She took his arm and led him into the next room, where card tables had been set up. As they entered, Sebastian heard Freddy’s braying laugh. Beside him, Lady Kendall stiffened.
‘When are you going to rid yourself of that odious man and his sister?’ she asked in a low voice.
‘As soon as I can, but it’s not that simple. Why do you ask?’
‘He is cheating at cards again.’
Sebastian frowned. Freddy sat at a table with three others. Nothing about his demeanour gave any indication that anything untoward was going on.
‘What do you mean?’ he asked.
‘Watch his sister,’ Georgiana whispered.
Fanny circled the table at a discreet distance. To Sebastian’s eye there seemed nothing unusual about her.
Lady Kendall looked up at him and tapped her fan impatiently on his chest.
‘She is sending him signals. See, she has just touched her fan to her ear.’
He watched Fanny for a few more minutes. The signals were subtle and, to the passing eye, benign. Freddy didn’t seem to acknowledge them but his success at the hand he played indicated something was passing between brother and sister.
‘I think you’re right,’ Sebastian said.
‘Of course I am. It was Anthony who pointed their system out to me. Freddy’s clever. He doesn’t win every hand.’
‘Should I call him out?’ Sebastian said.
Georgiana shook her head and said with a laugh. ‘You can’t prove anything, any more than Anthony could. I have had ample opportunity in the past year to observe the Lynchs and I just wanted you to know what he was capable of. You can use it toyour advantage when you need to. Now I see your delightful sister is looking for you.’
Connie and Matt joined them. Connie had a high colour in her cheeks and waved her fan in an indecorous way to cool her face. ‘I’ve been dancing,’ she said.
‘Quite the sought-after partner,’ Matt agreed. ‘Thank heavens for the dancing lessons.’
‘And what about you, Mr. Alder?’ Lady Kendall said, fixing Matt with a winsome smile that would have made a stronger man weak at the knees.
Matt bowed. ‘I hope, Lady Kendall, that you would honour me with a dance, if not this evening then at the Brantstone ball.’
She inclined her head. ‘It would be my pleasure, Mr. Alder.’ She turned to Sebastian. ‘Tell me, Lord Somerton, has your sister made her debut?’
‘Er, no,’ Sebastian said. ‘Is that something you’d want to do?’ he enquired of his normally sensible sister.
Connie’s bright eyes gave her answer. ‘I think, Bas, if I am to fit in to this new world, it would be expected. Would you not agree, Lady Kendall?’
Lady Kendall gave her a long appraising look. ‘When you come up to London for the season, I would be delighted to present you. I think, Miss Alder, you and I would enjoy a season in London.’
‘When? Surely you mean “if”. It was not my intention to go to London for the season,’ Sebastian said, just to see the crestfallen look on Connie’s face.
‘Your brother is jesting,’ Lady Kendall said, hitting Sebastian on the arm with her fan. ‘Come with me, Miss Alder, and allow me to introduce you to some ladies of your own age.’
Matt and Sebastian stood watching Lady Kendall propel Connie through the crowd.
‘I thought this was going to be a quiet little dinner party,’ Sebastian remarked, more to himself than his brother.
‘She’s extraordinary,’ Matt said, his face the picture of a moonstruck calf.
‘She’s not for the likes of you, so take that look off your face,’ Sebastian said.
‘Oh? Don’t think I didn’t see you sneaking off by yourself with her.’
