Holding onto her smile, Sophie fought to keep her cheeks from pinking while her brother gave her a gentle shake and guffaw.
Chapter 12
“You would speak of your sister so flippantly, sir?” asked Mr. Kingsley, but he paused in whatever he was about to say when the young lady at his side squeezed his arm.
“Your sister was anything but boring, Mr. Banfield,” said Miss Caswell with a challenging raise of her brow. “You should give her more credit.”
“You do speak your mind forcefully,” replied Allen, with a smirk twisting his lips. “But as someone who has spent a good many years listening to our Sophie prattle on about such nonsense, I give her all the credit she has earned.”
“Perhaps your opinion speaks more to your intellect than hers, sir.” Miss Caswell’s tone was all honey and sweetness, a teasing smile on her lips to mute their sting. The chastisement was masterfully delivered, and Allen answered it with a booming laugh.
“A hit, dear lady, and I concede my defeat,” he said, releasing Sophie to give Miss Caswell a bow.
Giving a responding smile, as she knew she ought to, Sophie joined in with the others as they laughed and joked about the exchange. One must always enjoy a good laugh at one’s own expense, and Sophie didn’t hold too high an opinion of herself to do so, but it was difficult to maintain her affable smile while her brother’s words echoed in her mind. Miss Caswell had put him artfully in his place, but still, Allen expressed no remorse over chiding her like an errant child.
Miss Caswell caught her eyes, giving Sophie an encouraging nod before straightening her shoulders, the action silently prodding Sophie to follow suit. And while thoughts of Allen fled, a new sadness settled into her heart like a stone: Sophie hadn’t wanted to like Miss Caswell. Of course, she wished for Mr. Kingsley to marry someone worthy of him, but it was so much easier to picture his bride-to-be as the embodiment of evil.
Turning to his companion, Mr. Kingsley asked, “Might you join me for a turn about the grounds before luncheon?”
Miss Caswell gave him another bright smile, and the pair turned away, but not before she gave one parting piece of advice. “As a resolute bachelor, Mr. Banfield, you ought to be more circumspect in your treatment of your female relations. They are the ones who will care for you in your dotage, and only a fool would antagonize them.”
Allen gave another hearty laugh at that, wrapping his arm around Sophie’s waist again and jostling her. “Silly Little Sophie understands I was jesting.”
“At my expense,” murmured Sophie, but her brother did not acknowledge it, merely continuing to guffaw at Miss Caswell’s wit.
Mr. Kingsley and Miss Caswell left the group and meandered arm-in-arm along the edge of the picnic, their heads close together, and Sophie wished she could follow them.
“That is quite a fetching gown, Miss Nelson,” said Allen, still hanging on Sophie while managing to lean towards the young lady with the sort of smile that called to women; it steeped in admiration with a hint of something forbidden to lure them into dangerous waters.
Miss Nelson ceased breathing for the barest of moments, her gaze held in his like prey before a predator. Then a spark of annoyance flashed in her eyes, and though her calm demeanor did not falter, a hint of a scowl pulled at her lips.
“Thank you, Mr. Banfield,” she said in frigid tones.
“It is fetching,” added Lily, and Sophie couldn’t say if the young lady was ignorant of the conversational undertones or trying to dispel them. “I adore tiered skirts, but I fear they do not compliment my figure as they do yours.”
But Allen ignored the diversion and continued, his voice dipping into such sultry tones that Sophie fought not to groan at the audacity of it. “Perhaps you might do me the honor of showing me around your grounds.”
Miss Nelson huffed. “You are wasting your time on me, Mr. Banfield. I have little time for rogues.”
Taking Miss Thompson by the arm, the pair took their leave—not scurrying but moving with determined haste.
Then Lily said, “I am not as knowledgeable about Hardington Halls’ grounds as Miss Nelson, but I am quite familiar with them and can show you around, should you wish.”
Allen’s gaze turned to her, taking in the plain and plump lady in an instant. “My thanks, but no. I am needed elsewhere.”
Giving a curt bow, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and wandered to where the young men had gathered, leaving the young ladies alone. Lily watched Allen’s departure, her expression stoic though her eyes could not hide their disappointment.
“My brother is not worth pursuing,” said Sophie. “He has many admirable qualities, but he is a flirt of the worst sort and excessively frivolous.”
Lily gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “I know precisely what he is, and I have no interest in him.”
Sophie’s brows furrowed as she played through that quick moment between them. She didn’t think she had misread the interest in Lily’s question. The lady hadn’t been entirely subtle about it.
A rosy pink filled Lily’s cheeks, and her shoulders stiffened as she clasped her hands before her. “Perhaps I ought to say I have notrueinterest in Mr. Allen Banfield. But there are times when I cannot help but attempt some flirtation simply to see if a fellow will reciprocate.” Lily’s gaze fell to the grass. “I know you must think me a fool, but I cannot seem to help myself at times… Just as I cannot seem to hold my tongue.”
“I do not think you a fool. Far from it,” Sophie replied with a gentle smile. “Firstly, I find your candor refreshing, and I’m surprised by how easy I am with my words around you and your brother. Secondly, what lady does not wish to be found desirable? I cannot fault you for seeking attention from someone so free with his affection as my brother.”
With a sound that was part huff and part sigh, Lily’s smile grew sad. “And yet he fled like a fox from the hounds.” But Lily shook her head, letting out a low sigh. “I apologize. I do not mean to sound so maudlin—”
