She made to move past him, and he wrapped his gloved fingers around her upper arm. The scathing look she cast his way had him immediately releasing his hold, appearing somewhat contrite.

“But it’s simply not done, Miss Trewlove. To rebuff a gentleman’s request for a dance.”

“I’m not declining altogether. Just not right now.” She held up her wrist, the dangling dance card twirling. “I have a few dances left. Select the one you’d like. Just not this one.”

With great deliberation and very slowly, he printed out his name as though he anticipated she might like to use it for an embroidery pattern at some point. He beamed at her. “A waltz.”

“I look forward to it. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Without waiting for his permission, she threaded her way around people, having to stop twice more to impatiently allow gentlemen to sign her dance card. Who would have ever thought she wouldn’t take delight in the attention? Finally, she reached her brothers, grateful Gillie was there as well, so she could confront them all in one go. Thankfully no one else was near. It seemed when the Trewloves were gathered en masse, people were wont to keep their distance. Her siblings all seemed to be in good cheer, chatting, laughing, sipping what appeared to be scotch—probably from Gillie’s personal stock.

“Have you no faith in me?”

They all swung around so fast at her words that it wouldn’t have surprised her to learn they’d each gone dizzy.

“What are you on about?” Gillie asked sincerely. “Of course we have faith in you.”

“Then why are you bribing men to dance with me?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Aiden is canceling any debt owed to his club, Finn is offering breeding or training services, and Mick is offering investment advice. Are you saying you’ve not offered anything to entice the fellows into dancing with me?”

Gillie’s jaw tightened as she glared at their brothers. “You daft dunderheads. You didn’t.”

“No one was dancing with her.” Aiden’s voice was clipped, harsh, and she could sense how much it angered him that they’d been ignoring her. He’d always concerned himself with ensuring women were happy. It was one of the reasons his newest club catering to ladies was such a success. While the knowledge lessened her own hurt a bit, it couldn’t erase it completely when viewed from a different perspective.

“You didn’t believe I could entice them on my own?”

“Eventually, yes. One dance and you’ll have them eating out of the palm of your hand. But they weren’t moving fast enough to suit me.”

“It is not you they have to suit.”

“If they want to marry you, it damn well is.”

She loved her brothers, but at the moment at least one of them was in need of a smack across his head.