A wordless exchange occurred behind his back, and Cooper left, footsteps hurrying down the hall.
The door closed.
“Are you finished?” Lord Bolderwood’s voice dripped with annoyance. “Or are you going to spend the rest of the day watering the carpet?”
I hate you, you son of a bitch.A thousand curses were at the tip of his tongue. Seth bit down on his molars, jaw painfully protesting at thepressure required to keep it closed.
“Clean yourself up. Breakfast is in ten minutes.”
Still fighting tremors, Seth stood and faced the man who had raised him, trained him, and sent him to war to be maimed inside and out, until all that remained was scar tissue.
“I’ll be late.” Seth marched past him. “I’ll lockmyselfin my bedchamber tonight.”
Save you the damned trouble.
Chapter Twelve
“I don’t understand why we have to do this,” Jasmine whined. “I said I would help you, but really Cassandra, this is taking it too far.”
“It never hurts to have more friends.”
“It hurts when it’s those types of friends.” Jasmine frowned. “Lady Samantha has never liked us.”
“She’s never said that.”
“We’ve never likedher,” Jasmine corrected. “And I don’t want to start now.”
The guests met the style competition with considerably less enthusiasm than the target competition, as everyone could see that Mr. Nott’s rifle far bested his competitors. Instead, many used the time as a free block in their day to mingle in the drawing room, taking shelter in the cool brick from the unseasonably warm weather outdoors.
Half of Cooper House could have fit within the expansive room. The vaulted ceiling featured intricate plasterwork, with a brass chandelier at its center. Floating shards of crystal met daylight from the Palladian windows at the side of the room, causing rainbow reflections to dance along the pale blue walls and pastel furniture, a stark contrast to the rich reds that made up most of Hollingsworth Manor.
None of the guests looked more like they belonged in the room than Lady Samantha Penrose. Poised at a white grand piano, she playfully strummed the keys to Mozart’sSonata Facile. She complimented hersurroundings in a dress that matched her cornflower eyes. Golden hair cascaded over her shoulder in loose ringlets. A demure smile rested on her face, even as her sharp eyes scanned the room intently. Noticing their approach, her smile widened in an almost friendly manner.
It felt like walking into a lion’s den, but if Cassandra expected to have any success during the next season, she needed powerful allies. Lady Samantha, Lady Honora, and Miss Georgiana could make or break her reputation with a word.
“Good afternoon Lady Honora, Miss Georgiana,” Cassandra said. “May we join you?”
“Oh, yes, please do!” Miss Georgiana said. The petite, red-haired girl gave her a wide smile and patted the space next to her on the settee.
Lady Honora gave them a cold, dignified nod that seemed to say, ‘if you must’. Her tightly pinned brown hair stretched her brows into thin lines.
“We’re all taking turns at the piano.” Miss Georgiana smiled. “Lady Honora is next, but then the two of you can play.”
“I’m after Lady Honora. I know the perfect song,” Jasmine said, flashing a grin.
Cassandra eyed her warily before turning to the others. “Have you been enjoying yourselves?”
“Yes!” Miss Georgiana clapped her hands. “Lord Bolderwood is an impeccable host. We’ve been having a wonderful time, especially with the Lancasters. They’re both so lively!”
Cassandra doubted Lord Worthing’s ‘liveliness,’ considering the volume of his snores after he dozed off in a chair next to the main fireplace the night before.
“It’s been productive,” Lady Honora said, glancing to the other side of the room where Lord Worthing stood with her parents, Lord Sherborne and his wife, Prudence. Their gazes occasionally drifted to their daughter as they spoke.
“I haven’t had the pleasure of their acquaintance,” Cassandra said. “What are they like?”
“Fine,” Lady Honora clipped.
“Perfectly respectable,” Miss Georgiana said smoothly. “Lord Worthing is a true gentleman, and Mr. Lancaster has some work to do in that regard, but I believe he will manage in time.”
