Annabelle's Courtship by Lucy Monroe

her petticoat. Annabelle took the papers from Vivian and stored them in her own petticoat. “I’ll see that these are passed on to our

    contact in the House of Lords. He will see them distributed to the parliamentary members.”
    “Will you be at the lecture in Cheapside?”
    Annabelle grimaced. “I don’t know. There are new complications. It’s not just a matter of escaping Aunt Griselda for the day. I now have a rather persistent suitor as well.”
    “A suitor?”
    Annabelle smiled at the surprise in her friend’s voice. “Yes, a suitor. I’ll tell you all about him at the lecture.”
    Vivian pulled on Annabelle’s arm. “Tell me now in case you don’t make it to the lecture.”
    Annabelle sighed at the other woman’s curiosity. She went over the bare bones of her circumstances with Ian, mindful of the time she had been away from the ballroom.
    Vivian made shocked noises as Annabelle described Ian’s requirements for a wife.
    “That is unconscionable. I cannot believe his effrontery.”
    “It’s not that bad. He truly is in a tight situation with his stepfather’s will.” Vivian gave her a searching glance in the dim light of the bedchamber. “You must find him more appealing than you admit to defend him.” Annabelle wished she could deny Vivian’s insightful words, but knew that she could not.
    Ian stood at the bottom of the wide staircase and waited impatiently for Annabelle to reappear. He toyed with the idea of looking for her, but could not very well barge into the ladies’ retiring room. If that were indeed where she was to be found. His mind whirled with unwelcome thoughts. Had she gone to meet a lover? Pain at the memory of another night, another ball sliced through him.
    It had been the ball to announce his betrothal to Jenna. His brother, Edward, had returned from school for the event. A young man, barely twenty, Edward had been overwhelmed with Jenna’s beauty. Ian could see that now. Then he had been fool enough to believe that loyalty between brothers would prevent Edward from forming an attachment to Jenna.

    Ian could still remember the smell of heather and the unnaturally warm air in the garden that evening. He had lost sight of both Jenna and Edward. Assuming his betrothed had gone to attend to some feminine necessity, Ian had gone in search of his brother.
    Although several years separated their ages, they had always been close. Until that night.
    Ian had found Edward in the garden. He had also found Jenna. Together. Their lips touching lightly, Jenna clinging to Ian’s brother as if he were a lifeline.
    “What will we do?” she had asked.
    Ian had not been moved by the tears he heard in her voice, but the look of agony on his brother’s face had swayed him. His brother loved Jenna. Ian would never love a woman and risk the vulnerability of her betrayal. Nor would he ever be weakened by an emotion that could cause an honorable man like his brother to behave without integrity.
    “Tell my father I have decided we will not suit.” Edward and Jenna had jumped apart at his voice. They turned, their faces confirming their guilt. Edward had demanded Ian let him explain. Unwilling to listen to lies on top of the betrayal, Ian had refused.
    “I hope you will both be happy,” were the last words he had spoken to his brother.
    He had left for Graenfrae that night. He had not even gone home for his stepfather’s funeral. He had mourned the earl’s passing alone, just as he had lived the two years since his brother’s betrayal. Alone.
    Unable to stand the suspense and remembered pain any longer, Ian determined to go looking for Annabelle. He would know the truth, whatever the cost.
    Ian waited for her at the bottom of the stairs. He looked prepared to come up, his expression thunderous. Her heart sank. So much for secrecy.
    “Where have you been?” His question came out like an accusation.
    Startled by his vehemence, she couldn’t think at first. She met his gaze. “I…I was in