by Boom, Naomi
Never mind that Eleanor had also grown up in the country, and that Laura’s father had piles more money than Eleanor’s. She turned stoically to Lord Farris and said, “Actually, my father is the Earl of Krant. I had been waiting for my dear cousin to formally introduce us, but this will have to do.” Upon uttering her father’s name, Laura could have sworn she saw a muscle spasm on Lord Farris’s face.
The twitch seemed to continue as he bowed stiffly and said, “Well then, let me apologize immediately for mistaking your situation. I should have known better than to make an assumption like that.”
As far as apologies went, Laura was impressed with the one she had just received from Lord Farris, although she wondered if his apology was just for show. If his previous behavior was any indication, he would act as he wanted no matter what convention dictated.
“All is forgiven. My cousin is used to mistakes like that. I am sure no one even recalls what was said to offend.” Eleanor beamed at all around her. Laura had been the one offended, yet Eleanor managed to turn the situation around to benefit her. “Shall we go in now? I believe luncheon will be served shortly.”
****
Lord Farris and Lord Collins left the ladies in search of the promise of solitude in the library. The house party officially started today as the last of the guests had arrived late last night. For now, the library was empty, but who knew what the future held.
The sun shone through the windows of the library as Lord Collins and Lord Farris sat on the diminutive furniture. Gavin noted a small glass perched on a bookshelf and was reminded of the proprietor of the drink. The previous night was imprinted on his brain. He could not seem to push Lady Laura from his mind. If he had known she was an earl’s daughter, would he have behaved any differently toward her?
He paused. He knew the answer was a resounding yes. He would have kissed her senseless against the bookcase, even if it made him a cad. The chemistry between them had been almost irresistible, especially when she had looked at him with her unusual-colored eyes. Those eyes would be his undoing. He just knew it.
“So, what do you think of Miss Ashford?”
Why was his friend asking him for his thoughts on some random maiden? “She seems fine.” A banal response would do.
“Only fine?” Lord Collins asked indifferently as he looked out the window.
“It depends on what you are considering her for. For your bed? Just fine. For matrimony?” Gavin laughed. “Please, do not be absurd.”
Lord Collins shot him a penetrating frown. “I am afraid I am leaning toward the latter option.”
Gavin had been drinking plain, undoctored tea but, when his friend announced his decision, coughed. “Are you serious?”
“Very much,” Lord Collins stated calmly. “I have been considering marriage for some time now, and Miss Ashford has an air about her. I think she was born to be my countess.”
“And you have known this for how long?”
“For a little over an hour,” Lord Collins stated seriously.
Gavin sat in his chair, dumbstruck. Lord Collins and he had sworn off marriage until a much later date, when they would be forced to marry to secure their lineage. Now was not that time. Besides, Miss Ashford hardly seemed the sort to compel a man to marry earlier than he had planned. She was undeniably pretty, but a pretty face could be bought cheaply.
“You do not honestly see yourself marrying the chit, do you?”
“It is too soon to tell, but I doubt I will find a better match in the future.”
Gavin’s scowl deepened, and Lord Collins said rationally, “You may be opposed, but I must have an heir. What better person to procreate with than Miss Ashford? I would enjoy bedding her, and she seems the intelligent sort.”
“Hmm.” He did everything with his friend, but now Lord Collins was considering leaving him for the shackles of matrimony. He could not countenance his best friend behaving so irrationally.
Before Gavin could say anything else, Lord Collins added, “I will be moving forward with my courtship, whether you approve or not. Naturally, I would appreciate your support.”
“Fine,” he stated abruptly. Apparently, the witch had him spellbound. Gavin did not understand his friend’s sudden feelings for her, but he could support Maxon until he found a solid reason to dissuade his friend from courting her.
“Are you even listening?” Lord Collins asked in a bored tone as he inspected his jacket. He pulled a minuscule speck of lint from his otherwise pristine coat and tossed it aside.
