“Lady Valor!”
She turned to find the count approaching. Just now, she did not really wish to see him. Lord Ledderbey hoped that Lord Tramondeley would give up his nighttime sails. That idea somehow made the count seem far less important than he had been. Then her father’s idea of her being dragged off to Sardinia threw even more cold water on the idea of him.
“Count,” she said.
“Lord Ledderbey, Lord Tramondeley,” the count said, “Lady Tallifer and I were delighted to receive your invitation to a Cornwall party. Neither of us have ever attended one.”
“Have you ever been to Cornwall, though?” Lord Tramondeley asked.
It was such a usual question but for some reason it appeared to startle the count. He said, “Cornwall? No, indeed, my estate is in Hertfordshire.”
“Yes, so you have said,” Lord Tramondeley said. “But then, people do travel to other places beyond their estate. People often travel to Cornwall. They like the coast. I just wondered if you had yourself done so.”
The count’s looks darkened and Valor saw a flash of something she’d not seen before. Was he angry over the question? Why would he be angry over it?
“I have not, Lord Tramondeley,” he said. “May I ask why people travel there? What do people do on this interesting coast? I supposethey sail quite a bit?”
Another very usual question and now Lord Tramondeley’s looks darkened. “Some do and some do not,” he said.
What on earth was happening between these two gentlemen?
“Doyou?” the count asked.
He sounded as if he were challenging Lord Tramondeley to answer the question. Why? He already knew that the lord sailed. Valor had mentioned it herself when they’d sat down for the light supper at Almack’s.
“Anybody worth their salt can sail a boat if they live on the coast,” Lord Tramondeley said.
“I see,” the count said. “What sort of boat do you sail?”
“I can sail any kind of boat,” Lord Tramondeley said.
Valor looked back and forth between them. They were positively glaring at each other. Why? If they disliked one another, why had Lord Tramondeley invited the count to his Cornwall party?
“There they are!” a shrieking voice said from the gloom. Lady Letitia soon appeared, though nobody could have been in doubt as to who that voice belonged to. She really did speak exceedingly loudly.
The lady was trailed by Lady Monroe and both were soon in their midst.
After greetings all round, in which Valor worked very hard to appear delighted to see them, Lady Letitia smacked her fan on Lord Tramondeley’s arm. “We received our invitation, my lord, and let me tell you we were ecstatic.”
“A Cornwall party!” Lady Monroe said. “Who ever heard of it?”
“Cornwall people,” Lord Tramondeley said.
Valor stifled a laugh. He really could be amusing.
The duke returned to the party with his glass of claret. Before he could say a word, Lady Letitia said, “I am certain His Grace is wild over the idea of a Cornwall party.”
“Lady Letitia,” the duke said, “I have been on this earth longenough to avoid going wild over anything. I presume you hint, though, that you will attend Tramondeley’s party.”
“We would not miss it for the world,” Lady Monroe said.
“We simply long for it,” Lady Letitia said.
The duke did not perhaps look as delighted by the news of their attendance as he might have.
Valor was not very delighted either. She’d not imagined that Lady Letitia would be on the guest list. Lord Tramondeley had clearly indicated that he did not care for the lady. Had it been Lord Ledderbey’s idea? And then, why was the lady forever longing for things? It felt extreme.
“Count,” Lady Letitia said, “do tell us we will see you there too. We would be devastated if we did not.”
