“Of course.” Lavinia didn’t know how to skate any more than Edith did. Their upbringings hadn’t allowed for leisure activities. She moved closer to her friend.
“Where is Lord Thorne’s sister?” Lavinia asked. “I expected her and her new husband to be here in Scotland with the rest of the family.”
“They have taken a honeymoon trip. I don’t know when they are expected to return.”
Now that Edith had a moment alone with her friend, she wanted to ask if everything was all right. Even after a good night’s sleep, Lavinia seemed to be dragging. She yawned often and her eyelids were droopy. “How are you, Lavinia? Are you well?”
“She is the picture of health. Just look at the rosy apples of her cheeks.”
Edith was startled by Lord St. Ambrose’s sudden appearance behind her.
Lavinia cocked an eyebrow in his direction. “I wondered when you would join us. You promised business could wait until we returned.”
He sidled up beside her to place his arm around her shoulders and bent to kiss her cheek. “Forgive me, my love. I wrote to Mother letting her know we arrived safely.”
Edith doubted there was any mention of ‘we’ in the marquess’s letter. She didn’t need to be a member of High Society to know their unspoken rules: one never mentioned one’s mistress, especially to one’s mother.
Lavinia’s eyes narrowed. “You also promised to keep our association a secret.”
He simply shrugged and smiled.
“August, you didn’t.”
“Mother will learn about your existence once we marry,” he said. “I’d prefer to win her approval before our wedding.”
“There will be no wedding.” Lavinia sighed wearily, even as she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into his hug.
Edith had grown accustomed to their recurrent arguments over Lord St. Ambrose’s plan for their future, and Lavinia’s lack of fire left Edith wondering if the marquess was breaking down her friend’s resistance.
“Mistress Gallagher?”
Edith’s heart sped at the sound of her address rolling off Mr. McTaggart’s tongue. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was growing fond of his lovely brogue. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she turned toward him with a smile. “Good afternoon, sir.”
He held up two skates and aimed his crooked grin at her. “Are you ready for our next adventure?”
She balked. “I—I don’t skate.”
“It is high time ye learned, lass. Have a seat,” he said and gestured toward a large stump. “I’ll help you strap on the skates and teach you what to do.”
“Oh, no! You are not gettingmeon the ice.”
Lavinia came forward. “You should try. It looks like fun.”
“I don’t see you speeding around the pond.”
“True,” her friend whispered in her ear, “but I do not have a handsome man offering to teach me.”
Edith’s face flooded with heat. “What does his appearance have to do with anything?” she grumbled under her breath.
“It makes the task more pleasant.” Lavinia chuckled and gave her a gentle push in Mr. McTaggart’s direction. “Be brave, my friend.”
Edith glowered at Lavinia. It was obvious she wasn’t coming to her rescue. Some friend she was.
Mr. McTaggart held out his arm to Edith. “Shall we?” His deep green eyes twinkled with merriment as she accepted his escort and allowed him to draw her toward a stump. “If Mr. Mason can enjoy himself, so can you.”
On the ice, Pearl pushed her husband around on a ladder back chair. Their laughter carried across the pond.
“Do you have a chair for me?” Despite her surly tone, she lowered to the stump and kicked her leg out in front of her.
