The Suitable Bride (The Emberton Brothers Series Book 2) by Karen Aminadra

around the room, giving her politest hellos to the other guests, while her mind and attention were back with Edward, where he stood greeting those still entering the ballroom.
    Something made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, and Frances turned to see her father, whilst being introduced to Edward, pointing in her direction and Edward’s eyes fixed upon her. Again, she stared into his ocean-blue eyes. It was as though the distance between them was nothing and they stood merely hair’s breadth apart. She was more uncomfortable with the sensation than she dared to admit. Every fibre of her being was on alert, aware of Edward’s presence. How hard her heart thumped against the inside of her bodice!
    Wryly she thought that his being so enchanting would make her task easier. Not once while she was hatching a scheme to entrap a husband did she bargain on actually desiring the man she chose. Suddenly she felt happier with her lot. She felt confident that her scheme of marrying someone other than the abhorrent Albert Jarvis would yield rather pleasing results.
    She smiled at her host coquettishly, hoping her eyes conveyed more than just a slight attraction. She hoped they told him she wanted to be chased and was more than willing to be caught by him.
     
    * * * *
     
    Martha spent most of the evening desperately hoping that each time Edward passed by her, he would turn, reach out his hand to her, and ask her to dance. He did not.
    She was not oblivious to the fact that Edward could barely keep his eyes off the beautiful dark-haired woman who seemed to light up the whole room. Martha did not know her name. It did not matter. What mattered was a slow sinking feeling of realisation that Edward did not feel for her what she had so recently been persuaded he did.
    Try as she might, she could not keep the smile fixed upon her face.  A second disappointment in such a short time made that small feat impossible.
    “My dear Martha,” Edwina Emberton appeared at her side, “we simply must find you somebody to dance with. We cannot have you standing about in such a fashion all evening. Why, you are simply gawping at all the dancers! That indicates, young lady, that you wish to join in yourself,” Edwina gently teased.
    Martha wished Edwina would just go away. She loved her godmother dearly, but right now she wanted to be left alone. She fought the impractical impulse to flee the ballroom, the house, and to go home that instant.
    “Now, let me see if I can find you an available gentleman.” Martha protested that she did not wish to dance. “Nonsense,” Edwina replied, already scouring the room for an eligible partner.
    To her astonishment, Edward appeared in front of them, out of breath and with the beautiful woman he seemed to favour that evening firmly holding on to his right arm. “Martha, why are you not dancing?” He turned to his mother breathlessly. “Mama, can you not find someone for Martha to dance with?”
    “No, I assure you, I do not wish to dance!” Martha was feeling desperate and close to panicking.
    “Oh fie!” Edwina waved her fan in Martha’s face. “All young ladies wish to dance at a ball. It is a fact.”
    It may well have been a general rule that all girls at a ball wished to dance. For Martha, that wish faded as the minutes ticked by. There was only one partner she desired, and he was occupied. Martha shook her head. No, “occupied” is not the word for it. Look at him, Martha, you fool. He is captivated by her.
    At the very moment that Martha believed her heart would be broken forever, Edwina excused herself, having been hallooed from the opposite side of the room, and Martha stood alone. She realized at that moment that she was not meant for an Emberton son.
    Slowly, and without drawing any attention to herself, Martha crept around the edge of the room and towards the doors. It seemed to her, in her desperate state, that she could hear Edward and the beautiful lady’s laughter high above