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“I believe we’re about to discover, my lady,” Bolton replied. He opened the door to another knock, and there stood, Eversley, wearing an expression of hope and earnest longing, and holding a large red box tied with an enormous black velvet bow.

“Oh, it’s you.” Allegra’s face fell.

Her father grinned and put aside his paper. He left his seat and held out his hand to the newcomer. “Eversley, my boy, come in. Brought a gift for my girl, have you?”

“Yes, sir.” The young man’s face colored brightly. He tucked the box under his left arm as he extended his right hand to greet his host. The box tilted and emitted a sound like mice in the woodwork. “I thought of just the right thing for Miss Walhouse, sir. Annabel put me on to it.”

Allegra shot Annabel a hard look, but Annabel was beaming at Eversley and bouncing in her seat. Jane thought there could not be two people who understood Allegra less.

“Let’s get to it, then,” said Teddy. “You can see how done in Allegra is. Needs a bit of cheering up. Three days in the house and all.”

“Papa!” Allegra protested.

Eversley looked at Allegra sitting at the table and seemed to doubt the wisdom of his gift briefly.

“I’ll open it, if she won’t,” Annabel offered.

“Annabel, hush,” said Phoebe.

Annabel turned to her sister. “Allegra, push your chair back, so Eversley can put the box in your lap.”

Allegra looked momentarily helpless as if shifting in her chair were impossible, but Jane stood and offered her arm, and with a little maneuvering, the chair was scooted back, and Allegra received the box onto her lap.

She looked up in immediate surprise. “It’s warm.”

The box wobbled on her knees, and Allegra pulled the bow loose. The box lid popped open without her touch.

A black-muzzled puppy with floppy gray ears sprang from the box, thin tail wagging, and planted large gray puppy paws on Allegra’s chest. Allegra looked at Eversley in horror. Annabel bounced in her seat. Philip let out a snort of laughter.

The puppy gave Allegra’s chin a lick, sank his sharp, white teeth into the lace of her wrapper and tore. She shrieked and let go of the box. The lace in the puppy’s jaws gave, and puppy and box tumbled to the floor. The puppy trotted off with his lace prize between his teeth and settled on the carpet in a corner of the room, growling and tugging at the lace anchored between his paws.

Eversley watched the pup with obvious pride, ignoring Allegra. “He’s eight weeks old out of Hector and Countess, the pick of the litter, and he’s got the perfect disposition to be a lady’s dog.”

“Mama, he’s torn my lace,” Allegra wailed, pressing her damaged wrapper to her chest.

“Just a bit of puppy teething. He’ll get over that in no time.” Eversley tried to pat Allegra on the shoulder, but she cringed.

The puppy trotted around the room, snarling over his prize, until he came to the sideboard, where he dropped the lace and stood up with his legs, his nose sniffing the breakfast above him.

“One of your mastiffs, eh, Eversley?” Teddy left his seat to watch the dog. “He’s a fine specimen, top of the line, pet,” he told Allegra.

“Papa,” Allegra wailed. “What do I want with such a creature? He’ll ruin everything. Mama”—she turned to her mother—“everyone’s forgotten me.”

Eversley’s reddened further. “I only meant…”

“Can I have him, if you don’t want him, Al?” Annabel asked, sliding from her seat, and offering the puppy a bit of bacon from her plate. He wagged his tail and went right to her as if they were old friends, snapped up the bacon, and buried his head in Annabel’s skirts.

“If he should belong to anybody, he should be mine,” Philip declared. “I’m old enough to have my own dogs now.”

Cousin Phoebe rose from her chair, her gaze steely. “Children, you forget yourselves. Annabel, unhand that dog, and wait for me in your room. Allegra, pull yourself together and thank Eversley for his gift. Strayde, see Eversley to the door. Philip prepare yourself for your tutor.”

When her gaze came to Jane, she faltered, as if trying to determine in what way Jane was to blame for the poor showing the family made before a guest and potential suitor. Eversley might love dogs, but he did have thousands of acres in Wiltshire. “Jane…”

Jane seized the moment. “Shall I take the gift to one of the footmen, cousin Phoebe? Perhaps a place can be found in the stables until you decide what to do with it?”

“Yes.” Phoebe turned back to the rest. “Now, go, everyone. Allegra, come with me.”

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