Between the two of them, she and Gilly made quite a pair. She went about the business of bowls mathematically, taking the time to calculate the pitch of the lawn and the bias of her particular bowl before she tossed it, while Gilly hurled his about willy-nilly, flinging them with such abandon, that the other guests took to ducking and covering their heads when it was his turn, and Phee was in constant terror for the costly glass doors that led from the library onto the terrace.
“May I fetch you a glass of lemonade, Miss Templeton?” Gilly nodded toward the refreshments table. A knot of young people had gathered around it, talking and laughing as they sipped at lemonade and nibbled on cook’s sweet almond biscuits.
Harriett was among them, her cheeks flushed a becoming pink from the exercise, and Lord Gilbert couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Come, let’s go together, and I’ll fetch one for Lady Fosberry, as well.”
“Yes, let’s.” Lord Gilbert held out his arm, Phee took it, and they made their way to the refreshments table. Gilly helped her to two glasses of lemonade, then escorted her to the chair next to Lady Fosberry’s before rushing off to join Harriett.
“My dear Euphemia, how kind you were to offer to partner Lord Gilbert.” Lady Fosberry gave her an approving nod. “It was a great pleasure for me to see you join in the game today. It looked as if you enjoyed yourself.”
“I did, very much. Lord Gilbert is every bit the delight Harriett says he is.”
“He’s lovely, isn’t he?” Lady Fosberry watched as Gilly approached Harriett, a smile playing about the corners of her lips. “He’s at his best when he forgets himself, and behaves naturally, as he did today.”
“Yes. He’s clever and funny— even charming, in his unique way.” He was unfailingly kind, as well, even to those who weren’t especially kind to him.
Lord Fairmont, for one.
Not that he wasunkind, precisely. No, she couldn’t accuse him of that. He wasn’t rude to Gilly, or insulting in any way. For all Lord Fairmont’s arrogance, he was too much a gentleman for such low behavior.
But neither did he single Gilly out for any particular courtesy. For the most part, Lord Fairmont ignored him, but more than once she’d caught him scrutinizing the viscount with an intensity utterly out of place for two gentlemen of such slight acquaintance.
If Gilly had noticed it, he hadn’t remarked on it, nor had it seemed to affect his enjoyment of the game, but it had put her so out of temper, that it was all she could do not to toss her bowl directly at Lord Fairmont’s head.
It was disconcerting, this sudden urge toward violence. She’d never wanted to maim an earl before, but this was the second time in as many days that Lord Fairmont had roused her temper.
Shedidhave one, despite her calm appearance. Any one of her sisters could attest to that. They compared her to a hibernating bear, claiming she was quiet and peaceable until someone made the mistake of poking her.
Lord Fairmont seemed able to call her temper forth with nothing more than a smirk, despite the pains she took to hideit. Somehow, he’d managed to slip under her skin, and there he remained, poking away like a devil with a tiny pitchfork.
“You excel at bowls, Miss Templeton.” As if she’d summoned him with her dark thoughts, Lord Fairmont dropped into the chair beside her. “If you’d had a different partner, you might have won.”
Naturally,he’dcome in first place. “I don’t care about winning, my lord. I enjoyed myself. Surely, that’s the point of any game?”
“It’s a miracle you escaped an injury. I imagine bowls is far less enjoyable with a broken foot, or a crushed finger.”
“Perhaps so,” she gritted out. “But as you can see, my lord, my feet, and my fingers are very much intact.”
He snorted. “Not from lack of trying on Lord Gilbert’s part.”
“Are you accusing Lord Gilbert of intentionally trying to injure me?” By God, she was holding on to her temper by a single, fraying thread.
He raised an eyebrow at her waspish tone. “I’m accusing him of carelessness, Miss Templeton. One would think he’d have learned his lesson after that debacle in the Ring.”
“That was anaccident, my lord.”
“An accident that arose from carelessness, or rather recklessness, I should say. Lord Gilbert would do well to learn to behave like a proper gentle?—”
He broke off as she leaped to her feet.
“A proper gentleman, Lord Fairmont? Is that what you were going to say?”
“Er, well?—”
“Because I can’t help but agree with you. Lord Gilbert could benefit greatly from the friendship of a gentleman who understands the intricacies of the fashionable world. A gentleman likeyou. It’s a great pity that you prefer to sithere and criticize him, instead of offering your assistance to a gentleman who’s such a dear friend of your sister!”
He gaped up at her, his eyes wide. “Did you just stamp your foot, Miss Templeton?”
