Mr. Wiles laughed. “Stratton always says, I will not be chained!”
“Does he?” Felicity asked.
“But now, you cannot hold that against him,” Mr. Wiles said. “He’s been very helpful to you regarding Rustmont.” Mr. Wiles paused, then said, “Are you very put out that Rustmont has left Town? I should have thought…”
“I was not aware that Lord Rustmont had departed the town,” Felicity said. “Though I cannot claim to be put out about it.”
“Excellent. Stratton said you were a good sport. You’ll still help him with his own little ruse, though?”
What little ruse? What on earth had gone on that she did not know about?
Felicity smiled. “Naturally, Mr. Wiles.”
“He’ll be glad to hear it. Deuced funny too—his father thinking he’s set on you, but you are set on me. He won’t be chained!”
Mr. Wiles laughed heartily at this joke, though Felicity herself did not find it at all amusing. It seemed that the real reason Mr. Stratton had put himself at her service regarding Lord Rustmont was to trick his father into thinking he had developed a doomed affection.
What an idiot she’d been. He’d claimed he wished to do it because he enjoyed a ruse. Even her sisters had seemed skeptical of that idea.
He would not be chained, indeed. To think, she had almost given him her heart! Or maybe she had already and must take that secret to the grave.
She clenched her fork and felt her temper bubbling inside her like a volcano in the southern seas that she’d once seen in a drawing. Mr. Wiles would be lucky if she did not stab him for being the nearest person to her.
“Lady Felicity?” Mr. Wiles asked in a hesitating tone.
She did not answer him, as her feelings were such that she would like to overturn the table. Felicity turned to stare at him, wondering what on earth he could possibly say next.
His expressions were rapidly changing from jollity to confusion to a sort of panic. “Forget everything I just said,” he whispered. “I talk nonsense, everybody knows it!”
Partners all round the table were turning to their other seatmate. Felicity turned without answering Mr. Wiles.
She was stunned and furious. It had all been a game.
Chapter Seventeen
Felicity seethed withfury. Mr. Percy Stratton had been playing a game. A game at her expense. A game with her heart.
Lord Leland was making pleasantries and Felicity was doing her best to hold up her end of the conversation even though she wished to throw a gravy boat at him. None of it was Lord Leland’s fault though. The fault lay in the empty chair at the other side of the table. She wanted to smash it to bits.
Her terrible temper, the temper she’d worked hard to master, had made a raging reappearance.
As if to add salt to an already blistering wound, she heard Mr. Stratton’s voice suddenly ring out. “Marchioness, everyone,” he said, “my deepest apologies for my tardiness, I met with some trouble on the road. Marchioness, you have every right to throw me out on my ear.”
“Do not be ridiculous, Stratton,” the marchioness said goodhumoredly. “I was quite sure you would turn up. As you can see, I’ve left your place open.”
“You are everything gracious, Marchioness.”
Though Mr. Stratton’s arrival had taken everyone’s attention, including Lord Leland’s, Felicity kept herself turned toward the lord and tried to ignore how much she wished to throw the nearest salt cellar at Mr. Stratton’s head. Or maybe set his hair on fire with a candle and call it a ruse.
Lord Leland turned his attention back to her. “Well now, I suppose Stratton was bound to be forgiven for his late arrival. He’s known for his particular manners.”
“Is he?” Felicity asked. What she would really like to ask was how mannerly it was to trick a lady into thinking he was interested, all in an effort to avoid being “chained.”
“Yes, I do think so,” Lord Leland said, looking at her quizzically. “It is unlikely to happen again.”
“So many things will not happen again,” Felicity said quietly.
“Lady Felicity, are you quite well?” Lord Leland asked.
