He looked?
Wait, what did she mean by that? She could swear that his eyes never swayed, even by a tangent.
"Who?" She asked, her voice as low as she could afford to make it.
"Who else? Lord Untouch-"
"What are you ladies whispering about, if I may ask?"
Both of them coloured simultaneously, but for entirely different reasons.
Candace's gaze flicked to Friedrich's, her lashes fluttering the way they always did when she was unsettled.
Eve, on the other hand, averted her gaze. She didn't want him to confirm his assumptions about her feelings for his brother.
He stood before them, his smile as charming as the women's whispers had claimed it was.
"Everetta." He offered her his arm.
She took it. "Friedrich." She whispered as well.
Candace eyed the two of them before proceeding them down the stairway.
Eve glanced over her shoulder once.
Just once.
Just a scarce look at the door he had disappeared behind.
The walk to the dining hall was silent.
Candace walked in without preamble, but when it got to their turn, he paused.
Eve was forced to stop walking as well and glanced sideways at him.
"The glamorous Lady Everetta Whitmore of Creston on the arm of our very own Lord Friedrich." The steward called out.
Eve stilled. She wasn't used to such a formal… announcement.
He smiled at her again and walked into the room. As they walked, he leaned in to whisper, "I'm trying to prepare you, my lady. On the day of the ball, your introduction will be much more grand."
Eve gulped. She'd probably fly out one of the windows long before then.
"You expect a lot from a lady that has been isolated her whole life."
"Don't blame your poor parents - I've often heard that the isolation was of your own doing."
"It was necessary for me… I've never really liked being among people."
He tossed her a sideward glance. "But you don't appear timid to me, if I may be so bold as to say."
"Stop the gossiping and bring the lady to the table already. She must have starved a thousands times over just walking with you!" The Duke said, a grin on his features.
Eve couldn't help but smile - she had been desperately in need of a saviour.
Friedrich's questions and charm was boring her until she was certain her skull was numb.
"Where's Theo?" The Duke asked Friedrich, not bothering to take his gaze away from Everetta.
She coloured under his scrutiny, taking the seat that Friedrich pulled out for her.
Candace was seated across the table on the right while Friedrich took the seat beside her - directly across Eve.
When she glanced up from the empty serving dish in front of her, she caught him staring at her with an expression she couldn't quite fathom.
It wasn't lust - she was very much used to that, neither was it admiration… it felt more like he was studying her to discern something.
Something she was hiding.
She quickly picked up the fork and busied herself with toying with it, her face heating up all over again.
"What an Angel! Just the sight of your betrothed makes you blush!" The Duke exclaimed with jovial laughter, making her blush darken to a glaring shade of red and pink.
"Why hasn't the meal been served?" Candace asked, her impatient eyes scanning the room.
Eve followed her gaze, taking in the stunning chandelier with several rows of lit candles and the mosaic patterns on the walls.
She once heard that the Queen had lived here once, but a long time ago.
After two centuries, the Von Virchows still curried the Crown's favour.
Now She would be the next lady - a pit she dug for herself. Even when she has not the slightest idea how to rule a manor or be a wife. All her mother's attempt to teach her went with the wind.
Because, she was very certain she would never get married.
Because … she was also very certain a particular man would never get married.
Yet… here she was. In his home, at his table, sitting across his brother…
She had betrayed him somehow… a stupid voice in her head kept telling her.
But all she could do was swallow hard.
"Is anything the matter, Lady Whitmore? Your face has lost all its colour…"
She glanced up, at nothing in particular.
This isn't going to work, she said to herself inwardly.
Friedrich and Theodore would both see through her intentions before the month was over - and her chance to discover if Theo truly was what they said he was would be gone.
Gone.
Finished.
Destroyed.
Massacred because she just could not control herself in front of people. And funnily enough, she too is to blame for her lack of finesse when interacting with people.
Candace cleared her throat softly.
"Perhaps she just needs some air. This is a first for her, I presume."
Everetta slowly met Candace's eye, trying not to show the excessive gratitude welling up in her.
Candace rose up first and adjusted her dress.
"I hope I have not done anything to offend you, my lady." Friedrich said this time, his face taking on the colour of freshly ripened plums.
"No, my Lord." She whispered.
Just as she rose up from the table, the doors were opened.
Her gaze flipped towards that direction of its own accord and landed on the figure entering the room.
He didn't make a fuss about anything, but he managed to steal the room.
In her mind, though.
But she heard Candace's breath sizzle, and many of the servants' breaths catch.
He was wearing a formal dining attire comprising of a long black coat, a white shirt and cravat and a black hose.
His hair was slicked back neatly, though a few tendrils stole away from the tightly bound strands at his temple.
He was simply… divine.
"Everetta." Candace called gently.
Everetta blinked several times before recovering herself.
By that time, he had reached the table.
Then, he surprised her by taking the seat beside hers.
She could swear her heart lurched out of her chest just then.