But if he were to go over there as it was, it would look as if he was following up on that. It would look like he was trying to send Lord Hennington away so that he could talk to Lady Lavinia, and knowing Lord Hennington, he would probably be polite enough to get up and walk off.
Seth knew that there was a limit to the number of times he would be able to get away with driving gentlemen away from Lady Lavinia before she would simply decide that he was the one she needed to cut ties with.
He caught sight of Allan, thankfully on his own, and hurried over to join him instead. Allan looked up at him and smiled. “I wondered whether I would be seeing you,” he said evenly.
“It was good of you to put this picnic together for everyone,” Seth said. “I think people are having a good time.”
“I hope so. But it looks like Lady Lavinia has found someone else to spend her morning with.”
Seth sighed, frustrated. “Why does everyone think I’m trying to spend time with Lady Lavinia?”
“When everyone tells you something, you should consider paying attention to it,” Allan said. “It doeslookas though youwant to spend time in her company, Seth. I saw the way you looked in her direction as you were making your way over here.”
“I didn’t look at her at all,” Seth protested.
“But you did,” Allan said. “Perhaps you’re not even aware of it, but you did. I think maybe it’s that she’s taking up so much space in your thoughts that you’re simply not noticing where your eyes wander! The truth is that you looked at her, and then away again, and thenbackat her, almost as if you were trying to force yourself not to look in her direction. Almost as if it was unbearably difficult for you to restrain yourself.”
“You already know what’s going on between the two of us,” Seth said. “I’ve been trying to help her present herself in a more appealing way. That’s all there is to it. If I glanced at her, it was only to see whether she was following the instructions I’ve given her.”
“And yet you didn’t notice me here until you had nearly tripped over me,” Allan pointed out. “I would have thought you would see me much sooner than you did. I certainly saw you coming in my direction—I even waved, and Ithoughtyou’d noticed me, but you looked away. Tell me, Seth, how do you explain it if you won’t allow for the fact that you’re captivated by that young lady?”
“I won’t entertain this,” Seth said. “I came over to sit with you because you’re my friend and I wanted to spend time with you—it had nothing to do with Lady Lavinia. And as for any attentionI might have paid her on my way to you, I assure you it’s meaningless.
“Look—she’s sitting with Lord Hennington. All that can mean is that my lessons are paying off. She’s meeting with success in gaining the attention of a gentleman, which, I might remind you, is what I wished for her all along!”
“And there’s no point in asking you whether you’re certain it’s still what you want now that it seems to be happening, I suppose.”
“Why wouldn’t I want it? Do you think success makes me want things less?”
“No,” Allan said. “But I do think that seeing her turn her attention to another gentleman might make you realize that you enjoyed her dependence on you. You might be a little sad that the period the two of you spent together is coming to an end. I think that would be only natural.”
“We don’t know that it’s coming to an end,” Seth protested. “They’re only having a picnic together. It could amount to nothing at all.”
Allan nodded sagely and said nothing, and Seth fell quiet, registering his own words. Of course he was struggling with the idea of seeing Lavinia turn to another gentleman. Hehadgrown used to the role he’d been playing in her life.
Well, it was only to be expected. He had known this would happen. He was glad it was happening. He didn’t want to spend the remainder of this party with her, trying to help her find love, meeting up with her late at night and reminding her that she shouldn’t be picking and pulling at her gown if she wanted people to think well of her.
Perhaps what this meant was that his job was done, and if so, that was a good thing.
But he couldn’t understand why it didn’t feel that way. In fact, it was quite the opposite. It felt as if he had lost something powerful and significant, something he truly wanted.
He cleared his throat. “She’s not going to fall in love with Lord Hennington, so this is all a moot point,” he said.
Allan raised his eyebrows. “You don’t think so?”
“Of course not. He’s a decent man, of course, but he’s a bit of a fool, isn’t he? She’s too clever for someone like him.”
“I don’t know him that well,” Allan admitted. “But he seems kind to me. I’ve only ever heard good things.”
“If he was all that wonderful, he would be married already.”
“Perhaps he simply hasn’t been interested in marriage until now.”
“In which case I find it incredible that he wouldsuddenlytake an interest upon seeing her. No, mark my words, he’s being kind to her. It’s nothing more. They’ll probably have a nice picnic, and I’m sure it will increase her confidence—she could use a bit of that! And afterward she and I will resume our lessons together and that will be that.”
He nodded his head firmly, indicating that he was ready to drop the subject, and reached for a sandwich. Allan regarded him quietly a moment longer, then seemed to decide it was best to let it go.
CHAPTER 22
