“Indeed, I am,” Elspeth agreed, slowly approaching the pair with a wide smile. “I thought it important that me guests learn firsthand who they are supportin’ this evenin’. I hope it is one ye willnae forget.”
“I am quite certain it will be unforgettable,” Lady Featherstone said with a small laugh. “Oh my, I am already too far gone. This champagne is exquisite! You are a vision, dearie.”
“Thank ye.” Elspeth bobbed a small curtsey before waltzing away to greet the rest of her guests.
The air was thick with gossip and the scent of expensive perfume, but she was determined to remain composed. She would not let the whispers deter her. She would keep her shoulders back and her chin held high, just as the Dowager Duchess had taught her. She would not have her focus averted from her goal to secure donations for St. Jude’s.
The children!
No sooner had she wondered where the boys were and whether they were ready to make their grand entrance, than John bolted across the room like a shot. His shirt was untucked, and he was hiking up his pants as he did a sort of jig across the floor. His hair stuck up in the air as if a lightning bolt had struck it.
“Aye, there is nothin’ to see here!” Elspeth said to the crowd, whose eyes had started to follow him as he exited the grand room. “The lads will be makin’ their entrance shortly!”
She headed in John’s direction, her strides elegant but purposeful. Suddenly, a tiny terrier that belonged to the Dowager Duchess of Dartmoor slipped out of its leash and dashed through the crowd. A trail of irritated guests jumped out of its way as it barked loudly.
Elspeth changed course and followed it, realizing the pooch—Fluffy, she decided to name it—was running toward a tray of canapes. She hurried to intercept it when a footman, flustered bythe chaos, tripped over his feet. He sent a tray of blood red punch into the air, the liquid cascading down the front of the ever-so-proper Lord Arrondon’s immaculate white waistcoat.
“What in the devil is going on here?!” Lord Arrondon howled, throwing his arms up in the air. His nose scrunched up, and his curled mustache looked like it might take flight.
A wave of hushed whispers rose as the rest of the children materialized from behind the curtains that framed the large windows on the east side of the room. They began their mischief slowly, a pair of them engaging in a spirited, shrieking game of tag between the legs of Society’s most prominent figures. Another pair did a strange dance in front of a cheese platter, tossing bits into their mouths like circus clowns.
Young Hugo just walked around and smiled at everyone, for which Elspeth was grateful. He could melt even the coldest of hearts.
“I must say, Lady Invehall,” Lady Featherstone commented, “these are some of the most spirited young boys I have ever seen! A bit wild, but I admire their spunk.”
“They truly are remarkable,” Elspeth agreed. “They have brought much joy to me life.”
“I am so sorry for Fluffy’s intrusion,” the Dowager Duchess of Dartmoor said as she approached them. “She has a fondness for canapes. I spoil her so. I hope I did not ruin your evening, Lady Inverhall.”
“Nae at all,” Elspeth assured, bending down to pet the creature she somehow knew was Fluffy.
Perhaps I am a witch, after all. I have not only predicted the young terrier’s name, but somehow also turned a disaster into something special.
It was then that she felt something shift. At which exact moment, she did not know. But it was certain. The chaos, rather than ushering ruin, broke the stiff, formal atmosphere. She heard laughter, genuine and free, ring out around them.
The joy was as infectious as a plague, a pleasant warmth filling the room.
“My dear, what a most delightful mess that was!” Lady Ashworth exclaimed as she approached the group, fluttering her fan. “I have not seen such genuine excitement in a decade! Even Lord Arrondon is perfectly happy now, enjoying some refreshment with Lady Paddelfoot of all people! Word has it that she may wed the wealthy old codger!”
Elspeth smiled, happiness seeping through her anxiety. “Lady Ashworth, ye are incorrigible! But aye, I do apologize for the unexpected entertainment.”
“Nonsense! One would think it was almost a play, a performance!” Lady Ashworth waved a dismissive hand. “It shows a host with a pulse! And you, my dear, are a marvel. How do you manage to look so serene amidst the chaos? That dress is most lovely on you.”
“Practice,” Elspeth replied, thinking back to the days of mud-soaked gatherings at Inverhall. “I think it is time for dinner! I will ring for the first course if ye would all please make yer way to yer seats. Ye will find a nametag at each place, written by one of the fine lads at St. Jude’s.”
“I love the thoughtful touches you have added to the occasion,” Lady Featherstone said. “Splendid, Lady Inverhall.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
She is a vision.
Hugo watched her from across the room like a hawk. He felt a swell of pride so powerful that it ached, which only made the brandy he swallowed burn hotter.
She was a magnificent, brilliant thing, and he was losing her. He saw the easy way she laughed with the lords in attendance, the gentle way she spoke to the children, even the ones who had caused the chaos.
She could weather any storm, and he was a fool. A miserable, lovelorn fool who had pushed away the one person who could make him feel whole.
The sooner the evening was over and she was out of his house, the better. Yet, the idea pricked him like a hook. He abhorred the contradictions that swelled in his chest.
