“Is your whole family assembled downstairs?”
“Yes, but…”
“Some warning would have been nice, my lord. I will never remember their names or titles or… and my dress and…”
“You will be fine.”
“You do not understand. I am not ready. I am not a horse from Tattersalls to be paraded out for inspection, so they can all say they have seen the strange little ward you have acquired.”
Tony perched on the arm of the chair by the fire and studied her for a few moments. “Firstly, you are not my strange little ward, and secondly, it was not my idea. I am sorry, but mother must have arranged it, and Warrington agreed. To be honest, I only just found out myself.” She didn’t look convinced. “They would not have wanted you to feel overwhelmed. If anything, they would have thought it better to get it over with in a less formal setting. I can assure you they are certainly not here to inspect you.”
It sounded ridiculous when he said it. Goodness, she needed to control herself. She was well practiced in hiding her true feelings and yet here she had just blurted it out. “It is I who is sorry. I feel so unprepared for being in company.” She looked down at her dress. “I don’t want to let you down.”
“Nonsense. It is understandable that you would be a little nervous about meeting new people, but I assure you they are simply eager to make your acquaintance. Do you think you could join us? I will be by your side the whole time.”
Lucinda looked at him, so handsome and with those damn blue eyes full of sympathy and hope and his hand outstretched towards her. Could she do this? Could she handle sitting among his family and not feel lacking?
“Lucinda,” he said softly. “I promise no harm will befall you.”
She worried her lower lip. “You will not leave me?”
“You have my word.”
“All right.” She put her hand in his. Could he feel her trembling?
May smiled and clasped her hands together as Lucinda passed and said, “You can do this, miss.”
Lucinda steeled herself, clutching Lord Anthony’s arm. What was that quote by Shakespeare…Once more unto the breach,dear friends,once more? For she certainly felt like she was about to enter a battle with unknown opponents.
When the parlor doors opened, all eyes fell on her. This was what she had feared. The duke was the first to come forward. He kissed her hand and said, “Miss Sterling, I am so glad you could join us.” He waved his hand over his family. “Let me do the introductions.”
He led her farther into the room. Lord Anthony was right beside her, as he promised.
“This is our mother, the dowager duchess of Warrington.”
Lucinda bobbed a curtsey. The duke then introduced the other family. There was Lord Harlow and his wife Gabrielle, Lord Epping and his wife Anna. “Lastly, but by no means least, this is our sister, Lady Marianne Ashton.”
“You must sit by me, Miss Sterling,” said Marianne softly, taking her hand.
“Well, now that we are all acquainted shall we go into dinner?” The duke took his mother’s arm, and they proceeded into the dining room. The table looked splendid, all decked out with candelabra and fresh linen. Marianne, closely followed by Lord Anthony, led her to her seat where a footman pushed in her chair. Lucinda looked around and felt at least in this respect, she was not out of her depth. She knew all her cutlery and glasses, but this was the first time she would really put it into practice. The rest of the family was talking amongst themselves, whichthankfully let her take a moment to compose herself and calm her frazzled nerves.
“They can become quite loud, especially when it comes to politics. Do not mention Napoleon and we shall be fine,” Marianne said in her ear.
“Thank you for the warning.” Lucinda studied the rest of the family while they were at ease. Lord Charles, Earl of Harlow, was dark like the duke, but he took after his mother’s side of the family with a rounder face and stockier build. His wife Gabrielle was the typical English rose, blonde with serene features.
The dowager duchess was talking and directing servants and gesturing at the same time. The duke simply watched and frowned, but did not seem inclined to interrupt his mother. Lord Thomas, Viscount Epping, was laughing at something his wife Anna was saying and took her hand and kissed it. Anna had dark hair and was delightfully animated. She reminded Lucinda of one of her very first friends Clarissa, who had a knack for making sad little “no thanks, girl,” Lucinda laugh. That had become her nickname for several years, as she would say no thank you to everything, afraid to make a mistake or misstep. Clarissa had been older than her by several years and had married a banker and should have had an extremely comfortable life, but she died while giving birth to her first child. Lucinda missed her even more these days. Her one devoted friend. The only person who said she would write and actually had.
Then there was Lord Anthony, though his family called him Tony. When she looked his way, it was to find him studying her. She immediately looked away, but his question soon drew her back to him. “Are you all right?”
Was she? Her immediate thought was to say,I am fine, but she really was not sure. Wine was being poured, and she took a sip before nodding.
In truth, there was so much noise around her it was hard to think at all. How did they have a conversation when they were all talking over each other? When the first course arrived, asparagus, white soup, and fish, the chatter slowed, and Lucinda was able to eat. She had had little to eat since arriving and found herself starving at the sight of the many dishes. Never had she had so many courses, though it looked as though it was commonplace for the Ashton family. Miss Covington had never prepared her for the conversational aspect of being part of a large party.
*
Tony tried notto frown. For if he did, it would give himself away to everyone at the table. He usually loved the noisy family dinners, but he was concerned for Miss Sterling, who looked as out of place as a chimneysweep would be sitting at their table. He could not fault her manners, nor her attempt to look calm in such an alien situation and yet, she was a gentleman’s daughter who had spent time in a school for merchants’ daughters when most girls of her station would have been educated by a governess. The true extent of her education, he realized sadly, was unknown. He could see she was struggling, not with the mechanics of the meal. She had picked up the right fork, at least, but the social aspect. She had not said a word. It was in her mannerisms, the way her eyes darted around, the blush on her cheeks, and the way she was fidgeting with her napkin. She was not enjoying herself.
He could admit to himself that he found her fascinating. It was not often he was presented with such a puzzle. He wanted to know more about her, to understand her. It was what he needed in order to help her. Although they had talked for some while inthe garden today, he knew she was holding back. She had not lied outright, but omitted information that most would be happy to divulge. He was well versed in the art of detecting deception; it was what he did, but with her it was more about the things she left unsaid that interested him.
