“Oh dear,” Mrs. Robinson said, “I am very afraid that the people here tonight come out of loyalty to Lord Harveston, but are fast becoming bored. It is almost inevitable that they will begin dropping out, one by one—making excuses as to why they cannot attend.”
Lady Agatha nodded. “One suspects poor Lord Harveston is poised to begin hearing of sick relatives and unforeseen circumstances.”
“They’ll wish to let him down gently,” Miss Mayton said.
Cordelia glanced round the room. She felt as if she were not viewing what the rest of the ladies were viewing. As far as she could see, Lord Harveston’s guests were entirely engaged.
“Perhaps, though,” Cordelia said, “their tastes are just very different from our own?”
Lady Rawley held up the paper containing the topics to be discussed at future meetings. “Goodness, nobody’s tastes could bethisdifferent!”
*
Tattleton noticed thatit was becoming more regular these days to discover himself in unforeseen circumstances.
This evening only highlighted that idea, as when he began his career as a butler, he could not have envisioned finding himself in a drawing room with the youngest lady of the house and her newly-acquired goat.
“Now, Tattleton, I can see you are against it,” Lady Juliet said. “It is written all over your face.”
“I only say, my lady, that the drawing room may not be the proper place for what is, in the end, a farm animal.”
“A farm animal!” Lady Juliet cried, as if he’d just pronounced the goat a criminal. “Lord Darling,” she said, cupping his face in her hands, “I want you to forget you ever heard such a thing. You are the Marquess of Basingstoke and, as such, have every right to be in the drawing room.”
Tattleton sighed. Lord Darling might be a new-minted marquess, but he did not seem to know anything about the use of a water closet. The room reeked of his intemperance already and that carpet would be stained forever.
“Tattleton,” Lady Juliet said in a rather plaintive tone, “you do see my circumstances these days? I have always been surrounded by my sisters. Beatrice, Rosalind, and Viola have all married and left the house. Cordy is still here, but she will be out most nights and then she will find her Corinthian and marry too. I am quite alone these days.”
If there could have been anything Lady Juliet might say to pull at his heartstrings, she had found it and said it.
She was alone and he felt very sorry over it. He might have lamented over her dreadful ode-writing on more than one occasion, but he always did have a soft spot for the youngest.
“You will always have Miss Mayton by your side, my lady, until you also marry and depart the house.”
Lady Juliet sighed. “Oh yes, I shall find my poet. Then, when that happens, you shall only have Miss Mayton and Papa to look after.”
Thatidea did more than pull at his heartstrings. It fairly brought tears to his eyes. What a future! Just the earl and his nutty cousin.
How had he not thought about that before?
“Let us only think happy thoughts for now, though,” Lady Juliet said in an encouraging tone. “While Cordy and my aunt and Papa are out and about in the town, we shall make merry in the drawing room. We could call the footmen in and play cards!”
“The footmen? I do not know if that would be—”
“Oh, do say you will, Tattleton. I really do not like being lonely. Lord Darling does his best and he is everything charming, but I would feel ever so much better if I had company that could talk.”
Tattleton was certain he ought not be playing cards with the footmen in the drawing room. But what could he do? There was already a goat in that room—were footmen so much worse?
In any case, he supposed he could not allow Lady Juliet to suffer.
*
“Will you attendAlmack’s this evening, my lord?” Makepeace asked as Percival thumbed through papers on his desk.
“Yes,” he said absentmindedly. “It is not worth the trouble to cross the patronesses, and in any case, I do not mind it.”
“Yes, yes,” Makepeace said quietly, “always looking forher.”
Makepeace of course referenced his so far unfruitful search for a lady he could call his wife. His butler knew what he looked for—his intellectual equal.
