She didn’t say a word, but allowed him to lead her away. He reached the balcony door and opened it.
“Carrolton,” a man shouted.
He turned and frowned. It was the last man he wanted to see—his uncle, Thomas Sanderson, Baron of Eaton, his mother’s older brother. “Hello Lord Eaton,” he said dryly. “What do you need?” He didn’t mince words. Ezra needed the conversation over so he could take Lady Theodora outside. She’d moved even closer to him at his uncle’s appearance.
“Your mother has requested to come to town. She’d like to stay at Carrolton house,” Eaton said. “I was going to send you a missive, but this is more expedient.”
“I never barred her from Carrolton House. She chose to stay away and left Amelia’s launch to my care. If she’d like to escort my sister to these events, it would be much appreciated.”
“I don’t believe she wishes to take on that task,” Eaton said. “She’s all right with the arrangements you’ve made with Lady Sheridan.”
Of course his mother wouldn’t want anything to do with her daughter. She was the worst mother. If his father were still alive, he’d make her chaperone Amelia. Ezra would rather not talk to his mother at all. “Then I see no reason for her to return to town. She can stay where she is. If she changes her mind and wants to do her duty, then she can stay at Carrolton House.”
“I’ll inform her.” Lord Eaton turned his attention to Lady Theodora. He leered at her as if he knew something about her that Ezra didn’t. He didn’t like it one bit. “Who is this lovely lady?”
Lady Theodora seemed to shrink under his scrutiny. Ezra hated seeing her like this. She was brash and outspoken with him, but with his uncle…she appeared scared. “No one of consequence,” he answered. If she didn’t like his uncle, she must have her reasons. “If you’ll pardon us, the lady was in need of fresh air. It is stifling in here.” Ezra nodded at his uncle and then led Lady Theodora outside.
Once they were outside, they walked to the balcony ledge. Her face had lost its pink hue and had gone white. “Are you going to explain what happened in there?”
She took deep breath then said, “I’d rather not.”
“Are you acquainted with Lord Eaton?”
Maybe if he asked enough questions she might actually answer some of them. The more information he gathered about her, the more he wanted to know. When he’d arrived at the ball, he was irritated. He hated balls. Now he was glad he'd had to escort Amelia and her chaperone there. He should introduce his sister to Lady Theodora.
She didn’t meet his gaze as she started to speak, “He was a friend of my father’s.”
Ezra frowned. His uncle kept company with some unsavory individuals. Who was her father? “I’m sorry to hear that.”
She turned to him and asked, “Are you really not going to allow your mother to come to town? You would leave her at the mercy of that man?”
That was an interesting reaction. “Yes,” he said simply. “My mother made her choice, and now she has to live with it.”
“You don’t like her?” she asked. “Why would you condemn her so?”
Ezra didn’t want to discuss something so distasteful as his mother and her decision to abandon her children. He used to hate her, but now he chose to not waste any emotions on his mother. “I feel nothing for the dowager viscountess. I don’t wish to discuss her with you. She is fine where she is…trust me, she wants for nothing and is not mistreated.”
“All right, I will not ask again,” she said quietly. Her eyes were downcast and he felt like a complete arse. What was bothering her?
“I understand your misgivings,” he told her. “Lord Eaton is not a good man. But he does love my mother and wouldn’t harm her. I promise you that. If he did, she’d have begged me to help her long ago. My mother is not afraid of making her wishes known. She believes I’m more likely to give in to her demands if it comes through an intermediary.”
“I believe you.” She looked up at the sky. “Perhaps Lord Eaton does care for her. Stranger things have happened. I would rather not associate with him.”
“You’re not the only one who feels that way,” he replied. “I have never cared for him.”
He looked up at the sky too. “It is a little magical don’t you think?” He pointed at the blackness dusted with bright stars.
“Breathtaking,” she answered, then turned to him. “Will you do something for me?”
“Anything,” he answered honestly. Ezra didn’t know what it was about her, but he was enchanted with her. He would promise her the world if she asked him for it.
“Will you kiss me?”
That was not what he imagined her to say, and if he were honest, he hadn’t known what to expect; however, he was more than happy to oblige with this particular request. Unfortunately, he couldn’t…
Chapter 4
Teddy had enjoyed the ball the previous night more than she’d anticipated. That didn’t mean it’d been perfect or that she had any desire to attend another one. Partly because she'd never wanted to attend the function held the last evening, and also she’d been severely disappointed Viscount Carrolton had refused to kiss her.
Oh, his reasons had been sound, but that didn’t negate her discontent. It would have been a risk. She should have realized that herself without him telling her the gamble they’d take. There were several people on the balcony with them, and they couldn’t count on the darkness shrouding them to protect their actions. They would have been easily exposed, and she’d have been instantly ruined. He would be required to offer for her, and then she’d find herself in
