Tewkbury strolled into the room dressed from head to toe in red and pink, causing a round of titters from the ladies. It was nearly noontime, and the guests were gathered in the dining room, where breakfast had been laid out on a sideboard. Ellen looked lovely in a green morning dress. She looked up from her plate with kedgeree and smiled shyly when she saw him.
"Good morning, my love," Tewkbury murmured, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I've missed you."
She blushed.
"By Jove, you two love turtles cannot bear to be apart for more than an hour, can you?" joked Dobberham. "For my part, I am more than content not to see my second half for most of the day, although I miss her most at dinnertime." He shot an affectionate glance at Louisa.
Some of the men had been out hunting and had returned red-cheeked and in good spirits. Tewkbury hadn't joined them. He'd had something better to do, for he'd spent a good part of the morning in the nursery.
At first, he'd told himself he'd only take a short peek to see how the little fellow was doing. He'd found Noni quietly playing with wooden blocks on the floor, somewhat apart from the other Dobberham children, who were jumping and screaming around him. Something about the way the boy had bent his curly black head over his toys had tugged at Edmund. He knew exactly how it felt to be the odd duck in the room. Then, just as he was about to retreat, Noni had seen him. He'd run over and thrown his little arms about his waist. Edmund had a strange lump in his throat as he tousled the boy's hair. Then Noni had pulled him into the room, back to his wooden blocks, and before he knew it, he'd crouched on the floor next to the child, building a tower that was higher than the table.
Strange how quickly time passed with such an activity; and he found it infinitely more entertaining than any of Louisa's games. Noni had looked at him with big, questioning eyes.
"I say. No need to look so sad," Edmund had told him. "I'll be back, I s'ppose."
It had squeezed his heart to see the boy's eyes light up at that pronouncement.
Somewhat disturbed, Edmund had returned to his room, just in time to change. He'd have to check on the little fellow more regularly from now on, Edmund told himself as he pulled on a fresh waistcoat; but somehow he preferred no one knew about his new pastime, including Ellen.
When Ellen had lookedup to see Edmund entering the room, her heart had skipped. She thought he looked well rested, whereas Ellen felt she needed a nap after a morning with the ladies. There was no time for that, however, for Louisa asked them to gather in the green drawing room after breakfast. The afternoon lay before them with a series of never-ending games.
"We shall play 'tableaux vivants' today," Louisa announced. "I'll put you in pairs and you have to pull your theme out of a hat." She lifted her husband's top hat, which she'd turned upside down. Inside were slips of paper with topics. "Your task is to put together a tableaux vivant using the items you have been given. Miss Anne, you and Mr Tilney are a couple."
Both blushed and looked away.
"Lady Tewkbury, I'll pair you with ... " her gaze swept over the group, pausing for an infinitesimal second on Tewkbury, then moved on to rest on the gentleman next to him. "Ainsley. Yes. Two redheads in a tableau should make a striking vision."
Mr Tilney nudged Lord Ainsley, who appeared to be dozing with his legs crossed in the corner of a Chesterfield sofa. He'd had too much to drink the night before, missed the morning hunt, and turned up for the afternoon's entertainment half asleep, his shock of fiery red hair dishevelled. He was dressed in sober clothes and seemed a pleasant enough fellow. It was clear to all that he was smitten with the lovely Miss Mary, but had been too ashamed to kiss her to redeem his forfeit when he'd had the chance. Instead, he'd planted a shy kiss on her wrist, causing the rest of the gentlemen to roast him for being a coward. Only Tewkbury had not teased him.
"What's happening?" Ainsley looked around, blinking.
"You are to partner with Lady Tewkbury and create a lovely tableaux vivant."
"Oh. Splendid." He threw Tewkbury a doubtful look. "Husband doesn't mind?"
Tewkbury scowled at him. "I do indeed. I say, Louisa, I insist on being paired with my wife. I can't bear to have a fool like Ainsley as her partner."
"Nonsense. You two lovebirds spend far too much time together, which I must say is very understandable under the circumstances," she clasped her hands and fluttered her eyelashes at him, "for you are newlyweds and very much in love. It is so charming, doubly so, as love matches are not at all common in our circle. But it is time for you to suffer some time apart. Some distance will increase the longing between you. I have therefore decided that you, Tewkbury, will pair with Lady Cynthia."
Lady Cynthia looked smug, ambled up to Tewkbury and took his arm. "I am pleased. We are certainly well-matched." She blinked her eyelashes at him. Edmund merely laughed.
Ellen felt a quick stab in her heart.
With a mischievous grin playing around her lips, Louisa held out a hat. "Take one," she said to Tewkbury.
He pulled out a piece of paper and passed it on to Lady Cynthia, who smiled.
A roar of laughter and protest had everyone looking in the direction of Miss Anne and her partner, who had just pulled their slip of paper.
"Really, Louisa?" Mr Tilney's face was one of mock despair. "How on earth are we to replicate this?"
Louisa handed him a copy of an etching. "Like this, and no other. Choose your costumes well."
Then she held out her hat to Ellen, who drew a piece of paper. "The love letter."
Ellen showed it to Ainsley, who scratched his head. "I don't think I'm familiar with this piece of art," he confessed.
"Neither am I."
