Page 103 of Yielding to Love

Benjamin sat. “Crispin, I’ve told Olivia your secret is out.”

Camellia choked.

Olivia cried, “And I’m so glad! I wanted to bring Winner with us, but Jasper insisted it would be too cold for me to ride, and I couldn’t tell him why it was important.”

Camellia let out her breath. His other secret. Crispin said, “There will be time after the holidays.” He avoided her eyes by rising and returning to the buffet. While he was there, Reg and Georgiana arrived. They gave their greetings. Camellia felt Georgiana’s gaze skitter over her. Reg sidled up beside Crispin. Camellia thought he passed something into his brother’s hand.

“It’s cold out there this morning,” Georgiana said. Her voice was strained, as if she were trying too hard to sound normal. “Reg and I took a quick walk to the lake.” She looked everywhere except at Camellia.

Wherever that conversation was going, it was interrupted by Jasper’s entrance with Vanessa. He was whey-faced and grabbed only a cup of coffee. But it was Vanessa who looked at the offerings on the buffet, went pale, and said, “No. I cannot.” Then sped from the room. Jasper set down the cup and hurried after her.

There was a long, quiet pause. Then Beatrice said, “I suggest we all pretend we didn’t notice that.” Everyone nodded solemnly. Camellia didn’t understand why they looked so disturbed. Vanessa had to be with child. Were they not pleased?

They breakfasted in silence for several minutes. Gradually, conversation resumed along safe lines. Then it turned to Crispin’s “secret.” He’d evidently confessed to the men last night that he was going to begin breeding horses. And they’d deemed it a worthwhile endeavor.

“But will you be able to let go?” Alice asked. “You’ll fall in love, won’t you? I mean, with the foals?”

“Ah,” Hazard said. “The lady raises a valid point. Beneath that rigid exterior, I believe you do have a soft spot.”

“When expedient,” Crispin said, voice flat, “I can harden my heart.”

Georgiana gasped. Reg put his hand on hers as if to shush her.

“Are we still talking about horses?” Olivia asked, looking around with a grin. “Or should I ask what Reg sneaked into Crispin’s jacket.”

Crispin stood. He gave Olivia such a black look that her eyes went wide, and she blanched. Then he turned from the table and strode from the room without a word.

“I didn’t mean anything,” Olivia said, her voice hushed and frightened. She looked as though she might cry.

No one else spoke. Beatrice appeared miserable. Alice and Hazard were subdued. Benjamin was stone-faced. And Reg and Georgiana looked guilty.

This was absurd. Camellia stood. “Was it the bonnet I lost at the lake?”

Reg did not respond, but Georgiana nodded and said, “A silly reason for such a fuss. It’s so windy out there, I almost lost my own.” Her voice trailed off. Olivia’s eyes went even wider.

“I’ll go talk to him.” Camellia looked to Reg. “Where am I most likely to find him?”

“In a mood? He usually goes for a ride. If he’s gone to get Mercury, you won’t be able to catch him.”

“I’ll catch him. He’ll have to saddle the horse before he can ride.”

She left the morning room, unsure who knew what, but certain they would piece the story together. Or a story. She headed for the front door, only to be blocked by Mrs. Clay.

“Have you seen the music room?” the woman asked. “The pianoforte is new.”

Camellia frowned. “I’ll see it later.”

“I think you should go see it now.” She spoke like a poor actress in a coarse comedy, while pointing down the hallway.

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake.” Had the woman been listening behind doors again? She changed direction. “Thank you, Mrs. Clay.”

She found Crispin alone, sitting on the bench before the pianoforte. It was another lovely room. A little dark because no candles or lamps had been lit, but there was some sunlight from the window. The walls were covered with lavender paper dotted with black treble clefs. A cabinet in the corner was open, displaying a pile of sheet music.

Crispin looked up. Chagrin spread over his face.

“I’m sorry, Camellia. I handled that badly. I should have laughed when Reg tried to be surreptitious. He and Georgiana cannot dissemble for the world. For God’s sake! He should simply have waited. It must have been burning a hole in his vest pocket.”

“Laughed?”