“That’s because we met a mere few hours ago on the road.” Although they hadn’t properly met, and she still didn’t know his name.
Seeing their hostess going about the room making introductions, Delia counseled herself to listen, hoping to retain the names of her fellow guests.
The gentleman beside her folded his arms. “I realize that. I meant from some other time. I cannot place it, but I have seen you before.”
Nodding, she concentrated on Lady Osbourne while awaiting her turn to be announced to the gathering.
“Were you at Lord and Lady Waverly’s ball recently?” he persisted.
“No,” she said without looking at him.
“The Dimmelsons’ dinner?”
“Again, no. I have not been out much lately.”Not whenever she could help it, at any rate.Often, she claimed her monthlycourses or a headache or a second monthly course if her mother forgot she’d already used the excuse.
“Ah well,” he said. “It will come to me.”
“And this is Lord Perish,” Lady Osbourne said. “His family has a manorial estate in Lincolnshire.”
Delia noticed him startle at her side.
“With a plum estate,” Lady Osbourne added before announcing to her guests, “Lord Perish is a fine man with a penchant for horses.”
And then, Lady Osbourne stood on Delia’s other side, causing every eye in the room to turn to her. Her heart sped up like a trapped animal’s, and she vowed the room became an oven, swelteringly hot, while at the same time entirely airless.
“This is Lady Delia, Lord and Lady Barnaby’s eldest daughter.” That was all, nothing about their Oxfordshire estate in which she’d spent hours recording every beloved plant by way of intricate sketches and tidy labels.
Without thinking, she smiled around the room and offered a little wave.
It was the wrong thing to do — from the small gasps ortsksor giggles.
Thankfully, their hostess moved on, reeling off everyone’s information as if she had memorized notes. Walking to the front of the plush chair, Delia sat before her legs gave way. If she hadn’t, she might have gone running, screaming from the room.
Frances was so blessedly fortunate to have married during her first season.
“I have never felt more like a side of beef hung up in the butcher’s window,” came Lord Perish’s words at her elbow.
“Indeed,” she agreed. “It is impossible to be a daisy when one feels like a nettle.”
RUPERT PAUSED TO CONSIDERthis, deciding there was no parsing the lady’s words.
For his part, he was in disbelief over Lady Osbourne’s unsettling knowledge of his love of horses.He couldn’t fathom how she’d had the time to learn about him between his unexpected arrival and the introductions.
“A daisy,” muttered the curly-haired lady seated in the chair beside him.
Rupert started to edge away when Lady Osbourne, having finished the sixteen greetings, returned to his side.
“May I present you to your dining partner for this evening, my lord?”
Praying it wasn’t the mumbling Lady Delia, he was glad when his hostess led him away — even more pleased the instant he was presented to a lovely fair-haired lady.
“Since you have been apprised of one another’s names,” Lady Osbourne said, “I shall leave you to get acquainted.” With that, their hostess moved away to pair up others.
Blast it all!He hadn’t been listening. He bowed and said, “I am honored, my lady.”
“Thank you, my lord. I, too, am honored. Why, to be precise, I am thrilled by the entire prospect of a country party.” Then she frowned. “Not that I haven’t been to one before. I am not meaning to give such an impression.”
Rupert let his mind wander, as it seemed she could carry on the conversation for both of them. Still, he couldn’t imagine this beauty was a wallflower or had any trouble finding a match of her own.What was she doing there?
