Percy only prayed that the duke would not give the game away to his father.
“Jackanapes?” the viscount asked.
“Yes, yes, very amusing. Look, there’s Rustmont. Let us get this thing off the ground.”
Lady Marchfield laid a hand on her brother’s arm. “Roland!” she said in a warning tone.
It was a tone entirely lost on the duke. Rather, he shouted, “Rustmont! Get over here.”
Lord Rustmont looked exceedingly surprised to be shouted at. Percy saw the flicker of annoyance in his expression that was speedily covered over with a tight smile.
He did make his way over, as Percy supposed he knew not what else to do after a duke had yelled those particular instructions.
After the introductions had gone round, which included the duke pointing out that he had not laid eyes on Viscount Denderby since he’d set Lady Vanderwake’s curtains on fire, Percy noticed Lady Felicity blushing rather prettily.
Why should Rustmont have such an effect on the ladies? It was deuced unfair—the fellow was a stick.
“Come with us, Rustmont,” the duke said. “Denderby here is going to show us something spectacular on the sideboard in the library.”
“I never said spectacular,” the viscount said.
“What did you say it was?” the duke asked.
“I didn’t say,” Percy’s father said, beginning to look vastly uncomfortable.
As well he didn’t, Percy thought.
“Well, let us go and discover it,” the duke said.
Percy put his arm out and Lady Felicity laid her hand on it.
As an added touch, she said, “Gracious, Mr. Stratton, you are always very insistent in holding out your arm.”
Percy surreptitiously glanced at Lord Rustmont. That fellow looked a bit dejected. He supposed Lady Felicity would take that as a compliment. Percy rather thought he was dejected over having been pulled into this ridiculous party that was to set off to examine a sideboard.
No matter, they would arrive to the library and see what the viscount could pull out of his hat regarding the remarkable thing he claimed he’d seen.
Chapter Six
Felicity felt everythingwas going remarkably well so far. She had taken Mr. Stratton’s arm in full view of Lord Rustmont and now they were all traveling together to the library to see a spectacular item on the sideboard. She had high hopes it was a pineapple, as she had heard them described and viewed drawings of that interesting fruit, but she had never seen one with her own eyes. At home, they were always fairly drowning in Hunthouse apples, and then of course they went on bilberry forages on the moors and other various fruits turned up here and there. A pineapple, though, would really be something.
As Felicity drifted down the corridor on Mr. Stratton’s arm, she hoped Lord Rustmont noticed that there was something romantic about the atmosphere of the candlelight picnic. The chandeliers overhead had been left unlit and candles were placed on every available surface. The lighting was really very favorable to a lady, even her aunt’s features appeared softened.
They found the room housing Lady Jellerbey’s books and made their way to the sideboard located in that room.
As Felicity gazed up and down the length, she could not pinpoint the item Lord Denderby had pegged as spectacular. There were savories and sweets, very usual fruits, a tea and coffee service, punch, bottles of wine labeled as to their type, and port and brandy for the gentlemen.
“Well, Denderby?” the duke asked. “I see nothing spectacular here at all. If this is your idea of a spectacular sideboard, one wonders how you live.”
“Roland!” Lady Marchfield whispered.
Felicity well knew her father was only saying what everybody was thinking. Mr. Stratton, for once, was looking very amused by the duke.
Lord Denderby’s eyes twitched and blinked. Then, as if he’d suddenly recalled something, he said, “My god, it’s gone!”
“Gone, Father?” Mr. Stratton asked, his lips twitching at their corners.
“Was it a pineapple, Lord Denderby?” Felicity asked.
