Annoyed with herself for speaking thusly, Lavinia said, “I did not mean to hurt you, My Lord. Please accept my apologies.”
“There is no need to apologize, Miss Fitzroy,” Lord Windham returned. Already, the red smears were disappearing, and his pallor returned. “I was just surprised, that is all. I thought that your brother or your parents might have mentioned it to you when I stayed here with them.”
“What?”
Now it was Lavinia’s turn to be embarrassed. The word popped out of her mouth in a most undignified squawk.
“I… well, I stayed here for almost a month,” Lord Windham continued. “You were away… in London. Visiting with your friend, Miss Foote, I believe. I came here with Charles and liked the country so much that I decided to stay.”
Lavinia was astonished. She could not understand why her brother and parents had entertained a guest for a whole month while she was away, but never even mentioned his name after.
Did he and Charles quarrel? Did he somehow offend my parents?
Swiftly, she dismissed the first possibility because if Lord Windham and Charles were truly at odds with one another, her twin would not have bothered to introduce him to her.
She stared at the man, wondering what to say next, when they were joined by her mother.
Good. I can subtly ask Mama about her connection to Lord Windham.
“Hello, my darlings,” her mother trilled. “Emanuel, it has been too long since you last graced us with your presence.”
She held out her hand to Lord Windham, and he immediately accepted it.
“Lady Crawford.” He lowered his lips to her gloved knuckles and brushed a light kiss against them. “I am glad to see you again in such good health.”
“How wonderful to have you here with us, my dear Emanuel. I trust your journey was pleasant?”
“Indeed, Lady Crawford. As you know, when I am in the city, I long for the countryside. The moment I received your kind invitation, I began making plans and adjusting my schedule so that nothing would stop me from joining in the celebration,” Lord Windham replied. His dark blue eyes flicked toward Lavinia, and she wondered what he was thinking.
“Lavinia, my dear.” Her mother grasped her hand, pulling her closer towards Lord Windham. “Why don’t you serenade our dearest guest, Emanuel, while playing the pianoforte?”
Lavinia stared at her mother in disbelief.
Surely, now is not the time for music.
She cast a long look around the drawing room, which was teeming with guests.
What will they all think if I plop down on the seat and start playing?
She did not wish to draw that sort of attention to herself or have the guests think that she was vain or a braggart.
“I must excuse myself,” she said hurriedly.
“Oh, do you feel ill, dear?” her mother asked, sounding worried.
Lavinia, with her great acting skills, used a worryingly low and sickly voice. “I’m afraid I feel a bit of a chill coming on, Mother.” She shimmied her shoulders as if she were trying fruitlessly to suppress a shudder.
Her mother did not question her again. It was no secret that Lady Crawford had a most cautious nature. She believed that when a person was feeling unwell, they should not be forced to linger in company because they could then spread their sickness to others.
Deftly, Lavinia curtsied to both her mother and Lord Windham, then quickly walked out of the drawing room, carefully dodging the guests as she darted toward the staircase.
She hurried back to her room, where her lady’s maid awaited with her evening gown, which her mother had picked for dinner. She immediately felt at ease upon seeing Abigail by the dresser.
Abigail had been hired to work in the Crawford Household several months before Lavinia made her debut. At the time, they’d both been young ladies who had just crossed the threshold into womanhood by turning eighteen.
Abigail, who was six full months older than Lavinia, had brought a sense of maturity to matters and had helped Lavinia with more than just arranging her hair or putting on her ballgowns.
Her hair was a rich, auburn shade, but she always hid it under a white cap that was part of her uniform. Her cheeks were plump and rosy, indicating she had either been working hard or experimenting with the new pot of rouge that had been purchased the last time Lavinia went to town. Her eyes, which were a quite striking shade of green, were filled with concern as Lavinia slammed the door behind her.
