“Very well, Lord Leland,” she said, forcing a smile. “I am just taking in an education about Town—it is my first season, after all.”
“Oh, I see,” Lord Leland said, looking confused.
Felicity realized she should have taken in that education before she’d set foot in London. Mrs. Right, who could be so counted on for truth and wisdom, had straight out told her that the gentlemen of the town were all feckless. Why had she not taken that in, so that she would not have herself been taken in?
She realized that she’d been very naïve, and that understanding made her even more furious.
When it was time to turn back to Mr. Wiles, she could not help but notice Mr. Stratton attempting to catch her eye and smiling as he did so. He would go on with it, as if she knew nothing! As if she were just a convenient rube to be used for his own purposes.
“Um, so,” Mr. Wiles said, “Stratton has turned up after all. That’s jolly, is it not?”
“Is it?” Felicity said, her voice full of ice.
Mr. Wiles looked as if he would faint, and she was glad of it.
*
Percy had finallyarrived to the marchioness’ house and had a consultation with the lady’s stablemaster. That good fellow had sent off for a farrier to reshoe his horse. Then Percy had gone in and made his apologies, which the lady graciously accepted.
He thought one of the benefits of doing his level best to never inconvenience a hostess was that on the odd occasion that he did so, his crime was readily forgiven. All those dinners where he’d entertained somebody’s drab miss, all those balls he’d made sure no lady sat out, all those house parties where he’d played right hand to the hostess, had added to his credit to be excused.
While the marchioness seemed cheerful to see him, he could not work out if Lady Felicity was cheered to see him. It seemed she was positively refusing to meet his eye. As he talked to his dinner partners, he very regularly glanced over but she would not look at him.
Perhaps she was annoyed that he’d not been in time to take her in?
No, that did not sound like Lady Felicity. She was not some tightlipped miss who was affronted so easily.
What was more concerning, was that Wileswasmeeting his eye every time he glanced over. What was the fellow attempting to communicate with all those wide eyes, raised brows, and head shakes in Lady Felicity’s direction?
He would not untangle any of it at table, but the dinner would not go on forever. Afterward, there would be that tedious period of time over port with the men and then they would enter the drawing room. Then, he would be able to take the lady’s temperature. If she was put out about something, he must find it out and smooth it over.
In the meantime, both his dinner partners carried on the very usual sort of conversation to be had. Percy usually did not mind, but he discovered that just now it bored him a bit.
That was, until Miss Feldstone glanced toward the head of the table and said, “One hears the most alarming things about the Duke of Pelham.”
“Does one?” Percy asked.
“Indeed. As a usual thing, one hears something and thinks perhaps it has been exaggerated. The tales that go round regarding the duke, though, are so outrageous that one thinks they must be true. One of the tales has been told by his own sister!”
“Ah, the cyprian party,” Percy said.
Miss Feldstone made a great show of becoming flustered at the mention of a cyprian’s gathering, as if she did not know such things existed. Percy was near certain she did know. He could not fathom why young ladies pretended they did not know a thing.
“Naturally,” Miss Feldstone said, “I cannot know what those parties are, but I understand they are of low moral character.”
“That is one way to describe it.”
“A father of seven daughters, willing to leave his own sister among such debased women—well, one wonders what sort of standards he has instilled in them, if any at all.”
Percy was beginning to feel some animosity toward Miss Feldstone, which was not a usual thing for him. He was very much in the habit of ignoring what did not suit him with all good humor. Unlike his father, he never saw the point in arguing with all the world. He would like to argue now, though.
“Do you imply that Lady Felicity has some deficiencies in that area?” he asked, attempting to keep his tone pleasant.
“Well, one does hear things. I understand there was some sort of attack while she danced at Almack’s? And that she let Lady Albright’s tiger from its cage.”
“She simply had a sneezing attack at Almack’s, which was entirely justified. Lady Felicity is sensitive to strong scents, particularly of flowers. Apparently, some other lady had unnecessarily doused herself in rose water. As for the tiger, again, it was a sneeze and she fell onto the latch, which ought to have had a padlock on it, but did not.”
Miss Feldstone sniffed. “It seems sneezing does cause the lady much trouble, and cause trouble for you too. As it was you that ended injured from that tiger.”
