Lord Vincent pursed his lips, hiding a smile.
“Acquainted? No, not yet, but I will be. Well, I shall leave you to enjoy your night,my lord.”
He gave a mocking, flourishing bow, and disappeared through the crowd, leaving Arthur feeling alone and entirely unsettled.
Think nothing of it,he thought.Miss Thornhill can take care of herself.
Chapter Five
People were arriving. Felicity could hear them downstairs. Mrs Langley – Beatrice – was doing the welcoming, so Lucy and she were free to put the finishing touches to their gowns.
Felicity was wearing her new pale green gown, a delightfully smooth silk, decorated with embroidered white flowers, with matching white gloves. she’d bought some feathers to go in her hair and was still considering whether or not to add them. Would it be too much?
Lucy was sitting at her dressing table, tweaking her curls.
“I don’t want to be rude, since he’s been so kind to you,” Felicity began again – they’d talked the subject to death as they got dressed, but she couldn’t seem to let it be – “But Lord Lanwood was ever so strange. Really, he was. Perhaps he was upset that I hadn’t asked his permission to visit the library.”
“That doesn’t sound like Arthur,” Lucy responded, eyes focused on her hair in the mirror. “He comes off as brusque sometimes, but there’s no malice in him. Do you know, they offered me the Dower House all to myself, if I didn’t want to continue living with them? Arthur promised to sign it over to me. He said that he didn’t like the idea of my living there all alone, no more than he would like his mother living there alone, and so hoped I’d choose to stay. I did, and I haven’t regretted it, not for a moment. How many men would be so kind to a woman they didn’t even know? I fully expected to be considered a burden.”
“Nobody could ever think you were a burden, Lucy,” Felicity said fiercely.
Lucy gave a snort. “Oh, you think not? Don’t be foolish. Unmarried women are ridiculous, and poor unmarried women are to be pitied. I know my situation.”
Felicity bit her lip, twisting a feather between her fingers. “And youarehappy here, aren’t you?”
Lucy smiled wryly at her through the mirror. “Of course I’m happy. It’s not the same as when Papa was alive, but Arthur and Beatrice aregood, Felicity. I wish you’d believe me.”
“You weren’t there,” Felicity muttered. “You didn’t find yourself standing in the library, feeling like a naughty schoolgirl, being lectured on the value ofreputationand knocking before entering a room.”
“Why on earth would a person knock before entering alibrary? What would a person be doing in there, besides reading?”
“Best not to think of it. Come on, are you ready? Shall we go down? We’ll miss the first dance if you don’t hurry.”
Lucy laughed, rolling her eyes. She affixed her dance card to her wrist with a skein of ribbon – Felicity’s was already on her wrist – and got to her feet.
***
Downstairs, the ballroom and hallway outside was crammed with people. Holding hands, Felicity and Lucy pushed their way through.
She knew most people there, and Lucy seemed to knoweveryone. For somebody so quiet and almost reserved, Lucy had always struck Felicity as a remarkably sociable person. She seemed tolikepeople and enjoyed their company at large. Everyone’s face lit up to see her, and everybody had something to say. It took them close to half an hour to make their way through the hall and into the ballroom.
No sooner had they stepped over the threshold than a lady and gentleman descended on them. Felicity recognized the round-faced, beaming gentleman as on Mr Thomas Elliot, and the short, round-faced lady beside him as his sister.
Introductions were made, and the sister – Miss Susan Elliot – made herself very agreeable. She was wearing a pale pink gown that possibly did not suit her form and skin, but she clearly adored the dress and glowed with pleasure to wear it. Felicity made up her mind to make good friends with the sister.
“I say, Lady Lucy, have you seen Arthur, at all?” Mr Elliot asked hopefully. “I can’t imagine he’s enjoying this bustling situation.”
Lucy coloured a little. “I haven’t seen him. Beatrice and I ought to have been more careful when sending out our invitations, but I really thought many people would decline. It’s too late now.”
“Well, it’ll be good for him, I suppose. All other social engagements will seem calm and manageable in comparison. Do excuse us, Miss Thornhill, Lady Lucy.”
The two nodded smilingly and moved off. Already, Felicity was starting to shake off her bad humour at Lord Lanwood’s snappishness this morning. She so badly wanted to believe he was a decent man, and notrude, since he was now responsible for her dear friend.
If he was a friend of Thomas Elliot, surely, he couldn’t beallbad.
Feeling eyes on her, she turned, and saw a gentleman across the room, leaning against the mantelpiece, smiling wolfishly at her. He was remarkably handsome, and his smile widened as he noticed her scrutiny.
“Who’s that?” Felicity asked, nudging Lucy. Lucy followed her gaze and pressed her lips together.
