"Work doesn't follow a convenient schedule, unfortunately."
"No, I don't suppose it does." Her mother's smile was diplomatic but strained. "Well, I suppose I'll manage somehow. Thank goodness for Sasha and Ambrose. they've been absolute angels with the setup."
"They have."
"Though I can't help but think you might enjoy the party more than another business meeting. You work so terribly hard, darling. When was the last time you actually enjoyed yourself at a social gathering?"
Victoria couldn't remember. Couldn't remember the last time she'd attended anything social that wasn't directly related to networking or client cultivation. "I enjoy work gatherings."
"Do you? How lovely for you." Lady Charlotte's tone suggested she found this about as believable as Father Christmas.
TWENTY MINUTES LATER, Victoria escaped to the library, claiming she needed to make important work calls. Instead, she sat staring at her laptop screen, trying to focus on interview preparation while her brain insisted on replaying every kiss, every touch, every moment when Sasha had looked at her like she was something worth having.
She was pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. A grown woman getting distracted by a summer fling while her career hung in the balance.
The Richmond Brothers interview was crucial. Senior Investment Manager, excellent firm, exactly the sort of position she needed. She should be focusing on that, on rebuilding the perfect life that had collapsed around her.
Instead, she was mooning over a woman who saw her as a temporary diversion.
"Victoria? There you are."
She looked up to find Archie in the doorway, looking like a man facing his own execution.
"What's wrong now?" she asked, closing her laptop with perhaps more force than necessary.
"I need advice. Serious, life-or-death advice about the weekend."
"The party?"
"Yes, the bloody party." He began pacing, running his hands through his hair with increasing agitation. "I need to bring someone, but I can't decide who. There's Melody, but she might clash with Grandmother's politics. Sarah's lovely, but she did ask if we had Wi-Fi in the library, which suggests a certain lack of appreciation for traditional values. That actress from the thing, what's her name, might expect me to know about theater, which I absolutely don't."
Victoria watched her brother's increasingly frantic pacing with weary amusement. At least someone's romantic problems were straightforward.
"Archie, you do realize this isn't a military campaign? It's just a party."
"Just a party?" He stopped mid-pace to stare at her with genuine horror. "You have no idea. The pressure is enormous. What if I choose wrong? What if she doesn't fit in? What if Grandmother disapproves? What if—"
"What if you actually brought someone you enjoy spending time with?" Victoria interrupted. She couldn’t fix her own love life, she had no idea what to do there. But perhaps she could at least help Archie. Not that she could outright tell him what to do, he was stubborn as a mule like that.
"I enjoy spending time with all of them. That's the problem." He slumped into a chair with dramatic flair. "How am I supposed to choose between perfectly acceptable women? It's like some sort of medieval torture."
Victoria studied her brother's genuinely distressed expression and felt the smallest stab of sympathy.
"Well," she said carefully, "perhaps think about who might actually appreciate the evening. Someone who understands what goes into running an estate like this."
"Right, yes. Someone sophisticated. Someone with breeding."
That wasn't exactly what she'd meant, but Victoria pressed on. "Someone who appreciates all the work that goes into making the gardens perfect. The attention to detail."
"Absolutely. Someone with proper taste and education."
Victoria tried a different approach. "Someone who really knows the estate. Who's seen all the effort behind the scenes. Who understands the day-to-day reality of country life."
"Definitely. Someone who appreciates tradition and heritage. Good bloodlines are important."
"Someone who's been working incredibly hard to make sure everything's perfect for tomorrow…" Victoria was running out of ways to hint without being completely obvious. Surely he had to realize she was talking about Cathy?
"Yes! Someone who appreciates quality and proper standards." Archie's face suddenly lit up with inspiration. "Actually, you know what? I think Venetia might be perfect. Lord Paddingham’s daughter. Knows Cassandra, she's very keen on horses too."
