Page 10 of The Prince Falls First
“So you’ll probably make it down the aisle before me.”
“Even if I were to get engaged,” and damn if his thoughts didn’t go to Genevieve again, “I’d need to wait a year after the engagement to marry due to a law. You or one of our other siblings could get engaged and even married in that time.”
“It’s true. I could get married first, before all of you,” Agnes quipped.
“No, you will not,” Gabriel and Ferdie said together. They glanced at each other, nodded, then returned to watching the dance.
Agnes sighed. “You’re both just as bad as Father.”
“Worse,” they both replied together again, then chuckled.
“You know what, I’m going to go casually bump into Leticia, and let her know howfavorablyyou’ve been speaking of her.”
As Agnes walked away, Ferdie spluttered to come up with a response to stop her.
Gabriel put a hand on Ferdie’s arm to keep him from following her. “Leave her be. You know she won’t domuchdamage.”
“But what if the lady expects things from me?”
“Is that such a terrible thing?” He again thought of Genevieve, and sought her out on the dance floor but didn’t find her.
“It could be.”
“Didn’t you like her? Leticia and her family are known to be the decent sort, and supportive of the monarchy.”
“I did like her. That’s the problem.”
Gabriel chuckled again. “Sorry, but I can’t help it. It seems my little brother is all grown up and falling in love.”
“Who said anything about love?” Ferdie said immediately. “I like her. That’s all. It was only a few dances.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Nothing will come of it. She’s seeing someone else, I believe.”
“Not if she danced with youthreetimes. You know the gossip columns will be talking about it tomorrow.”
“Fucking vultures.”
Gabriel glanced around but no one seemed to be nearby or have heard him. “They are. But you should consider something else, too.”
“What’s that?”
He caught sight of Corrado and signaled to him. “You should consider the fact that the lady likely knows what accepting three dances meant, which means she probably likes you too.”
“Like me or my title?”
He reached over to squeeze Ferdie’s shoulder. “That’s something you’ll need to figure out for yourself. There are still a few more dances tonight, you know. Perhaps you should make use of them.”
“Didn’t you just tell me I’d already danced with her too much?”
“Exactly. So one more dance will hardly make a difference, will it?” With a final shoulder squeeze, he walked away, meeting Corrado halfway.
“Sir.”
“Do you know if Miss Ruffin has left?”
“I’ll discreetly check with the security staff, Sir.”
