The earl bowed smoothly to Lady Inglebury and helped her with her shawls and confections of muffs and scarves. Nothing in his demeanor suggested that he was anxious to get rid of his guests or draw a close to his illustrious party. Only the Marquis of Salisbury eyed him with amused sympathy and even went so far as to help Mr. Mortimer and Miss Serena Mortimer call out their carriages. He was rewarded by an ironic twitch of the lips from Robert, who understood exactly what his illustrious friend was thinking.
At last, it was at an end. The earl thanked Mrs. Tibbet gravely and asked that all the staff be suitably thanked and rewarded. Cedric lingered a little, asking, with a faint curve to his lips, why the earl had not invited him upstairs for port.
“Oh, go take a long walk, Cedric!”
The marquis chuckled. “So that is the way of it, is it?”
“Yes. And if you dare say a single word about impropriety. . .”
“Who, I? That would be very much like the pot calling the kettle black. Besides, I never meddle in matters of the heart. Too damn dangerous!”
“Yes, well.” Lord Carmichael’s sudden outburst abated as swiftly as it had descended upon him. He grinned. “Sorry if my temper is a little threadbare, my man. The evening has held its fair share of suspense. Then this appallingly long schedule of dances ...”
“No more than usual, my dear Robert ...”
“Oh, take that silly grin off your face! You are welcome to my port, but you shall have to, I am afraid, drink it alone. I am certain Augustus shall see to your needs handsomely.”
“Then, I am well satisfied, for I have quite a fancy for the cherry brandy you laid down.”
“Good! I make you a present of it. And now, I am off!” So saying, his lordship drew his gloves from the table, alternately snatched at his hat and his cane, discarded them both and marched from the room.
It was left to the Marquis of Salisbury to regard him thoughtfully, though his eyes were brimful of silent laughter. The great Edgemere, then, had finally fallen.
“Anne. It seems I have waited an age for this.”
“I, too.”
“I hope you mean me and not my telescope!”
“Now, let me see ... is it a choice or may I have both?”
“Baggage! Come here and let me kiss you senseless.”
“Very tempting, my lord, but I am afraid I shall have to decline.”
“What?” His lordship’s tone was incredulous.
“There is something I wish you to see. The sky is so clear it cannot just be my imagination. I believe, to the north, I can detect a comet. It has not previously been charted.”
The earl looked into her dear, shining, green-dark eyes and was defeated. Her excitement was so palpable it was infectious. Besides, they had their whole lives to indulge in the sort of activity he might have preferred at that precise moment.
“Oh, very well, the telescope wins. Have you handled one before?”
“Never, but I know the theory.”
“Good! Then, you shall align it, for I have far better things to look at at this moment.”
“Better ... ?” Anne took in the direction of his gaze and blushed.
“Pay attention, sir!”
“I am, Miss Derringer! Here is the key.”
He watched as she carefully removed the instrument from his cabinet and laboured to set it outside. Then she seemed to do a series of extraordinary things with it—he was too distracted to note precisely what—and she handed him back the key.
The earl pocketed it absently before nonchalantly framing the words that had been on his mind all evening. “By the by, you will marry me, I take it?”
“Oh, of course.”
“Excellent, I am glad that is settled. Tell me when I can take a peek.”
“Now, if you like. There seems to be a tail of gas just short of the constellation.”
The earl stepped forward and took a long look. When he had finished, he looked at Anne with amused respect that bordered, rather incongruously, on awe. “Set down the coordinates, Anne. I do believe the Royal Astronomical Society might be interested in this. If it is a discovery, it shall be named after you. Comet Derringer. It has an interesting ring to it.”
“No! I will be labeled a bluestocking forever more. I’ve had my fill of that. You shall get the credit, for it was your telescope that confirmed it. It shall be called Comet Carmichael.”
“Comet Celeste?”
Anne shook her head. She was determined. The earl adored the stubborn tilt of her chin. So very like his own. Then his eyes gleamed. He wanted to finish with the matter of the comet, for morning was approaching and soon he would, for decorum’s sake, have to pack Anne off to her chambers.
“You did say you would wed me?”
“I did, my lord.”
“Then, I shall get a special license tomorrow, for this comet needs a name.”
“You have thought of one?”
“Yes, my dear, stubborn, pig-headed Celeste, I have thought of one.”
“And it is?”
“It is Comet Carmichael.”
She sank back into him with a satisfied smile. “It shall be named for you, then.”
“No, my sweet, it shall be named, after all, for you. As I said, Comet Carmichael.”
Her eyes widened as she at last understood the import of his words. Then she giggled.
“Satisfied?”
“Satisfied.”
“Good. Then come here and let me kiss you senseless.”
Miss Derringer, obedient as always, humbly obeyed.
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Copyright © 2000 by Hayley Ann Solomon
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Seeking Celeste Page 23