“Yes!” they chorused. The two girls glared at each other for a moment and then fell into giggles at exactly the same time.
“Our poor nurse was used to despair of us,” said Henrietta, still bubbling with mirth.
“Yes, and our governess gave up in the end and told Mama we were devils and she could not endure it, so Mama was obliged to teach us herself.” Silvestre smiled at her sister as she added, “All my doing, of course, but Hetty got tarred with the same brush.”
“I got spanked with the same brush,” retorted her sister. “Though I must own I deserved it just as much as you did. Not that Mama resorted to such punishments, and Papa can still silence us with a look.”
The affection between them was evident, despite the squabbling. Felicity could not but be grateful for the diversion from her difficult problem, but it reared its head again when the three of them finished breakfasting and were alone in the front parlour awaiting the arrival of Mrs Summerhayes.
“You expect to be permitted to go back to Bath, don’t you?”
Silvestre’s sudden question took Felicity aback. She looked across to the sofa opposite from where she was sitting in an armchair set to one side of the fireplace. The twins were seated side by side, Henrietta occupying herself with sketching in a book that appeared to be filled with patterns involving images of flowers.
“Permitted? I am my own mistress, Silvestre.”
“True, but you don’t know Aunt Angelica.”
“She is not really our aunt, you must know,” Henrietta chimed in, “but we call her so since we have known her forever.”
“She is your godmother, I think you said? Though she seems a trifle young to be so.”
“Well, she is younger than Mama,” said Silvestre, “but not by many years. Only she was extremely particular and did not marry until she was almost upon the shelf.”
“Whereas Mama was just seventeen when she and Papa wed,” added her twin, “and Aunt Angelica was just old enough to become our sponsor.”
“Not that I can recall her ever being other than managing and authoritative.”
Felicity balked. “Well, she has no authority over me.”
Silvestre snorted. “That won’t stop her if she has made up her mind to befriend you. And since it is Lord Lynchmere who asked her, I imagine she will be doubly anxious to do so.”
A faint ripple ran through Felicity’s veins at mention of his lordship. Recalling instances of last night’s events, she felt distinctly unsure about meeting him again. It came to her she had been half hoping to remove from the metropolis before he had a chance to catch up with her. She adopted a dismissive tone. “He told me they are cousins, and he seemed to think she would come up with a scheme to help me.”
“Oh, Aunt Angelica is forever scheming,” chimed in Henrietta. “She is so good-hearted.”
“So interfering, you mean.” Silvestre waved her sister down as she began to protest. “The thing is, she dotes on Lord Lynchmere and I am sure she will encourage you to do as he suggests.”
Felicity almost unconsciously drew herself up. “I cannot think Lord Lynchmere is likely to concern himself with my future. Why should he? He was indeed chivalrous last night, but I am convinced he found the whole episode tedious.”
Two pairs of eyes became trained upon her with identical expressions of disbelief.
“I am sure I don’t know why you should look at me like that,” Felicity said, flustered.
Silvestre’s gaze became earnest. “I have never known Lynchmere to do as much for anyone.”
“Exactly so.” Henrietta looked apologetic again. “You see, he is in general such an aloof man. Even Aunt Angelica did not suppose he would actually bid on anyone.”
“We were all perfectly astonished, if you want the truth.” Silvestre smiled. “You must have made a hit with him.”
Felicity’s insides crawled with discomfort. “I did not. I am useless at small talk and I told him as much. Besides, it is irrelevant.”
“Is it? When he told you he means to extract his money’s worth for his twenty pounds?”
“He was jesting!” Recalling the warm look in Lord Lynchmere’s eyes at that instant, Felicity experienced another flip in her veins. She suppressed it. “He was merely trying to comfort me. He knew I was upset, that is all.”
Henrietta set her sketchbook down in her lap. “Well, all I can say is, I have never seen him behave so towards a female.”
Felicity could not help the question. “Do you know him well, then?”
