Suddenly, Lord Whitely appeared. He seemed to be in a hurry, and Adelia imagined he’d been in the far corner of the room or maybe elsewhere in the building. After having heard the racket, he’d probably been told it was his friend who’d caused it.
Usually, the two viscounts were thick as thieves, towering over women and often each leading a pretty miss outside, albeit in a far gentler manner than had just been the case. They used to be part of a handsome trio, but the third of their group, Lord Westing, had been in a terrible accident a couple years earlier and rendered blind. That had not heralded the end of Lord Westing’s otherwise blessed life. The marquess married a woman universally admired, Lady Jane Chatley, settled down, and started a family. The two bachelors were left to haunt the Season’s events by themselves, sometimes in rakish fashion.
Adelia had observed Lord Burnley more than any other gentleman, as she thought him most appealing. Moreover, she had never seen the fine-looking viscount behave in such a strange and violent fashion.
Lord Whitely came to an uncertain stop a few yards in front of her, and their gazes met.What else could she do?She pointed toward the French doors beside her. Nodding, he rushed outside.
Adelia waited until all eyes eventually stopped looking in her direction. Then, with her usual inconspicuous movements, she slowly followed.Why not?It was infinitely more interesting than anything going on indoors.
It wasn’t hard to find the three men. Lord Burnley had taken the other man out of sight behind the first of a series of hedgerows that formed a very small maze. Adelia could easily stand on the other side of the yews and overhear everything.
An appalling practice,she told herself as she froze in place,and one which she was already in the habit of doing.In the future, she would endeavor to stop.
“Let him go.” This from Lord Whitely. “You’re going to hurt him, and his father is—”
“I don’t give a fig who his damned father is,” Lord Burnley growled. “Farrier, here, was seen talking to Sophia recently, and a farrier uses an anvil.”
Adelia tried to make sense of the conversation.
“You’re mad!” This came from the aforementioned Lord Farrier, whose father was, in fact, an important member of Parliament. Even Adelia had heard of him.
“Let me see your handkerchief, dammit! If you’d shown it to me when I first asked, this would be over. Unless you’re a filthy murdering swine!”
“Owen!” Lord Whitely sounded agitated.
“I told you. I don’t have one on me,” Lord Farrier protested.
“What kind of gentleman are you?” Lord Burnley demanded. “We all have handkerchiefs, the same way we all have shirts and pants.”
“The kind who, minutes ago, gave my last one to a young lady who spilled her lemonade.”
“Prove it! Take me to her and show me the handkerchief,” Lord Burnley insisted.
“Will you explain yourself if I do?” Lord Farrier asked.
Ignoring the question, Lord Burnley insisted, “Take me to her,ifsaid lady exists, or I shall splinter your nose and make you spit out every single tooth in your head.”
Adelia silently recoiled at the violent image. But during the pause, she realized she must move, and quickly, in order to hide or retreat. They would be coming out from behind the hedge at any moment.
“If I do, will you behave civilly?” Lord Farrier asked. “And take your hands off me, or we shall end up exchanging fisticuffs, teeth and nose be damned.”
Adelia darted back to the steps and turned as if she were only then coming out, exactly as the three men appeared from the maze opening. She forgot to look away, and her gaze locked with Lord Burnley’s, making her gasp at the seething anger in his expression. Next, the three men brushed past her.
At the last instant, she heard herself addressed by Lord Whitely, with whom she’d played croquet a few days earlier at Lady Turbity’s.
“Lady Adelia?”
She turned and nodded.
“Are you unaccompanied?” he asked.
Again, she merely nodded, knowing her voice might come out in a squeak or not at all.
“Then you had best get yourself inside or find a chaperone!” Lord Burnley declared loudly. “Ladies should not be alone in public.”
She felt her mouth drop open. In essence, that was true, but to hear it stated thusly, it sounded patently absurd. After all, there was a room full of people mere yards away.
She gestured over the men’s shoulders, but glancing around the garden, she realized no one else, thus far, had come outside, not even for a stolen kiss.