Gavin was brought back to their discussion by Lord Collins’s query. He was not sure what his friend was saying, but he could hazard a guess. “But of course. You were talking about Miss Ashford, again.” He crossed his fingers and hoped his guess was correct.
Lord Collins took a sip of his tea and trained his gaze on Lord Farris. “I was saying you should continue to occupy her cousin’s attention. Miss Ashford is fond of her and would not be willing to allow her cousin to sit idly by.”
“You actually think that would be a problem for Lady Laura? She is quite lovely and is sure not to want for suitors.” As far as Gavin could tell, Laura had much more to offer in looks and certainly personality. Plus, she was an earl’s daughter. Pedigree did not get much better than that.
In fact, her pedigree should have been evident the very first moment he met her. Assuming she was a poor relation was one of the least intelligent things he had done lately, and he should be grateful with every fiber of his being that she had not been the sort to claim he had ruined her and demand marriage.
“We both heard Miss Ashford. Her cousin is quite the wallflower. Just do this for me, and I will owe you one.” Lord Collins typically did not ask for favors, which dictated Gavin say yes. Besides, for an unmarried miss, she held an amusing spark that intrigued him.
“I will do my best. Just hope that their chaperone is as willing to oblige us.”
“Well, that is the beauty of all this. The ladies only have one chaperone, and I doubt they will do everything together.”
“Yes, but who do you imagine the chaperone will choose to follow?” Gavin sincerely hoped it would not be Laura.
****
“We really must get you changed before everyone assembles for lunch,” Eleanor commanded Laura as they ascended the stairs. “I can help pick out your outfit, if you like.”
“That sounds delightful.” Laura winced guiltily at her sarcasm, although Eleanor always took her words at face value. The ladies entered the bedroom, and Eleanor crossed over to the wardrobe. She selected a dress blindly from the tidy row of gowns and threw it on the bed. “Now, you really must tell me all about your morning.”
Anna, their maid, helped Laura to undress while giving her a pitying look. Anna and Laura tended to act as bulwarks to each other when dealing with Eleanor, especially when Eleanor was unhappy about something. When dealing with Eleanor, it always worked to redirect the conversation by focusing on Eleanor. Eleanor’s favorite topic was Eleanor. “Lord Collins looked like he had a grand time with you this morning.”
Eleanor’s doll-like face lit up as she spoke of Lord Collins. “Oh, yes. He is quite the intriguing man. Not only did he remark several times on my beauty, but he was also very attentive when I was talking to him.” She sighed dramatically. “He is a paragon.”
Laura held back a laugh. Lord Collins was friends with Lord Farris, which meant Lord Collins was a rake and almost the exact opposite of a gentleman. His status as a bachelor was well known, and Laura could not quite determine why he had been with Eleanor that morning. “Do you think he is interested in marriage?”
“Of course. Men do not speak to me unless they are interested. We looked absolutely marvelous together, did we not?” Eleanor preened in the mirror and failed to notice when Laura selected a different dress from the wardrobe. Laura directed Anna silently to help her into it and hoped that Eleanor would not notice the change.
“Oh, absolutely. A more perfect pair could not exist
.”
Eleanor eyed her and said, “I do not need your sarcasm. We did look perfect for each other, not that you would know. Your eye for detail is clearly lacking.” She tittered. “Can you believe Lord Farris mistook you for a poor relation?”
It amused Laura to no end that her cousin could not understand when she used sarcasm. This time, as usual, her cousin was confused. She had been serious. Eleanor’s response, however, had dealt Laura a slight blow. If she did not require comfort while riding as much as she did, she likely would have thrown out her habit after the morning’s ordeal. She had no desire for Lord Farris to be interested in her, but her pride dictated he at least could entertain the possibility.
