“Took it, and called it your own,” Charlotte said. “It’s the exact sketch. Do you even know what bird this feather’s from?”
Darlington opened his mouth, frowned, and shut it again. “I don’t intend to answer that.”
“You’re not able to answer. But I am, and so’s Gran, because the feather was sent to her all the way from the Americas. I believe I’ve had enough. Lord Darlington, I find you dishonest, paltry, and worst of all, entirely predictable. It’s time for you to leave. Alexandra, the tiara?”
Alexandra took the tiara off and thrust it at Darlington’s chest.
“Outrageous!” he said as Charlotte snatched up the pink feather watercolor. “I’ve never been treated so shabbily in my life!”
“More’s the pity. Most men do better with a little adversity, I find.” The dowager rose to stand by her granddaughter.
Darlington gathered his jewelry boxes and lifted his chin at the pendant around Charlotte’s neck. “Well? Are you going to return it to me?”
Charlotte lifted her arms to fumble at the clasp. “I willgladly—”
“She’ll gladlykeepit, as a reminder of your week here with us at Clare.” The dowager beamed. “Now, my lord, shall I ring for your carriage?”
CHAPTER 22
There was a celebratory moodin the dining room that night, the footmen hustling to keep up with the calls of “More champagne!” Either Darlington had cast a pall on the company or the guests were starting to shed their formality. Certainly the chatter flowed faster even than the wine, and the laughter was loud and frequent.
Even Warrick wasn’t proof against the change in atmosphere, though he felt strange and prickly as a cat. Only two mornings earlier, he’d returned from breakfast to find one of Charlotte’s famous embroidered handkerchiefs on his pillow, fine white linen embroidered with his initials in white silk. From anyone else he would have considered it a gesture of welcome, but not from her, which was why he’d taken it to the window to inspect it under full sun. Wolfgang had stared at it for a full five minutes trying to remember how to fold it to reveal a secret message before he realized that the silk line squiggling along the edges wasn’t sloppy embroidering. It was a stretched-out line of calligraphy reading,Warrick the Worst, Warrick the Worst, all around the border.
Charlotte had wormed deep into his brain, leaving it so full of holes that his first reaction was to bark out a laugh and his second was to ball up the handkerchief and throw it away, lest he be tempted to sniff the damn thing. And, of course, that kiss hadn’thelped, or her—bugger it, he’d have to call it herkindness—to a highwayman. Or the bone-deep satisfaction of watching her dispatch Darlington.
“Is it very bad, Your Grace?” whispered Miss Elizabeth Marby, sitting on his right.
“Pardon?”
Miss Marby had frank brown eyes, and she lifted them to him. “It’s only that you’ve been silent tonight, and staring across the table. I couldn’t help but wonder if you’re quarreling with Lady Charlotte.”
“Forgive me, Miss Marby. I’m a shocking dinner companion.”
“No, you’re simply a puzzle. But I warn you, if you’re upset with Lady Charlotte, I’m sure to take her side. Especially today, after the trimming she gave Darlington.”
He turned to her. “Why’s that? Are you not partial to the vis-count?”
“I’m not partial tothatviscount.” Miss Marby had a way of tilting her head that reminded him of a sparrow. “Now that I think of it, I’m not particularly partial to viscounts in general.”
“Oh? How do viscounts offend?”
“It’s not theviscounts, per se, rather it’s—” Miss Marby stopped and regarded Wolfgang steadily. “Your Grace, are you encouraging me to be indiscreet?”
“Elizabeth, you look quite serious,” called Charlotte from across the table. “Is the duke giving you one of his famous lectures? If so, it may please you to know that Lawrence prides himself on how sharp he keeps our knives.”
“You recommend I stab him? We were only discussing the current crop of eligible gentlemen—nothing to merit a bloodletting.”
“It’s a subject that makesmewant to stab someone.” Miss Alexandra poked her head out from behind a candelabra, dazzling inone of the Ramsay estate tiaras, which for some reason Charlotte had handed her to wear for the night. “No, Lizzie, don’t sit there and make eyes at me. You know gentlemen are appalling.”
Lady Skeffington let out an odd little titter, and the ostrich feather she wore in her hair bobbled as her eyes darted between Wolfgang and Lysander, two of the most eligible men in all of England. “Lady Alice, the lamb tonight isdelicious!” she cried. “Oh, how I love a good mint jelly!”
Wolfgang stifled a grin. “Damning indeed, Miss Alexandra. I’d hate to answer for the unmarried gentlemen of England, but what have we done to earn your contempt?”
It seemed Miss Alexandra had waited her whole life to be asked such a question. She inhaled deeply, like a dragon sucking down air in order to blast fire, and opened her mouth to—
“They act as if we haven’t a brain in our heads.” Miss Helena calmly gathered peas on the back of her fork as all eyes swiveled toward her. “Most men do, but it’s especially galling in the eligible ones, as we’re expected to marry them.”
“They judge us. Incessantly.” Charlotte lifted her eyebrows at Wolfgang. “They treat us as if we’re paltry, but what’s wrong with so-called feminine pursuits? Are hunting and boxing somehow more noble? At least I’m notkillinganything with my embroidery.”
