A mere three feet from the room, however, she turned back, recalling her need for something to repair the torn pages. Standing in the doorway, unnoticed yet not at all hidden, she was privy to her hostess’s first words.
“What was that all about?” her ladyship demanded of Lord Hewitt, her back to the door. “I’ve never had to worry about you trying to compromise any of my guests before.”
“I was not,” he declared, then noticed Brilliance had returned. He gestured with his head until Lady Twitchard turned.
“I am sorry to bother you, my lady, but would you have any glue?”
Her ladyship frowned, while Lord Hewitt’s eyes narrowed.
“No glue for her,” he said.
Lady Twitchard gawked at him. “You have lost all sense of civility. You will frighten the young lady.”
“Oh, no,” Brilliance defended him. “Even when he was chasing me around the piano, I wasn’t truly scared of him.”
“Chasing you around the —” Lady Twitchard broke off with a shake of her head. “Come along, Lady Brilliance. I will find you some glue. If not, perhaps sealing wax would work for your project.”
She took a few steps toward Brilliance before rounding upon her cousin.
“And you! Stay away from this sweet earl’s daughter, or you shall answer to me!”
Brilliance managed tostick the pages back together, fairly confident they were in the right order after matching up the torn edges. But there was nothing she could do with them except putthem in her traveling trunk. If she returned to the conservatory, Lord Hewitt would, as likely as not, waylay her again.
It had occurred to Brilliance to ask Lady Twitchard whether she knew some reason for her cousin’s strange behavior, particularly regarding this popular musical piece. Yet that seemed rather sneaky. She would far prefer Lord Hewitt explained his actions to her directly, but that meant they needed to be alone once more, which was not the easiest to accomplish.
Putting the entire matter aside, she vowed to enjoy the party for the days that were left and be entirely agreeable to the nobleman in question. She even requested an entire bowl’s worth of assorted fruit, whatever was ripe, pleased to receive sliced melon, raspberries, and a couple of small peaches.
Self-consciously, she knocked upon his door and left the offering, knowing she couldn’t actually go in. The first time had been an honest mistake. Brilliance wouldn’t be able to claim that a second time. She would be truly a wanton woman.
However, she could — and would! — spy on him from the neighboring linen cupboard. After a few long moments, Lord Hewitt opened his door and nearly stood in the bowl. Then he looked up and down the hallway, making her gasp when his spectacled gaze seemed to land on her hiding place.
But all he did was shake his head, retrieve the fruit, and go back into his room.
The following day was a sporting day with bow-and-arrow competitions — another thing at which she wasn’t spectacular, although she managed to actually hit the straw target once in twelve tries. Afterward, all the guests played croquet again, seeing how there was a cooling breeze. After a light meal, many were going riding since the countryside was so lovely.
By then, Brilliance and Martine had decided a lengthy promenade would be fine as five pence. Having left the veranda, they were alone in the extensive terraced gardens.
“You like Lord Hewitt,” her friend said, not making it a question.
“I do,” Brilliance declared, seeing no reason to pretend otherwise in Martine’s confidence. “Isn’t he magnificent?”
“I do not know aboutmagnificent,” Martine said. “After all, I don’t know much about him at all. Do you?”
“Only that I fancy him above all others.”
Martine appeared shocked. “Does he feel the same?”
“I don’t know,” Brilliance confessed.
Martine sighed. “You haven’t told him, have you?”
Brilliance thought back to what she had said. “Not really.”
“But you wear your heart upon your sleeve more than anyone I know,” her friend chided. “He probably knows. Therefore, you mustn’t let him be alone with you or allow him to make any advances.”
Brilliance swallowed the words,Too late for both. Instead, she asked, “Why?”
“Country parties are far more relaxed than anything we do in London, don’t you agree?”