A pin fell on the vanity as Laura began to unbind her hair. She did not want to admit how humiliating Lord Farris’s misinterpretation of her situation was. It had stung, but now that she understood his actions, she realized he had acted so ungentlemanly purely due to her imagined station. She was curious to see how he would behave henceforth.
The last of her pins came loose, and her long, chestnut hair cascaded down her back. She massaged her scalp and said, “Well, I wish you the best of luck in pursuing Lord Collins, but I, for one, do not look fondly on rakes.”
Eleanor giggled softly at her harsh tone. “I cannot imagine why. A successful rake must be charming and smooth with the ladies, just like the heroes in those dreadful novels you read.”
They were nothing like the heroes in her books, not that Eleanor would know. Eleanor never read books. None of the heroes in her novels would have insulted her in the library or faked an illness to entice her from her horse amongst the trees. No, they were not similar in any way. “Just be careful with him. You should not trust a man you just met, especially one like him.”
“I met him last season,” Eleanor said flatly. “Besides, I am hardly going to allow myself to be compromised.”
Laura nodded slowly. It was Eleanor’s decision, and Laura knew her cousin would be fine, assuming Lord Collins’s intentions were pure.
“Could you imagine if I were to actually marry Lord Collins? I would finally fulfil my dream of becoming a countess.”
Laura had heard that particular aspiration since they were little girls. While Eleanor aspired for riches, Laura had been the one who fantasized about love. She would read romantic novels and poetry, dreaming of the perfect man who would sweep her off her feet. Eleanor, on the other hand, had dreamt of a titled gentleman who would keep her in diamonds and the latest fashions. The two held very different goals in marriage.
****
Lunch was a mellow affair served buffet style. Their hostess, Lady Songfeld, had greeted Eleanor and Laura warmly once lunch finished and explained the makeup of the party. “I tried to keep the gathering small this year. There are only twenty-one guests. Fortunately for you girls, there are five unmarried gentlemen and four unmarried ladies. I believe you are all acquainted with the members of the party, but if not, please let me know, and I will make the proper introductions.”
Laura and Eleanor smiled pleasantly and agreed to do just that. The sound of idle chatter could be heard as they entered the throng of guests, none of whom Laura recognized until her eyes landed on Miss Allison Somers.
Allison rushed to Laura’s side and beamed at her happily. “I am overjoyed to see you in attendance. I was a trifle worried I would only have Miss Cannis to visit with.”
Laura’s eyes searched the crowd until they landed on the lady in question. She was not well acquainted with Miss Cannis but could not help feeling sorry for the girl. Miss Cannis reportedly lacked a dowry and had very few connections in society. “I wonder how she managed to receive an invitation.”
Allison lifted her fan to her face, which only allowed her brown eyes to remain visible as she whispered, “I believe she is related to Lady Songfeld.”
“Aah,” Laura replied, as she continued to assess Miss Cannis. The girl was fairly pretty, but her nose left much to be desired. It was hard enough to find a husband when one had perfect features, but add in the lack of a dowry and it would be almost impossible.
A general hush descended on the crowd as Lord Collins and Lord Farris entered the room. Her eyes narrowed on Lord Farris, who was looking entirely too handsome, and Laura had to fight back the tide of emotion that overtook her. She was clearly still upset about his confusion on her status, but she also could not help how her body thrilled at his presence. In hindsight, it might have behooved her to introduce herself in the library, but he was still in the wrong here. Not her.
Miss Somers exclaimed excitedly, as she returned the fan to her side. “This is just turning out to be the most splendid party I have ever attended! Did you see who just walked in?” For once, Laura was glad Eleanor typically commanded everyone’s attention, because Eleanor had promptly ensnared the gentlemen’s focus when they sauntered in.
“Oh yes, are we not in luck?”
Allison nodded her head in enthusiastic agreement to Laura’s question, and Laura wondered why no one ever seemed to understand her sarcasm.
