I think the schedule below will be about the best possible. I have not checked this in detail, but the way I constructed it, I believe players ABCFGH should all have 26 games while DEIJ should have 27 games. Most pairs of players should partner 3 times, and oppose 6 times, however the three pairs AF, BG & CH will only partner twice and only oppose 4 times. Finally, I think no player will have 2 byes in a row.
(C J v F H) (B G v A I)
(D I v C G) (B J v E H)
(C I v A E) (D F v B H)
(G I v F J) (C E v A B)
(A J v D E) (H I v C F)
(G J v B C) (D H v E I)
(B F v C D) (H J v A G)
(F I v E J) (G H v A D)
(B D v I J) (E G v C H)
(B I v A H) (D G v E F)
(F G v B E) (D J v A C)
(D F v G I) (C H v B J)
(E J v D H) (C F v A I)
(D J v B A) (E G v C I)
(H J v G F) (D A v B C)
(B F v E A) (I J v D G)
(H F v C D) (E I v A J)
(C G v D E) (I F v B H)
(G J v A F) (H I v B E)
(C E v J F) (A H v D I)
(C J v B I) (E H v A G)
(G H v C A) (E F v B D)
(E G v H J) (D I v C F)
(A F v E I) (D G v B J)
(E F v C B) (A H v D J)
(I F v H G) (E B v C D)
(C G v A B) (J F v E H)
(I G v D E) (A J v B F)
(D H v E A) (J G v C I)
(H F v B G) (I J v C A)
(D A v F G) (B I v E J)
(D F v C J) (A I v B H)
(H I v D B) (A G v C E)
With 9 players things are easier, since the standard Whist schedule with 9 rounds should work for you (this gives all partners once and all opponents twice). I have put three copies of this below, just leave out the last round if you need only 26 rounds.
[(B A):(E G)] [(C I):(F H)]
[(C H):(D B)] [(F G):(E I)]
[(E F):(H A)] [(I D):(G B)]
[(F I):(A D)] [(C G):(E H)]
[(G I):(A C)] [(B E):(D F)]
[(D E):(I H)] [(A F):(B C)]
[(G D):(F C)] [(I A):(H B)]
[(H G):(B F)] [(D C):(A E)]
[(C E):(I B)] [(H D):(G A)]
[(B H):(C D)] [(F I):(E A)]
[(E I):(D G)] [(F H):(B A)]
[(A D):(B E)] [(H C):(I G)]
[(G C):(F A)] [(E H):(B I)]
[(I A):(G B)] [(C F):(D E)]
[(I C):(F B)] [(H D):(A G)]
[(H I):(D F)] [(G E):(C B)]
[(E F):(H G)] [(A C):(I D)]
[(A H):(C E)] [(D B):(G F)]
[(D B):(I G)] [(A F):(C E)]
[(A E):(G H)] [(C B):(D F)]
[(B H):(A C)] [(E G):(F I)]
[(D A):(F G)] [(E H):(B I)]
[(E I):(C D)] [(F H):(B G)]
[(C F):(H I)] [(D E):(A B)]
[(F B):(I A)] [(G D):(H C)]
[(B E):(G C)] [(I D):(H A)]
[(E F):(H D)] [(G A):(I C)]