Cassandra linked her arm through Fiona’s. “Come, let us meander before the music begins.” She smiled toward Prudence. “Good evening, Miss Lancaster. I’m so pleased to see you again too.”

Prudence dipped a brief curtsey. “The feeling is mutual, Lady Cassandra.”

“Don’t be late for the performance,” Overton said from beside Aldington.

“We won’t,” Cassandra said jauntily, preventing Fiona from responding in irritation.

As they walked away, Fiona leaned close and whispered, “Thank you. I fear I would have said something obnoxious.”

“I saw the glint of annoyance in your eyes,” Cassandra said. “What has Overton done to earn your ire?”

“Only try to force me into courtship.” Fiona was perhaps exaggerating with her verb choice, but she didn’t correct herself.

“It’s to be expected, unfortunately. I shall hope for your sake that he will continue to refrain from presenting you a list like my father has to me.”

Fiona made a noise low in her throat that would have horrified Lady Pickering. It was probably good that she was unable to attend this evening. “I fear that won’t be far off. I believe I’ve persuaded him to give me at least a modicum of respite. This is all such a change for me after coming from the country without any expectations.”

“I can only imagine. I’ve been raised to do just this.” Cassandra raised her voice slightly in mock enthusiasm. “Have a sparkling Season where I dazzle a myriad of suitors before settling into marriage and motherhood.” She rolled her eyes.

“I suppose it’s worth it if you fall in love,” Fiona said. She couldn’t imagine marrying without doing so, but it seemed it wasn’t necessary. In watching Overton, she didn’t have the sense he was looking to find a love match. He was simply in a hurry to find any match. Or so it seemed. She really couldn’t claim to know him that well. Why would he tell her his plans or confide his intentions?

In fact, with whom would he discuss any of it? His friends, she supposed. Just as she had Cassandra.

“Love is a fairy tale,” Cassandra said.

“You don’t think it’s real?”

“I do, but I think it’s special and extraordinary. And I don’t think everyone is fortunate enough to experience it. My parents shared a mutual affection, but I would not describe it as love, and my brother didn’t marry for the emotion, nor has he found it since.” She glanced back toward where they’d left Overton and her brother.

This was only the second time Fiona had met Aldington, but she noted that his wife hadn’t been present on either occasion. “Is Lady Aldington here?” Perhaps she was somewhere else in the house.

Cassandra shook her head. “She’s still at Hampton Lodge where they spent the holidays. I expect she’ll arrive in the next few weeks. Or perhaps she won’t come at all. Con hasn’t said.”

“Why do you call him Con instead of Aldington? Do families address their siblings differently?”

“The story goes that when I was learning to speak, I couldn’t pronounce Aldington or Constantine, his Christian name, so I called him Con. He has been Con to me and to Lucien ever since. My father has only recently stopped flinching when I use that in the presence of others.” Cassandra grinned.