Lady Songfeld clapped her hands together and began to address the assembled crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, please give me your full attention for a few minutes. I will be posting an itinerary of the upcoming events in the foyer. Everyone please take a look, and if you have any suggestions feel free to voice them. Now, just so everyone does not swarm the itinerary at once, I will tell you a little about the upcoming festivities. Tonight, we will have a formal dinner with some music afterwards. The kitchens are always open if anyone is hungry, and all other amenities of the property are available to one and all. Thank you.”
A smattering of applause greeted Lady Songfeld’s announcement, and Laura relaxed with the promise of interesting events. These next two weeks would be very enjoyable indeed.
“So, Lady Laura, we meet again.” Laura watched as Allison’s eyes widened in shock, and Laura turned to find Lord Farris at her elbow.
“Why, Lord Farris, it appears you have learned how to correctly address me.” Her words dripped of sarcasm, which allowed her irritation with the gentleman to diminish slightly.
“I am a very intelligent individual, Lady Laura, and pride myself on things of this nature.” Lord Farris spoke these words almost directly into Laura’s ear, which caused a smattering of goose bumps to rise up on her flesh as a shiver ran thrillingly down her spine. He then latched on to her elbow and began to direct her away from the guests.
She did her best to ignore the effect he had on her, but panic overtook her as they reached the doorway which led to unchaperoned areas. “Is your goal to marry me, my lord? Because if you continue to lead me away, in plain view of all assembled, you will have accomplished just that.”
He shuddered dramatically and halted their procession just barely within view of the onlookers. “Of course not.”
Laura would have preferred a response free from his reaction of fear and certainly could have done without his stern denial, but she more than willingly accepted his decision to stop their stroll. She held no secret desire to marry the man, but he did not have to act as though she repulsed him.
“Good. The feeling is mutual, then.”
“Can you not relax a little, darling? I already apologized, and aside from mistaking your identity, have done nothing wrong.”
She stared up at him in disbelief. How could anyone be so obtuse? “You have insulted me more times than I can count!”
He appeared unfazed by her declaration and asked, “Please, name one thing that was not in relation to your misunderstood station.”
The conversation in the room had reached a normal volume again, but Laura could still feel several eyes on her. She paused for a few moments to consider his request and plastered a fake smile on her face to appease the onlookers. She did not need to start unnecessary gossip about her nonexistent relationship with Lord Farris. “For starters, my lord, you forced me to spend a night in dire need of water.”
“Is that the best
you can come up with?”
“Of course not!” She lowered her voice as she realized she had responded a trifle too excitedly. “You also forced me to walk with you, unchaperoned, when I had wanted to ride.”
“And you also agreed to walk with me. You never raised a single objection.”
His calmness incensed her further, but she supposed he had a point. She had assumed he would not help her to mount her mare and had acquiesced too easily. “Fine,” Laura said petulantly. “But you apologized, and I never accepted.”
Lord Farris ensnared her hand and began stroking it. Naturally, she kept her hand stiff, which she hoped he would understand as her message that she did not want to hold his hand in return. Unfortunately, he continued to stroke hers, which made Laura lose all rational thought. He must practice holding hands. How else could one explain the skill employed so easily? Focusing back to Lord Farris, she realized he was speaking. “And as you see, I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience I have placed on you. Will you please forgive me?”
This was the one moment Laura wished she had paid attention and, without thinking, blurted out, “I am sorry, Lord Farris, but would you please repeat what you said? I was not listening.” Heat instantly spread across her face as she regretted her entreaty. She should have just accepted his apology. She did not need to actually hear the entirety of it.
“You. Were. Not. Listening?” He appeared affronted and startled, as if this was an unspeakable crime she had just committed. “Forget it. You do not deserve to receive my apology twice.”
“What do you mean by that?” asked Laura a touch crossly.
“Well, maybe if you had been listening the first time, you would understand.” He extended his arm and offered coldly, “Please, allow me to escort you back to your chaperone. I would hate to do anything unseemly.”