“And we must have the most wonderful food as well. Pheasant, I like pheasant and duck. In fact, get all the birds. They shall wing their way into our mouths. Stuffed mushrooms and peppers aswell. I do like it when food is stuffed into other food. I want them fit to burst! Isn’t it marvelous what cooks can do with food?”
“Indeed, it is Your Grace. I shall pass this on to her as soon as possible.”
“And for dessert, we must have towering cakes. I was at a ball recently where the cake was five tiers. I want six, no, seven. Eight if possible. And they should be all different types of cake. Lemon, vanilla, chocolate, oh… what other flavors are there?”
“Carrot, Your Grace.”
Edmund looked at George, his face a picture of shock. “Carrot? Vegetables do not belong in cakes. My goodness, have you lost your mind? Are we supposed to serve gravy with it rather than cream?”
“My apologies, Your Grace. I am sure the cook will know better.”
“I certainly hope so,” Edmund rolled his eyes and shook his head. “It shall be a cake surprise. How wonderful. And get her to fashion whatever exotic or exciting things she’s heard of recently. I want people to taste things at my party that they have never tasted before.”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
“They shall be as stuffed as the fowls by the time they leave,” Edmund said, then quickly turned on his heels, pointing tothe hallways. “Now, I want grand tapestries hanging from the ceilings. Every room should have plentiful amounts of wine, brandy, and the like. We shall set up card tables in some rooms, and other rooms shall be used for conversations. Make sure there is plenty of powder on hand for the ladies, as well.”
“As you wish. Is there?—”
“And the music, we must not forget the music! Make sure they play fun, jaunty tunes. I don’t want to hear any dirges. Nobody must leave this party feeling sorrowful.”
“I am sure that would be quite impossible, Your Grace. You have taken care of everything, and I am sure all your guests will feel like one of the family. But might I ask, are there any special arrangements you wish to make for the guest of honor?”
Edmund paused. He rubbed his hands together, looking at everything but George, as if he were thinking about the decorations. Instead, he was thinking about Rose. This would be their fourth promenade. At first, he said he would take this seriously, even though he had no intention of allowing their relationship to last beyond the agreed number of promenades.
Still, I want this party to be perfect.
He wanted this to be perfect, not just for his reputation, but for her. He wanted to show her that she could enjoy a party like this and that it wasn’t simply some frivolous event that interrupted nobler pursuits.
And he was certain that she would enjoy it, because while she had been riding, he had seen a different side to her. She was not a common bore at all. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized that there was some spark of excitement flickering within her. If he could fan this flame before he was done, then perhaps he could be satisfied with his work.
Although as he walked around the house, he noticed all the nooks and crannies where they could hide, the walls that would squeeze them together, and the expectation that they would spend most of the night together.
“No, no special arrangements, George. I shall endeavor to be the perfect host and the perfect gentleman. That shall have to be perfect enough,” Edmund replied.
George nodded and hurried to speak with the housekeeper, the cook, and everyone else who would work to make sure Edmund’s wishes were fulfilled. Edmund stood at the end of a long hallway and imagined Rose standing at the other end. He thought about what dress she might wear and how she might style her hair. He thought of her smile, her laugh, and her fiery words whenever she got annoyed, which was often, at least with him.
A smile curled upon his lips, and although he would not admit it to himself, he was looking forward to this party not just for frivolity’s sake, but also because it was another opportunity to see Rose again.
He would not have forever with her, so he wanted to make the most of their time together. There were moments when hesensed intimacy between them, when he saw a certain glint in her eyes or was captivated by the bewitching movements of her lips.
He’d warned her not to fall for him; otherwise, he would end their arrangement immediately. But was it he who felt the stirrings of attraction toward her? Was it he who was in danger of shattering every oath he had sworn to himself?
Edmund clenched his fists, spun on his heel, and walked away from the long hallway. He refused to let himself be compromised this way. The party would be fun, and Rose would never be able to turn her nose up at the entertainment he offered. That dainty, delicate nose…
His thoughts threatened to drift away again.
“George!” he cried out, rushing after the butler, trying to distract himself by getting more involved with the plans.
Chapter Eighteen
“Imust admit I am rather anxious, isn’t that foolish of me?” Thomas chuckled as the carriage trundled through the countryside.
“There’s no reason to be anxious. Rose has the matter well in hand,” Margaret said, reaching over to squeeze Rose’s hand. Rose offered a small smile, although it did not reach her eyes as she was focusing more on the knot of worry that kept tightening in the pit of her stomach.
Thomas’ laughter faded as he stared at Margaret.
“I hope the two of you haven’t concocted some plan. I haven’t forgotten about the conversation we had. There shall be no scandal here,” Thomas said, making his voice as sharp as a razor, while raising his finger to point it at Rose.
