The Enchantment of Lady Ice

XX. Shopping Gone Wrong

"How certain are you that he will come?" Eva asked Alice.

Alice looked through the crowded Café Royal, through the glass windows and shrugged. "His note said so. He is tardy."

Eva scoffed. "He is not giving a good impression for a suitor."

Alice frowned. "Who? Brandon?" Her eyes widened at her friend's expression. "Oh, Eva. No, you are mistaken. Lord Downworth is not a suitor."

With a frown, Eva asked, "Then why are we here?"

"He has asked for my help," Alice explained, face impassive. "It seems that my help from yesterday's ball has proven to quite successful."

"Help with what?"

"Pepper."

"And who is Pepper?"

"Well, I am not sure. We have not met yet. But she is Brandon's object of affection."

Eva's mouth dropped open. "Alice! I cannot believe you have the time to play matchmaker when you barely have any prospects of your own!" she hissed at Alice.

Alice waved her hand to brush Eva's statement aside. "And why would I deprive others of my help?" She sipped her tea and grimaced at the horrible taste. "And you know how I rarely make friends. Brandon has proven to be highly qualified to be one and I intend to help him however I can."

Her friend shook her head in disbelief. They heard the door open and they both turned to find the breathless Brandon rushing toward them.

"Ladies," he greeted breathlessly with a bow. "Apologies for being late. My carriage had a mishap on the way."

"No worries," said Alice, motioning for him to sit. "Do you wish to call for tea? I would not recommend it."

Brandon smiled and called for a coffee.

Alice introduced Eva to her new friend. "We have decided we are better off as friends, which is why he is here."

Brandon nodded as Eva only looked at them with both disbelief and awe in her eyes. "I have heard you have recently married," Brandon said to Eva. "I am acquainted with Lord Surley."

"How? Grey's?"

Brandon's face lit up. "However did you guess?"

Eva rolled her eyes. "He practically lived in Grey's before we married."

Brandon chuckled, causing the ladies around them to look on with curiosity. Alice later realized that their attention on Brandon was momentary as their gazes transferred to her. With a haughty lift of her chin, she ignored them and focused on the conversation at hand.

"No, my friend," Alice said, looking at Brandon seriously. "Do tell... how did it go? The dance, I mean."

Her new friend's smile widened. "It was as I had hoped it would be."

"Which is?" Eva asked.

"I told her of your intentions on Pepper. I hope you do not mind. We need inputs from a woman who is... well, as what they would call it, thinks normally—no offense intended, Eva."

Eva and Brandon shared a look and laughed.

"Tell us," Alice insisted, "how did she react to your confession?"

"Confession?" Brandon asked.

Alice frowned. "You did not confess?"

"Well, not on the first dance!"

Eva nodded. "Yes, not on the first dance."

Alice stared at them, face blank. "Whyever not?"

Brandon shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "That might scare her."