His light brown hair curled in a becoming manner I most definitely hadn’t noticed back then. But other than that, he seemed much the same. He found him handsome and vibrant enough to intrigue me as a girl, and apparently he still was. He was the highest ranked of the four men Mama had invited, and the only one not affiliated with the army. He would be atremendous catch for Hattie, if she liked him. I returned his smirk with a smile just as he turned to shake Papa’s hand. I shifted to greet his parents.
Mrs. Howard embraced me much as she had Mama—a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. She was round and warm and laughed in my ear about how much I’d grown.
When Vincent reached me, he gave me a low bow and renewed his smirk. “You cannot be that wild thing that bested me with pistols the last time we were here.”
“I assure you, I am that samething.”
“And are you still a crack shot?”
“She’s much better now,” Papa answered for me.
“And just as wild,” Mama felt it necessary to add.
“I’m hardly wild.” I pulled my shoulders back, highlighting my well-earned posture. “But yes, unless you have greatly improved your shooting skills, I’m afraid I would still trounce you.”
Sir Howard laughed. “He will definitely want a rematch. Being bested by a wee thing like you prompted him to take pistols more seriously.”
Vincent’s handsome features pulled into a pout. “The wounds to my young pride ran deep.”
I traded my smile for a grimace. “I used to be Papa’s favorite party trick.”
“And now?” he asked, his eyes sparking with a gleam of interest.
I tipped my head to the side. “Are you asking for another blow to your pride?”
“Perhaps,” he said. “Or perhaps I am looking to avenge it.”
There was a commotion at the front door, and Aunt and Uncle Pryor were announced. Hattie looked stunning with her dark hair and her color heightened after her long journey. Vincent’s gaze rightfully shifted from me to her, his interestunmistakable as he took in her wide open smile and sparking eyes. The sparks in her eyes were for me, though, and I rushed past him and pulled Hattie into a hug. It hadn’t been more than a fortnight since we’d seen each other, but we both knew the importance of this house party, and the weight of that heightened my love for her. After a quick greeting to her parents, and a longer introduction to Vincent Howard and his parents, I snagged her arm and pulled her into the green drawing room, out of earshot from the group. “Mr. Howard is absolutely delicious to look at.”
“Evelyn.” Color rose to Hattie’s cheeks. “What are you talking about?”
I gave her a soft punch on the shoulder. “You must admit the first of Mama’s men is a good one. I don’t think entangling yourself with him should be any trouble at all.”
Her blush deepened. “Entangling? Please, that doesn’t sound proper at all.”
“Oh, it will all be very proper.” We would make certain of it. Even if Hattie didn’t finish the house party with a beau, or better yet, a fiance, at a minimum, she and her family would end up with some good friends to ease their way back into society. And it would defeat the purpose of the whole event if anything improper were to happen while we were hosting it.
Hattie glanced demurely at the doorway. “Perhaps you should have him for yourself.”
“Oh, no. He is much too good-looking for my liking. I wouldn’t trust him, or rather I wouldn’t trust other women around him.”
“But you think I would?”
I gave her a sidelong look. Her dark hair was sleek and pulled back in a proper knot with short, well-behaved curls framing her heart-shaped face. Her emerald eyes were the kind poets would claim held hidden depths and they wouldn’t be wrong.Hattie was everything that was good and kind, and her beauty matched her spirit. “Hattie, you possess the type of beauty that would discourage any young woman from trying to steal your gentleman. It would be futile. You can marry a man as handsome as you like.”
“And you will marry someone whose looks you don’t like.” She nodded as if everything was decided.
I shook my head. “No, of course I shall like my husband’s looks—they will simply have to be of the more rugged variety. The kind that grows on a person but doesn’t immediately draw a crowd.”
Hattie laughed. “I don’t think either of us need to worry too much about future husbands for now. We are still young.”
“True, but if you want to get your clutches in Mr. Howard, I would do it sooner rather than later. Who knows how quickly he will be snatched up when we return to London?”
“My clutches?” Hattie laughed. “Evelyn, the country air has done something to you.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“It has. You’ve never been quite this enthusiastic about men.”
