Why the devil had they got betrothed and even celebrated the event at a grand ball in London the night before he set off back to the Peninsula, while David was at Candlebury dying, and Flavian had come home for the express purpose of being with him? And why had Flavian gone back to war when the end for his brother had obviously been near and he was about to be landed with the responsibilities of the title and property? He frowned in thought, trying to remember, trying to work it out, but the trying merely made his head thump more painfully.
The sun was shining from a clear blue sky again, he could see, and the daffodils beckoned. Or, rather, the enchantress among the daffodils beckoned. Would she be there? Would he be disappointed if he went and she was not? Wouldshebe disappointed if she went there and he did not? And what did he intend if he did go? Conversation? Dalliance? Seduction? On Vince’s property? With the viscountess’s friend? He had better stay away.
Ben, Ralph, George, and Imogen were going riding. They expected to be gone all morning, since they were going beyond the confines of the park.
“Will you come with us, Flavian?” Imogen asked at the breakfast table.
He hesitated for the merest moment.
“I will,” he said. “Vince is taking Hugo and the l-ladies over the wilderness walk, and it sounds alarmingly s-strenuous. I will come with you and l-let my horse do all the exercising.”
“What Iamgoing to do,” Vincent said, “is show everyone what they cannot see because they have eyes.”
“The boy has taken to talking in riddles,” George said, looking at him fondly. “Yet, strangely, we know just what you mean, Vincent. At least I do.”
“I am even going to sacrifice my morning’s practice in the music room,” Vincent said.
“He p-put me to sleep there yesterday morning,” Flavian said.
“With alullaby, Flave,” Vincent protested, “for which you asked. I would say I was singularly successful.”
Flavian chuckled.
“Oh,” Lady Darleigh said, her hands clasped together at her bosom, “I amsolooking forward to this evening, and I am quite certain you will all be vastly impressed, even though some of you spend time in London and must attend all sorts of concerts with the very best performers.”
This evening?
“I do believe,” Lady Trentham said, “that Miss Debbins was pleased to be asked, Sophia. What a delightful lady she is. And her sister too.”
Miss Debbins? She was the music teacher, was she not? And her sister was...
“I am probably as far from being a connoisseur of music as it is possible to be,” Lady Darleigh said. “But I do believe that talent in any artistic field is unmistakable when one encounters it. And I believe Miss Debbins is talented. You will all be able to judge for yourselves this evening.”
“Miss Debbins is to play here?” Flavian asked.
“I did nottellyou?” the viscountess asked him. “I am so sorry.”
“He was not listening,” Hugo said.
“Perhaps he was not present when I announced it.” Lady Darleigh beamed at Flavian. “Miss Debbins is going to play for us this evening, as well as anyone else of our number who can be persuaded to entertain the rest of us. She will be coming for dinner too. For once we will have an even number of ladies and gentlemen at the table.”
Even numbers. Flavian did the calculations in his head, but they did not add up. Unless...
“Her sister will be coming too,” Vincent said. “Mrs. Keeping. We are fond of her, are we not, Sophie, not least because she is the one who made it possible for us to become world-famous authors.”
He chuckled, as did everyone else—Flavian included.
The devil, he was thinking. He had just resisted the temptation to stride off in the direction of the meadow and the daffodils. Yet he was to meet her again after all today. Here. She was coming to dinner.
Well, at least tonight she would not be surrounded by little trumpets of sunshine fallen from the sky.
And if he was not very careful, he was going to find himself penning sonnets after all. Shudderingly awful ones.
Little trumpets of sunshine, for the love of God.
But his headache suddenly seemed to have eased.
5
