Chapter Eleven
Tabitha was hummingto herself while she sealed and directed letters for posting before breakfast.Her maid, Allison, was dressing Lily’s hair.
“You’re very happy this morning,” Lily remarked.
“It must be the sunshine of your presence, my dear.”
“Hmm.”
There was a searching and rather pleased look in her stepdaughter’s eyes that was new.“What are you concocting, Lily?”
“Me?Absolutely nothing.I danced with his grace last night.”
“I know.I saw you.You looked very handsome together.”
“He is a very interesting man, is he not?I believe I like him very much.”
Tabitha paused, her fingers closed around the little pile of letters.“Do you?”
“Oh yes.Heishandsome of course, and though Carily is right—he does look as if he would blow over in a puff of wind—he wouldn’t, would he?And he has that kind ofinnerstrength that so many louder men lack...”
“You guessed all this from one dance?”Tabitha managed.“Are you now considering obliging Cousin Ralph?”
“I don’t believe the dukewouldoblige Cousin Ralph.In any negotiations, I would wagermymoney on his grace.”
Tabitha straightened, regarding her stepdaughter almost blindly.He had said he loved her.He had opened her heart, and she would be the first to understand his attraction for a young and impressionable girl.He would always do the right thing.Would that really include sacrificing everything to this marriage if he thought Lily wanted it?
Abruptly, she found herself hugged fiercely.“Don’t look like that.It is not me he wants.But I’m so glad you like him.”
Tabitha blinked, realizing with astonishment that the girl had tricked her into betrayal.“You...youminx!”
Lily laughed and danced away again.“Come, let’s go down to breakfast—I’m starving.”
Tabitha, leaving Allison smiling secretively over the hair brushes and pins on the dressing table, followed Lily from the room.
Sir Peter was presiding over the breakfast parlour, which was not busy.Only a few guests, dressed for a riding expedition, were eating there, discussing pathways and resting places.Carily was not among them, Tabitha was pleased to see.She did not want the happiness of her day spoiled.
Everyone wished the newcomers good morning, and Sir Peter went back to sorting through the pile of letters that had been brought up from the village.
“There’s one here for Lady Lily,” he said, when they had sat down near him with their chosen platefuls from the sideboard.
Tabitha passed the letter from him to Lily.She recognized the handwriting.
“Cousin Ralph,” Lily said.She didn’t quite wrinkle her nose, but from her unenthusiastic tone she might as well have.
Tabitha was only surprised it had taken him this long, though for the first time it struck her as delightfully funny.Ralph would be writing with some blatant excuse to bring Lily home—preferably without Tabitha—so that the girl would be at Sark Park to meet the duke.Who was in fact here.That really would make Ralph furious when Lily told him, though Tabitha hoped they might put off leaving a while longer.
Lily broke the seal and unfolded the epistle.Another paper fell onto the table.
“It’s addressed to Lady Hawthorn,” Lily said in surprise.
