, too, seemed to be in her element. Her wide, inviting smile was on full display as she laughed
