Page 35 of Counting on Love

“No, thank you.” He would take his boils, or any similar such, to a surgeon.

Crispin smirked at him, took a step forward, and said, “A drizzling day calls for a game of charades.”

*

Georgiana enjoyed charades well enough although she had a tendency to evaluate clues too literally. Alice, who was much slyer, had a true gift for the game.

Mr. Taverston had excused himself and departed the room without fuss. Lord Taverston sat down beside her.

“Don’t mind Reg. He doesn’t believe in fun.”

“Doesn’t he?”

“Perhaps that is overstating. He merely defines it strangely.”

“While Jasper’s definition of fun is any game he can win,” Lieutenant Taverston said.

“Pot accusing the kettle,” Lord Taverston gave back.

“Well, it is true I won’t race Olivia again. That’s no fun.”

Olivia laughed. “I’ll give you a handicap. Have you noticed Jasper has not yet had the shooting targets set out?”

“It’s raining!” Lord Taverston protested, his bright blue eyes wide with theatrical defensiveness.

“Are you playing or bickering?” Lady Iversley asked, but she sounded teasing as well.

The drawing room was spacious yet intimate. The overall sense was of a pleasant warmth, with furnishings of burgundy brocade, walls the color of butterscotch, and a toasty fire in the hearth. It had a good sense of home. And truly, Georgiana liked this family. There was a lot of love here. One could hear it in their laughter. But she hadn’t sorted them all out yet. Olivia was clearly the pet. Mr. Taverston, “Reg,” played the role of the family killjoy. And Lord Taverston took their teasing well, as though he had already decided to be a jovial patriarch—but perhaps the easiness of his disposition was a display for her sake. As for Lieutenant Taverston, she could like him, too, but there was a darkness there. Not a meanness. More something secretive. He was so very thin, she wondered if he had been wounded on campaign. Perhaps he was in pain. It was none of her business, of course, but it would be difficult to be asked to become part of the family and still be left wondering. She was a little fearful of offending him.

The game was soon underway, with Mama joining Georgiana and Alice to even the teams. Lady Iversley read from a new book of riddles called, The Frolics of the Sphynx.

“An easy one first,” Lady Iversley said. Her tone of voice changed, singsong, as she read the riddle, “‘An insect industrious and the fruits of another, form a hero in history, famed as a lover.’”

Easy? Georgiana puzzled over it anxiously. Busy bees were industrious. Fruits? What did insects make?

Alice cried out, “Ant-honey.” Her eyes flashed with humor and triumph.

The Lieutenant let out a long whistle. “To arms, Taverstons.” He leaned over, patting his knees eagerly. “We have competition.”

Olivia gave Lord Taverston’s arm a shove. “Pay attention.”

Lord Taverston protested, “I am!”

The Countess thumbed through the book. “Here’s one. ‘My first is a meat, most savory to eat, my next does derision infer; my whole is a bed, which when I shall wed, twill not serve for me and for her.’”

The room fell silent as all brows furrowed. Georgiana chewed her lip.

After a few minutes, Lord Taverston chuckled and said, “Ham-mock.”

So he was clever as well as handsome.

Naturally, they all clapped and cheered. Georgiana eyed him sidelong, searching for evidence of smugness, but saw none. His smile was gently amused, his posture was relaxed, and his hands were folded loosely in his lap. He looked amiable.

“Another!” Lady Olivia demanded.

Rather than chastising her forward daughter as Mama might have, the Countess nodded and continued.

“Try this: ‘My first is provided with fruit or with meat, and when it is seen it is greedily eat. If you are my second, I pity your head. And my whole can’t be found of one color, ‘tis said.’”