They had their backs to her, so she tiptoed inside and slid the pocket doors closed behind her.
“Charlie, what are you doing in here?”
He nearly jumped out of his boots. “Dammit, Lucy, you’ll have me in my grave before I ever set foot on the Continent.” He clapped one hand to his chest dramatically and waved his friend off with the other. “Make your escape now, Nigel. I’ll face the dragon on my own.”
Nigel stubbed out his cheroot in a potted palm and slunk by her.
“A dragon, am I? I actually quite like that.” Lucy held out a tea saucer for her brother’s cheroot. “Those are dreadful. Papa would be apoplectic if he saw you.”
“Well, he didn’t, and as my favorite sister, you’d never tell.”
“Marion is your favorite sister.” Marion, the eldest, was everyone’s favorite. She was that perfect combination of beautiful, kind, and intelligent. And she’d landed a duke during her first Season.Thathad set expectations sky-high for Lucy, but thankfully after her third failed Season, Mama and Papa had spared her the mortification of going through another.
“Marion who?”
“Very funny.” Lucy moved down the table scanning the cards. “Now tell me if you’ve seen Mr. Ogilvy or Lady Miranda’s cards.”
“Miranda is over there.” Rather than point, he flung his hand out in the general direction of the left side of the table.
“Perfect. I think we’ll leave her there, near me, and move him.”
“Ogilvy? Isn’t he that sop you fancied?”
“I didnotfancy him.”
He settled back in a chair and crossed his arms. “You did. Your face always got blotchy and scrunched whenever he came to dinner.”
“You’re a terrible detective.”
“You’re an awful liar.”
“Aha, here he is.” Lucy retrieved Heath’s card and positioned him across from Miranda. Sitting next to her would be a bit much, but she kept him on his originally intended side of the table and just moved him down a few seats. “That will do, I think.”
“Mama would beapoplecticif she saw you do that.” He smirked as he threw her words back at her.
“Then we’re even.” Lucy heard the strains of piano music. “And we should both get back.”
“Good grief, yes, you’re right.” Her brother surprised her by springing out of his chair as if he was eager to return to the gathering he’d been happy to be absent from just a few minutes earlier.
“I am, but I didn’t expect you to agree so readily.”
“Papa wanted me to speak to Balfour. He’s something to do with the French embassy. A good chap to speak to before our trip.”
Lucy stalled him on his way to the door with a hand on his arm. “What trip?”
“Next spring. I’m visiting the Continent.” He hooked his hands over his lapels and smiled proudly. “My grand adventure.”
Lucy made it a point not to be jealous of her siblings. Or, more accurately, she tried very hard not to be. Marion was beautiful and well wed, and Charlie was handsome and a bit of a lovable rogue.
And Lucy? She was mostly content with being helpful, somewhat talented at drawing, and a “meddlesome termagant.” But lately, as the days went by, she found herself wanting more. Perhaps, in some deep corner of her heart, she’d always craved an adventure of her own.
Charlie pressed a hand to her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Lu. I thought you knew about the trip. If you feel left out, perhaps Papa would allow you to come along.”
Lucy chuckled and eyed him with one brow raised. “You wish to bring your sister along on yourgrand adventure?” He was one and twenty and already known for his roguish ways. She anticipated his answer.
He drew in an enormous breath that made his chest puff out and then deflate on a dramatic sigh. “No, not as such.”
“Didn’t think so. Just send me lots of postcardsand letters if you can tear yourself away from whatever trouble you’ll get yourself into.”
