She consulted her little gold-cased notebook—another of his gifts.“Only a tedious list of possibilities.Thursday then.Can we count on you, Francis?”
“Of course, if only to keep an eye on my sister.”
“I will invite the Merrybrookes, the Ashbys.What a shame the Brettons have left.Do you know if Mr.Cavanagh is still in town?He will ensure the evening will not be dull.The Misses Marmaduke are very pleasant…”
She broke off, seeing the gentlemen’s faces, and laughed.“Oh, very well.Like all men, you will enjoy the event but want nothing to do with the planning.Go away to your club and let Amelia and I put our heads together.”
As soon as they were gone Eleanor smiled at the other woman.“May I call you Amy, as Nicholas does?It slips more easily off the tongue.You must help me with this party, you know.I have never organized anything like this before.”
Amy’s eyes widened.“Oh.Why not?”
Eleanor supplied an edited story of her upbringing.Once she understood the situation, Amy was eager to help.Lady Middlethorpe had trained all her daughters thoroughly, and so she was well able to draw up a plan for the evening.As Hollygirt could be trusted to procure all they needed, there should be no further trouble.
“You must send an invitation to your Peter,” Eleanor reminded Amy.
“As if I would forget.And nothing would keep him away.He can be so jealous that I have to laugh.He hates to see other men even dance with me, and at home, where we know everybody, he glares at any man who might be a step out of line.”Amy’s eyes twinkled with mischief.“I find it absolutely delicious.I can never get over the fact it is me he loves so fiercely, and I so … well … plain.”
Eleanor could not wait to meet Peter Lavering.Amy’s descriptions seemed full of contradiction.He was slim and of godlike proportions; gentle, good-natured, and ferocious as a lion; a country man, loving his land and his horses but able to shine as fine as any dandy; easygoing in his relationships and yet fiercely possessive.
She had decided to discount the most part of it and firmly expected to meet a very ordinary gentleman.
She was stunned when she met the reality.Peter Lavering was well over six foot tall, of a superb athletic build and incredible good looks.Curling hair the color of autumn leaves framed the face of a Greek god, and dark eyes flashed with whatever emotion possessed him at the moment.He and prosaic little Amy seemed like beings from different worlds.Eleanor just could not link them, but the lovers themselves seemed unaware of any incongruity.
“Hello, Mouse,” said the Greek god with an ungodly grin.“How much mischief have you got up to so far?”
“I am being a perfect lady, Peter.Tell me all the news.”
This prosaic greeting was belied by a warm hug and the messages that passed between their eyes.Eleanor chaperoned them for a while and then quieted her conscience and slipped away for a few moments.
In the hall she met Nicholas as he entered the house.He had not been home the night before, as far as she knew, but that was not uncommon these days and was not the kind of subject ever mentioned between them.
“You’re looking very guilty,” he remarked as he gave her an impersonal peck on the cheek.
“I feel it,” said Eleanor.“I have left Amy and her Peter alone for a few moments.I think they will die if they cannot have one little kiss.”
She became very aware of their situation, and of how much she would like “one little kiss.”What would he do if she were to kiss him?Surely he could not reject her…
He had already moved slightly away.
“I insist on returning with you,” he said lightly.“I’m eager to meet this paragon.By the way, Miles asks if he may bring his brother to our soiree.He is in town for a few days.He’s a naval officer, but Miles vouches that he’ll do his duty by the wallflowers.”
Eleanor abandoned any foolish ideas of seducing him and agreed to the inclusion of such a treasure readily enough.“Will you tell him, or do you think I should send an invitation?”
“Oh, I’ll tell him.Perhaps we should go and interrupt the lovers.”
Such were their conversations these days.
Even though the invitations had gone out at such short notice, they were not short of company for their entertainment.Eleanor had decided to keep the affair informal.There was an ample supply of excellent food and drink and a skillful trio to play music, or for dancing.As most of the guests were young and lively it was a spirited evening, but for Eleanor it was a tainted pleasure.
She was pleased to see Nicholas exerting his charm to the utmost in order to secure the success of the event, but this also led to bitterness.If he can turn it on and off so easily, she thought, it wouldn’t hurt for him to turn it on for me just now and then.There are many times when I could do with my spirits raised.
Eleanor found amusement in seeing the jealous care that Peter took of Amy, until she compared it to Nicholas’s casual regard of herself.Even when Lord Arden went on one knee before her to beg for a rose from her hair, her husband merely smiled.From then on she could not help feeling sour at every fiery, adoring look directed at Amy by Peter.She must have shown her hurt, for Lord Middlethorpe, standing beside her, said, “Now what in the sight of those sickening young lovers can be making you look so sad?”
“Nothing,” she said with a tolerable attempt at lightness.“I am just worrying about arrangements.This is my first real party, you know.”
But he shook his head.“Won’t do, Eleanor.May I try my hand at mind reading?You were looking at Peter and Amy and wishing Nicholas was hovering over you in the same way.”
She knew she had colored and did not attempt to deny it.
