Gabriel studied her with that familiarly veiled expression. She swallowed hard. “Fine. I—”
He leaned close. “It appeared as though you groaned.”
Chloe swung her attention to Jane. “Oh dear, are you ill, Jane?”
“I—” Am utterly humiliated. Sick with embarrassment. Though she didn’t suspect that qualified as any type of illness.
The red velvet curtain fluttered and she gave thanks for the sudden interruption.
A tall gentleman with black hair and familiar chiseled cheeks filled the entrance. At his side stood a crimson-haired lady with a wide smile on her face. Gabriel stared unblinking at the couple a moment.
Chloe emitted a small shriek and leapt to her feet. “Imogen, Alex.”
This was the roguish brother spoken of by Chloe, and his beloved wife.
Jane hesitantly climbed to her feet and took in the reunion between the young ladies who spoke with such rapidity, her head spun. Through their animated greeting, she hugged the edge of the wall in an attempt to make herself as small as possible from the intimate exchange. The two women gesticulated wildly. Wide smiles wreathed their faces as they alternated between soft laughter and excited chatter. Jane fisted the fabric of her gown. How long had she been alone? She’d given up on the dream of even a friendship as a child. Yet just now, seeing the two so effortlessly communicate, that age-old longing she’d thought firmly buried came rushing back. There was something so very bittersweet in the happy exchange that she forced her gaze away to Gabriel and his brother.
Seemingly forgotten by the Edgerton women, the two brothers took each other in with a guardedness that was belied by the close, animated greeting between sister and sister-in-law. She used their quiet meeting as an opportunity to study Gabriel alongside his brother. With their midnight black hair and chiseled features, they might be taken for mirrors of one another. And yet, there was whipcord strength to Gabriel’s lean frame that bespoke an understated power.
What was it about Gabriel that so fascinated her? By his own admission and his brusque manners, he was, as his sister pointed out, nothing charming in the way of those roguish sorts. Yet, she preferred the sincerity of him to the—
Gentlemen now looking openly at her.
She flushed as she became aware of the four pairs of eyes trained on her person.
“Hullo,” the red-haired young lady said with a gentle smile.
Jane bit the inside of her cheek. Why did the woman have to smile and be kind? Why could this new Edgerton lady not be the cold, callous, and calculated peers Jane had encountered before now? “Hello,” she replied and dropped a belated curtsy.
Lady Imogen Edgerton looked between Chloe and Gabriel in an apparent request for an introduction.
“Oh, of course,” Chloe said, pointing her gaze to the chandelier overhead. “Allow me to introduce you to my new companion, Mrs. Jane Munroe.”
Silence met the young woman’s pronouncement as Lady Imogen Edgerton and Lord Alex looked on with questions in their eyes; those silent queries landed on Gabriel. Unflappable as ever, he gave no indication he’d noted or cared about the inquiries from any of his kin.
“Mrs. Munroe,” Lord Alex drawled. A half-grin formed on his lips and he sketched a polite bow. “I daresay, I hope you’re being well compensated for the task of going about with these two.” His words ended on a grunt as Chloe buried her elbow into his side.
“Do hush. I’ll not have you run off Jane. I quite enjoy her company.”
Emotion balled in Jane’s throat. No one enjoyed her company. Her existence had been an unwanted and unwelcomed one that had only ushered in years of being that same unwanted and unwelcomed person. Chloe was merely being polite, but the fact that she’d even uttered those words wreaked havoc on her orderly emotions. “If you’ll excuse me a moment?” she said, hastily. She skirted the edge of the marquess’ private box, aware of his gaze following her movements. “I—If you’ll excuse me,” she repeated dumbly, and then before questions could be asked by the ever inquisitive Chloe, Jane slipped from the box and set the curtain aflutter once more.