Page 49 of The Marriage Wager

After the afternoon’s ride, the food was more than welcome, and everyone dug in eagerly. They sat around for some time afterward, lazily talking. Sir Philip and his sisters wanted to try out the two small boats moored at the pier beside the lakehouse, and young Parke Kenwick, who seemed rather smitten with Miss Lydia, volunteered to make a fourth with them.

Shortly afterward, Francesca persuaded Muriel to accompany her on a short stroll around the lake. Muriel seemed somewhat reluctant, casting an eye toward the other end of the table, where Dominic was sitting, surrounded by his friends. However, Francesca paid no attention to her hesitation and linked her arm through Muriel’s, professing her desire to get Miss Rutherford’s opinion of the decoration scheme she was planning for her music room. Muriel could do little but give in gracefully.

Next to Constance, Lady Calandra smothered a giggle. “Francesca seems to have developed an inordinate fondness for Muriel.”

Constance glanced at her and found Calandra’s expressive dark eyes dancing with laughter. She could not keep from breaking into a grin, as well. “Indeed, she has.”

“Poor Muriel, I am sure it must be horribly frustrating for her. She wants to hang on Dominic’s arm, but she is too much of a snob not to be flattered by Lady Haughston’s attentions.”

Constance did not know what to say to the young woman. Calandra seemed to have assessed the situation quite correctly, but Constance was unsure whether the girl was aware of the reasons for Francesca’s actions.

“Well, we must make use of the time that Francesca has sacrificed herself to give you,” Calandra went on merrily. She turned toward her host. “Dominic, you promised earlier to show us the promontory.”

“Of course.” Dominic smiled at Calandra. “You have only to ask.” He cast a look toward the lake, where Francesca was slowly strolling arm in arm with Miss Rutherford. “Yes, I suppose now would be a good time.”

“But what about Lady Haughston?” asked Alfred Penrose, who had, Constance suspected, developed something of a crush on Francesca. “Will she not want to come?”

“Oh, no,” Calandra assured him quickly. “I feel sure she would not wish it. She has seen it many times, and she is still feeling rather weak from her illness. In fact, she might appreciate it if you were to join her and Miss Rutherford on their stroll.”

“Why, yes, I suppose I could.” Penrose looked quite taken with the idea, promptly standing up and excusing himself.

Once again Constance and Calandra exchanged glances, and it was all Constance could do not to laugh. “You wicked girl,” she murmured to Calandra. “Lady Francesca will repay you for that.”

Lady Calandra giggled. “I could not resist. Anyway, having spent the afternoon in Muriel’s company, I suspect that Francesca will be thrilled to have anyone else to talk to.”

After a bit of discussion, it was arranged that Mr. Carruthers and Mr. Willoughby, along with Constance’s cousin Margaret, Constance and Lady Calandra would join the expedition to the promontory to see the view of the surrounding countryside. They set out immediately, curving away from the main house and entering the woods on the northern edge.

Calandra rode beside Constance for a time. Just behind them, Margaret was flirting madly with the blond, rather shy Carruthers. The other men led the way, winding through the trees. The ground soon began to rise, slowing them even further.

“Is Francesca helping you or her brother—or both of you?” Calandra asked.

“What? Why would she be helping me?”

The young woman smiled. “My brother is convinced that she is trying to make a match between you and Dominic.”

Constance blushed. “I am sure she is not.”

Calandra shrugged. “Well, Sinclair is not what I would call an expert in matters of the heart. After all, he is nearing forty, and he hasn’t yet come close to marriage. Still, I must say, there is something about the way that Dominic looks at you….”

The little mare skittered, and Constance looked down, realizing that she had clenched the reins too tightly. She forced her fingers to relax. “I am sure you must be wrong. Lord Leighton has expressed no preference, said nothing…”

“Dominic would not do anything improper, I am sure,” Calandra told her. “He is all a gentleman should be—no matter what sort of rumors you may have heard about him. They say he has lived rather wildly in London the past few years, but I know there is nothing bad about him.” She paused, then added with a small smile, “I confess that when I was younger, I developed a mad crush on him.”

“You did?” Constance looked at her. It occurred to her, with a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach, that Lady Calandra, the sister of a wealthy and powerful duke, would make an excellent match for Lord Leighton.

“Oh, yes. You should have seen him in that Hussars uniform. I can tell you, he cut quite a figure. But I got over that long ago.” She made an airy wave of her hand. “He is not at all the sort of man I would wish to marry.” She sighed. “Not that it appears I have much hope of marrying, anyway.”

Constance chuckled. “My lady, I cannot imagine that you would have any dearth of suitors.”

“Oh, indeed, there are a number who seek my hand. But so many of them are fortune hunters. It is dreadfully hard to tell, sometimes—except that I have learned that those who express undying love the most quickly are usually the ones who most adore my money. Not that it matters, for Sinclair scares them away.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, he scares all my suitors away. Sin can be a bit…overwhelming at times.”

Constance smiled faintly. She had herself felt rather overwhelmed by the formidable duke. “Surely that will not matter to the right man.”

“Mmm. I hope you are right,” Calandra said. “Otherwise, I fear I shall die a spinster.”

The idea of this lively girl, both eligible and attractive, remaining unmarried struck Constance as so ludicrous that she laughed, and Calandra joined her.

“I know, I must sound quite foolish,” Calandra admitted and fell to talking about fashion, a topic that satisfactorily occupied both women through much of the ride.