“As I don’t see your mother here, I didn’t expect you to be. Is she quite well?”
She moved her hand beneath the table as her fingers curled into her palm at the uncomfortableness of his remark. “Mymother is quite well. I will be sure to tell her you inquired. She is home with my father. Lady Sommerset offered to be my chaperone.”
Before Lord Leighhall could respond, Lord Sommerset spoke. “As did I.” The stern look he gave the viscount, made her feel much safer.
“I am quite grateful for you, sir.” She nodded to her chaperone then turned to Lord Leighhall. “You see, Lady Sommerset has lectured at my school many times. She is knowledgeable on so many topics.”
The man gave a nod of respect to the countess. “I have heard many praises of the lady’s work. I can only assume that you have been learning how to paint, then.”
Dory barely kept from grinning at his assumption. “Oh, no. I already know how to paint, though not nearly as well as Lady Sommerset. Painting is not one of our courses at the Belinda School for Curious Ladies. No, Lady Sommerset taught us about how certain colors come from certain plants and the process to extract them in one of our science courses. She also lectured on observation, a skill required of artists but also critical to navigating life itself. After all, life—” She halted, recognizing she’d gone far over her three-sentence limit. Guiltily, she glanced down the table to find Lord Harewood looking at her. Blast. “Life is so colorful.”
“Observation?” Lord Leighhall snorted, which did not become him at all. “I’ve never given observation much thought. So do you mean to say that you could tell me what color pocket watch I wear tonight?”
She glanced across the table to find that Lady Sommerset was indeed listening to the conversation. As their eyes met, the lady’s lips formed a secret smile even as she gave the smallest of nods.
“Of course, my lord.” She would have remained silent, but as her instructor had been insulted, she had to make an exception. “You wear a silver pocket watch, much like Lord Harewood, while Lord Dearling wears a gold one, as does Lord Sommerset.” She kept a serious face, though she wanted very much to laugh at his surprise. She wasn’t the most observant of her classmates, but she did pay attention when she wasn’t speaking.
He lifted his head to look down his nose. “Well, that’s very good to know. Now if any of us misplace our hat or our cane and someone else takes it by mistake, we’ll know whom to ask about it.” The words were said with such insult that the air caught in her lungs.
“I, for one, am quite pleased that I can count on Lady Dorothea to help me keep track of my belongings.” Lord Dearling’s voice had her turning toward him. “I consider it a great skill you have and would be honored if you would let me know if I accidently take someone else’s hat.” He nodded toward Lord Manning. “Or, perhaps, hit someone else’s croquet ball.”
Relieved by Lord Dearling’s kind response, she gave him a grateful smile. “I will be happy to keep you from misappropriating anyone else’s belongings, but I admit I may not be of much help with the croquet ball.”
He cocked his head as if they were discussing the latest bill before Parliament, so serious was his visage. “And why is that?”
Holding back her own humor, she replied in an equal vein. “Because if your hit is to our advantage, I may willfully ignore your misstep.”
He gave her a serious nod, though his lips twitched with mischief. “I do believe we will make a superb team.”
“Do you hear that, Lady Arabella?” Lord Manning addressed the lady on his left but lifted his glass toward them. “We will have to watch these two closely if we are to have any chance of winning.”
Lady Arabella’s eyes grew wide. “I was not aware we were partnering for this game.”
As Lord Manning turned to the lady to request that very thing, Lord Dearling leaned in. “I am so pleased I offered to play with you. I’m quite sure Lord Manning would have if I hadn’t been so quick about it.”
Dory felt her cheeks heat at the thought that both men wanted to be in her company, even though she was such a poor pall-mall player. She’d never had such an experience before. She gave the man a genuine smile before turning back to her soup. As she took another sip, she looked toward Lord Harewood, only to find him watching her. His face did not reveal his thoughts, but she hoped he approved. The time would go by very slowly until she could tell him all that had transpired because of his suggestion.
As the dinner continued, she had to go silent twice more, but since the first time was when the duck was served, a particular favorite dish of hers, and she was expected to eat, anyway, it was not a hardship. Then the second occasion occurred just as Lady Enderly stood to gather the ladies to retreat, so it had not been too difficult. What had been difficult was ignoring Lord Leighhall. He didn’t engage her in conversation, but he spoke on subjects that made her want to argue with him. Her other companions, though, had made the time go by in a pleasant manner.
As they all stood, she glanced once more at Lord Harewood, but he was speaking to the lady he had been seated next to.
“Lady Dorothea, I look forward to furthering our conversation in the parlor.” Lord Dearling’s kind words had her turning toward him.
She opened her mouth to give him a polite response.
“As do I.” Lord Manning grinned at Dearling.
Lady Arabella chuckled. “Come, Lady Dorothea. We must prepare our topics of conversation while these gentlemen discuss their favorite scotch whisky and horses.”
Dory leaned toward Lord Dearling and whispered. “The best is truly from Littlemill.” At his look of surprise, she quickly walked past to link arms with Lady Arabella and proceeded toward the parlor. Even as they entered the room, she wished she hadn’t mentioned the scotch. No doubt Lord Dearling thought she imbibed now, when in actuality it was the Duke of Northwick, the owner of the school, who had mentioned that particular libation.
As the ladies all entered, Lady Rose intercepted her and pulled her toward two chairs by one of the windows. “I greatly missed your company at dinner. I don’t know why Mother seated you so far away.”
It most likely had to do with the fact that she attended the Belinda School, but she didn’t wish to mention that. “I have no doubt that since you and I were able to spend so much time together over the last few days, she simply wanted you to converse with more of your guests.”
Rose glanced toward her mother, who was speaking to two ladies and their chaperones. “Or rather converse with the gentlemen she invited. She made it appear that I am accomplished in absolutely every possible way and my brother is the epitome of a peer.”
“Your brother. I did not know he sought a wife.”
