“You’ve made an enemy, my dear.” Sarah poured lemonade for Eliza and pushed it toward her. “Drink up, darling. There’s gin in that.” Eliza took a sip, tasting the warm tingle of liquor beneath the lemons. “Una is spying on you because she’s jealous. She and your Malcolm were once engaged.”
“Really? He mentioned something about his father wanting him to settle with a local girl, but he didn’t tell me who it was or that they were engaged. How shocking.”
“Well, none of it was Malcolm’s choice. He and Una had been betrothed from the time they were children—all arranged by their fathers. And Lady Havenwood never liked her; she saw Una for what she was—a social climber. True to form, as soon as Una found out Malcolm had nothing but a title to offer her, that’s when it went off.”
“Then what reason would she have to be jealous of me?”
“Darling, I know you’re not naïve. It’s the way of women to be jealous when others gobble up the scraps they’ve flung from their table.”
“I suppose you’re right.” She’d felt the same unfair twinge of jealousy toward Jacob’s new love, after all. “I’m relieved she has a reason. Until now, I’d no idea why she hated me. I’ll do my best to avoid her.”
“Good. She’s a sandwich short of a picnic, that one.”
They sat in amiable silence, watching the croquet players flit about the lawn like butterflies made of pastel gauze. Polly and Lydia seemed to be engaging in a friendly rivalry, the former’s feathered hat bobbing excitedly each time Lydia failed to make her shot. Their girlish laughter carried over the grass.
Eliza reached into her dress pocket and gave Sarah a conspiratorial grin. “Would you mind if I smoke? Lydia hates it and I have to sneak my cigarettes when we’re at home.”
“I’ll only mind if you don’t offer me one, too.”
Eliza held out the tin of black Sobranies she’d purchased at the local apothecary, and after Sarah exclaimed over their novel color and scent, they lit them, drawing in the flavorful smoke.
“How do you find him? Malcolm?” Sarah asked, leaning forward and propping her chin on her hand. “He’s always seemed so stoic.”
“I’d warrant he’s anything but.” Eliza blushed, remembering how Malcolm’s kiss had thrown her into a frenzy of unladylike arousal. “His lordship is proving to be quite the charming gentleman, despite rumors to the contrary.”
“Indeed.” Sarah took another drag off her cigarette, her lips curling at their corners. “I’m not at all surprised you’re smitten. There’s something endearing about his reserve, isn’t there? His brother was quite charming. Both boys served as midshipmen under my father—he was captain of the HMSPrentiss. Gabriel loved the sea and would have eventually had the helm of his own ship.” Sarah topped off Eliza’s glass with more of the gin-spiked lemonade. “Malcolm wasn’t suited to the military. He preferred numbers and letters. He left the navy behind to help run his father’s estate, which was in dire need of his abilities.”
“He told me a little of why.”
“Yes. The debt. The late Lord Havenwood was a gambler and an outright cad. He was horrid to those boys, and to his wife.”
Eliza thought of Malcolm’s portrait of Lady Havenwood and her mirthless beauty. “I’m becoming more and more intrigued by his mother. Was she really mad?”
“Calling her a madwoman would be unkind—she was only shy and far too young to be a mother or even a wife. We always got on well. People thought she was strange because she didn’t like parties. She’d draw up a chair and sit, watching everyone with those fantastic eyes and making them nervous. It took effort to get to know her, but it was effort well spent.”
“It sounds as if she was incredibly lonely.”
“She was. Old Lord Havenwood was hardly sparkling company, and he could turn the corner onto cruelty with enough drink.”
Lydia broke away from the croquet game and trudged toward them, her mallet dragging the ground. Eliza stubbed out her cigarette and threw it beneath the table, sweeping it under her skirt. Sarah giggled, giving her own butt a final puff before putting it out.
“Has Polly bested you, sister?” Eliza teased, handing Lydia a glass of lemonade.
“I’d prefer not to say.”
“Eliza and I were just chatting about Lord Havenwood,” Sarah said. “What are your thoughts, Lydia?”
“The rumors bother me a great deal, there’s no doubt. He’s charming, but I feel as if he’s holding something close to his chest.”
“You’re wise to be cautious. Many men have impure motives, after all. But the rumors about his having murdered his mother are only that—rumors. What on earth would his motive have been? It makes no sense.”
“Lord Eastleigh mentioned something about her knowing dark things about Malcolm,” Eliza said. “Things he wouldn’t have wanted out in the open. But he didn’t offer much more. It all seems so weakly conjectured.”
Sarah sighed. “Right. If I may be frank—Charles is an old rival and would say anything to put you off Malcolm. I was most concerned when I heard you were entertaining Eastleigh’s interest. He’s much more problematic.” Sarah covered Eliza’s hand with her own. “Malcolm has never been anything but kind to me and my own family. There’s a good bit of talk that goes on, but most of it is idle gossip. Ghosts and curses and such.” Sarah laughed. “Nonsense. All of it.”
“I’d agree. Why don’t we turn the conversation toyourbeau, Lydia?” Eliza said, arching an eyebrow. “She’s gone over completely for Clarence Fawcett.”
Lydia brightened. “Yes. Dr.Fawcett has been calling on me. We’ve many common interests. We’ve even talked at length about my becoming a nurse.”
