A moment later, Mr. Goodwin strode to the opposite end of the room to join his mother. He stayed standing, his back to me, and I droppedmy hand in relief. I felt eyes on me, and I turned to see Lord Camden watching me.
“Come to make certain I do my job as companion sufficiently again?”
He smiled. “I am more concerned about our wager. I do not sing very well, so I intend to win.”
Augusta leaned her head in front of mine to converse with her brother. “What did you say?”
Lord Camden leaned forward to where he could see his sister better. “I was saying how impressive you have been tonight. Mother will surely include you in all her future invitations.”
Augusta laughed a touch too loudly, and everyone turned to look. I immediately raised my hand to finger the same curl by my forehead, while she, of course, did not even notice the added attention. “That is not what you said, Atlas, but I thank you for the encouragement. I plan to have many more outings like this one. Soon, everyone will see me as a diamond of the first water.”
Diamond? That word immediately made me think of Mother—of her constant disapproval . . . of her disappointment from the grave that I had never succeeded. I sat up straighter, despite Mr. Goodwin’s presence. She had likely seen my brazen wink all the way from heaven. I fumbled with my gloves, straightening the seams not once but twice.
“Do you think it is possible, Estelle?” Augusta asked, breaking into my frantic thoughts. “That a girl as unruly as me could ever have any significance?”
Her question stilled my hands. I suddenly wanted Augusta to be a diamond more than anything. I did not understand why it had to mean perfection. Real diamonds could be irregular and still beautiful and expensive. Augusta sparkled just the way she was. I set my straight gloved hand on her arm. “I believe it, dear Augusta. You are a rare treasure.”
She smiled as if I was patronizing her, but I was not. And not just because she was becoming my closest friend in the entire world. For some reason, it was so much easier to believe it possible for her than myself. She did not let her shortcomings hold her back from enjoying life, and I longed to be more like her.
Augusta started to say something when Miss Klein moved toward us. Fortunately, there was no room on the sofa for her.
Just as Miss Klein reached us, Lord Camden lifted the throw pillow at his side. “Would you care for a pillow for your back, Miss Lewis? I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable during the music tonight.”
“I . . . oh, uh . . .” I didn’t need a pillow, but Lord Camden was already shoving it behind me. I shifted forward to allow it to fit better. But he persisted in fluffing it too.
“How accommodating you are to the help, Lord Camden,” Miss Klein said, the annoyance in her voice as thick and heavy as her incredibly full skirt that now pooled over my feet. Had she just referred to me asthe help? I was tempted to pull rank on her. My father was from an old aristocratic line, and our wealth would easily rival her own.
Lord Camden’s hand froze on my pillow. “We will forgive your slight, since it is obvious Miss Lewis is the daughter of a gentleman and a welcome presence in our home.”
“Did I saythehelp?” Miss Klein shook her head. “I meant, how kind of youtohelp. I would never have implied otherwise.”
She needed to work on her ability to feign innocence.
Lady Timbrell chose that opportune time to join us. “I hope you young people are enjoying yourselves. I wanted to introduce you to my dear friend.” She tugged on the arm of someone standing behind Miss Klein. “This is Mr. Goodwin.” I did not have time to respond before Mr. Goodwin stood directly in front of me.
My heart jumped to my throat, and my eyes bored into his. There was no hiding now. It was all over.
Lady Timbrell motioned to each of us. “This is Lord Camden, Miss Lewis—Miss Wilde’s companion—and Miss Wilde, Lord Camden’s sister.
“A pleasure to meet you.” Mr. Goodwin met my gaze and blinked once, then twice. “Miss Lewis, have we met before?”
A bucket of ice water down my back could not have chilled me more. I clutched my hands tightly in my lap and forced a calm smile that I did not feel a single ounce. “I do not think we have . . .” I finished in my head with the wordrecently,as if to show my conscience that I was not lying, just stretching the truth.
He tilted his head as if a different angle would remind him of where he had seen me before. I scratched the bridge of my nose so he could not get a good view of me.
Lord Camden chuckled. “Apparently, she either has a familiar face or an unforgettable one. I have been trying to place where I’ve seen her before for the last several weeks.”
Mr. Goodwin gave us both a good-natured smile. “Are you from Northamptonshire, Miss Lewis?”
I hesitated only a moment before setting my hand on Augusta’s arm. “I am at present, yes. When I am with Miss Wilde, I do feel quite at home. Mr. Goodwin, did you know that Miss Wilde is a natural with animals? They absolutely adore her. Do you care for animals, Mr. Goodwin?” I don’t think I had ever spoken so many words in a single breath.
Mr. Goodwin’s gaze swung to Augusta’s. “I like horses.”
“Do you have a favorite breed?”Augusta asked him.
And just like that, the attention was off me, and the two of them launched into a conversation about thoroughbreds and the smaller Arabian counterparts. I was safe. For a moment at least.
“Miss Lewis,” Lord Camden whispered.
