Iris smiled as she lowered herself back onto the picnic blanket.
Across from her, Rosalie smirked. “Careful, Your Grace,” she said, nudging Phineas, “I think you have competition from Thomas there.”
“Don’t be silly,” Iris scoffed as James and Nathan stifled their laughs.
“If that’s my competition, I don’t fancy my odds,” Phineas said, winking at her.
She smiled and reached out and took his hand. “I think the odds are in your favor,” she murmured.
“They certainly were the day your father decided to try and ruin my life by setting us up together,” Phineas said with a chortle.
Iris squeezed his hand, then looked away.
After a quick, two-month trial, Lord Carfield had spent the last ten months in prison for his many crimes, including, of course, the murder of the former Duke and Duchess of Eavestone. As glad as Iris was that her father was safely behind bars, it wasn’t easy for her to think of him there. Nor did she like to remember all the pain and suffering he had caused her family.
She glanced at her mother, but the Viscountess was now laughing with Rosalie and didn’t seem to be listening to their conversation. Lady Carfield had been mercifully acquitted of any wrongdoing and was now enjoying spending all her free time with her daughters.
Phineas seemed to know the direction of Iris’s thoughts because he brought a hand to her chin and cupped it, turning her back to face him.
“I regret nothing in my past if it brought me to you,” he said quietly so that no one else could hear. Then he leaned forward and very softly brushed his lips against the tip of her nose.
It wasn’t exactly within the bounds of propriety, but neither of them cared. They were amongst friends, after all. And over the past year, they had deepened their relationship even more and learned to trust each other on a level Iris had scarcely thought possible. She had never been so happy, and she would risk a few whispers about her indiscretion for a moment of pure joy with him.
“Well then, now that the love birds are busy,” James said loudly, interrupting the moment, “I think we should get in on the tug-of-war competition that’s supposed to start in a few minutes.”
He tossed aside the apple he’d been eating, stretched, and then bounded gracefully to his feet. Then, to Iris’s surprise, he turned to Violet and bowed low.
“Miss Violet, would you care to partake in the game with me? I daresay we would make an excellent team.”
Violet, who had been reading her book on the blanket, looked up in surprise. “Team?” she repeated, looking confused.
“For tug-of-war,” James explained, smiling at her winsomely.
Iris couldn’t help but wonder how many women James had charmed with that smile.
Violet, however, seemed immune to it. “That’s not a game suitable for an unmarried lady, My Lord,” she stated gravely.
“Sure it is,” James said with a shrug. “At least, it is when there are no snotty members of the tonpresent to gossip about it later.”
“Are women even allowed to partake?” Violet asked, still looking doubtful.
“They are, in fact, encouraged. The rules state the teams must be divided equally by sex.”
Violet bit her lip. “I fear I don’t have the strength for such an undertaking… I would only be a liability to my team. You should ask one of the miner’s wives. They’re built much more solidly here.”
“Nonsense.” James shook his head in bemusement. “You’re as strong as any of these country women…”
At that moment, a large, burly woman walked by, accompanied by her six chubby, red-cheeked children. Every person in their party watched them go by in silence. Only once they were gone did they all burst into laughter.
“Vi, you don’t stand a chance!” Rosalie squealed. “They’ll crush you!”
“I think perhaps Miss Rosalie has a point,” Nathan Goldwin piped up. “These country women have an advantage over our delicate debutantes. But fear not, old sport, I’ll accompany you to the tug-of-war competition.”
“Jolly good,” James said, grinning as he helped Nathan to his feet, although Iris thought she detected a look of disappointment on his face. She decided to file that away for later consideration.
“While I am not interested in tug-of-war,” Phineas said after his friends had left, “I would enjoy a sunset walk. Iris, would you care to join me?”
“Indeed, I would.”
