“That’s just it,” Whitmore replied with a long sigh. “I’m on no one’s side. Or both sides, if you prefer.”

“That’s utterly useless of you,” Sebastian declared with a reluctant grin.

“I haven’t changed my stance on this in the past two years, Edgefield. Despite the fact that my own sister has nearly disowned me for not taking her side.”

Sebastian shrugged. “Yes, well, she’s unreasonable. That’s hardly your fault.”

Whitmore braced a hip against the table. “Perhaps. But you must recall my first inkling of your little drama was when Veronica came to visit me the next morning—woke me up from a sound slumber, I might add—to ask me if I had, in fact, been at the club with you the night before.”

Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck. “Yes, and you said you were.”

“Yes, but then she asked if I knew whether you’d gone elsewhere before the club.”

“She had no right to ask you that,” Sebastian insisted.

“Regardless, I said I was not at liberty to share my closest friend’s secrets with anyone, even my sister.”

“And she’s been angry with you ever since,” Sebastian replied, bending to take his next shot. “See? Unreasonable.”

“Perhaps.” Whitmore shrugged.

“And now we’re here—she and I—pretending we can stand the sight of each other, for your grandfather’s sake,” Sebastian added.

Whitmore chuckled. “Yes, well. Unfortunately, my sister inherited our grandfather’s stubbornness. It won’t be easy to convince her to see reason.”

“Precisely why I’ve stopped trying,” Sebastian replied before pulling out his timepiece and consulting it. “I suppose we should go to dinner. We can finish this game later. I believe we are tied.”

“Yes, to both,” Whitmore replied, setting his cue against the wall. “Let’s go. I cannot wait to watch Veronica pretend to be nice to you.”

Chapter Nine

Veronica was seated between Sebastian and her brother at the dinner table. Mama was at the end of the long expanse, while Grandmama sat on her right and Grandpapa on the left. Elizabeth and Jessica sat next to Grandpapa, while Veronica and the two men sat next to Grandmama. Veronica and her brother had exchanged a strained greeting and Jessica had been chattering nonstop since they’d all taken their seats.

“Tell me again what it’s like at the queen’s court for the debut ceremony,” Jessica insisted, her eyes fixed on Veronica.

“I’ve told you a dozen times,” Veronica said with a laugh. “It’s all quite formal and nerve-inducing, but thankfully, it’s over rather quickly.”

“I’ve been practicing all my dances,” Jessica replied, a dreamy look in her dark eyes. “The waltz is my favorite. Isn’t it, Grandpapa?” she asked, turning to him.

“Yes, darling, and your waltz is lovely,” Grandpapa said, raising his glass in a silent toast to his granddaughter.

Veronica shot a worried glance at her mother. Surely, Grandpapa shouldn’t be dancing with Jessica in his condition. But knowing her grandfather, he’d no doubt insisted. The old man was stubborn to a fault. Mama’s answer was merely a shrug.