His mother had all but shoved him toward the Thornton girls, but he held himself back. Instead, he found a way to discreetly stare at Lily. Her brown hair was caught up in a soft updo with hothouse gardenias tucked amid the strands. In the light, there were tints of red and gold, and he was transfixed by her presence.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” His cousin, Juliette Fraser, moved behind him and touched his shoulder. “I suppose you have not seen Lady Lily in several years, since she only just returned from school.”
He didn’t quite know what to say, but it was easier to nod his head.
“Would you like to speak with her?” Juliette asked.
“It’s not necessary,” he replied. “Her sister is making her debut, and I should not interfere with that.”
His cousin’s eyes were kind, almost maternal as she smiled at him. He had always been close to Juliette and had even spent a summer in Scotland with her family.
Her expression turned conspiratorial. “Leave everything to me, Matthew.” She crossed the ballroom and went to speak with Lily’s mother, Lady Penford.
He didn’t know whether to stand his ground or seek an escape.
His cousin excused herself and disappeared behind one of the doors. Later, when Juliette returned, he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. But then she approached Lady Penford and spoke to the woman quietly. A moment later, Juliette led the countess toward him, with Lady Rose and Lady Lily following behind. Matthew straightened and saw his cousin wink at him. What had Juliette done now? He suspected it had something to do with her hasty disappearance.
“Lady Penford,” she began, “I know you remember my godson and cousin, Matthew Larkspur, the Earl of Arnsbury?”
“Of course,” the matron responded, winking at him. “Matthew and James have been friends for years.” Then she nodded to her daughters. “You already know Rose and Lily, I’m certain.”
“It has been a long time.” Matthew kissed Lady Rose’s hand, and when he took Lady Lily’s hand, he held it a moment longer than he should have. She flushed but ventured a faint smile.
“Matthew, I—oh dear.” Juliette’s words broke off, and she sighed. “That cat. What am I to do with him?” He turned to see what she was speaking of and saw a brown- and black-striped cat walking across the refreshment table.
Lady Lily’s face transformed into a delighted smile, and she said, “Don’t worry, I’ll get him for you.”
She started toward the table, and her mother apologized, “Lily loves animals. I fear she may not give the cat back.”
“Matthew, go and help her,” his cousin bade him. “I wouldn’t want Lady Lily to be scratched by Tom.”
Understanding dawned upon him. So that was what she had done. The merriment in Juliette’s eyes suggested that she had known full well that the cat would begin exploring the ballroom. He had to admit, his cousin was indeed clever.
He bowed to the women before he followed. Lady Lily was already reaching for the cat, but Tom stretched out on the table and batted at her gloved hands.
“He thinks it’s a game,” Matthew told her. “Tom isn’t the most obedient of cats.”
“And that is why I love them so,” Lily answered. “They are deliciously selfish. I have an older cat of my own whom I adore.”
Matthew recalled that their family had owned a cat, but he’d never paid much attention to the animal. “What is his name?” He reached out and scooped the cat off the table, but he didn’t remove Tom from the room. He now had the perfect means of speaking to Lady Lily, and he intended to hold on to the feline.
The young woman bit her lip. “His, ah, his name is rather ridiculous, I fear. I’ve had him since I was a young girl, and I named him when I was five years old.”
He waited for her to continue, but Lady Lily said nothing at first. Instead, she reached out to pet Tom’s head, rubbing at his ears. The cat purred, and her gloved hand brushed against his chest as she continued to give the animal affection. At last, she confessed, “I called him Princess, for I wanted a girl cat.”
“And you still deride his masculinity with the name?”
She was trying to hold back laughter when the cat caught her glove with his claws. “His full name was Princess Caledonia. My father had more inappropriate names for him, since Princess insisted on scratching the furniture—but I shall not reveal those.”
Lily was trying to extricate her glove from the cat’s claws, but every time she tried to free herself, the cat snagged another bit of fabric.
“The inappropriate names are far more interesting.” Matthew tried to help her remove the claws, but instead, it resulted in him sliding her glove off her hand. The cat was delighted to have the glove and it squirmed in Matthew’s arms, trying to bite the delicate material. “Will you help me remove Tom from the ballroom?”
“Of course.” Lily walked alongside him, but he realized it was still ajar. She made no comment about it but pushed it open further and followed him into the hallway. “Where should we bring him?”
“Outside in the garden should do well enough. He can hunt until it’s time to return.” He nodded toward the doorway on the far end of the house. “Could you go and open that door for me?”
She hesitated a moment. “We should have gone the other way, I think. My mother will be angry with me for being alone with you.”
