Page 97 of Yielding to Love

*

While everyone else had their white soup, followed by rabbit stew, bread, asparagus wrapped in ham, and a variety of other food Crispin wouldn’t touch, he stuck to his beef broth, filberts, lettuce, and beans. There was cake for dessert. He abstained, eating only sweetened preserved peaches.

Gerald entered the dining room. He always looked so serious that it was difficult to tell if something was amiss. Crispin waved him closer. “What is it, Gerald?”

“Another carriage, Milord.”

“It must be Haz and Alice,” he said, getting to his feet, grinning. “Stay. Finish. I’ll bring them in.”

He left the dining room and hurried outside to welcome the last of his guests. Because they were coming from London, he wasn’t expecting them until tomorrow, but he was glad they’d made quick work of the journey. Hazard helped Alice from the coach, while more footmen and maids emerged from a second carriage. Crispin exhaled his annoyance. It was not only Jasper who mistrusted his ability to provide adequately for his guests. The servants’ accommodations in the attic would be brimful. They would be tripping over each other.

Never mind. Gerald would sort them out. There was something to be said for stodgy.

“Haz! Alice!” he called out, approaching them. Hazard had visited the cottage before, many years ago, but Alice had never been. Hazard waved a quick greeting before turning his attention back to the coach, hands outstretched. A moment later, another woman alighted.

Crispin sucked in a breath. Camellia. They’d brought Camellia. Why? Hell, it didn’t matter why. His heart thudded so hard he thought he could hear the flimsy walls around it crumble.

He gathered his wits with a reminder that he was the host. “Gerald, have the viscount and viscountess’s things taken to the suites. And put the other lady’s things in the blue guest chamber.” Then he strode forward, bowed to them all, and said, “Welcome to my cottage. Now everyone is here.” Everyone.

*

After a clamorous round of salutations, they settled down to finish their cake. Crispin volunteered to give the new arrivals the tour they’d missed.

“If you don’t mind,” Alice said, “might I see the rest of the house tomorrow? Right now, the only thing I want to see is a bed.”

“Oh. Oh, yes, of course.” Crispin felt a twinge of embarrassment. Despite the artful draping of her dress, Alice was obviously heavy with child. Her fatigue showed in her face. He wasn’t generally so imperceptive, but his attention wasn’t focused upon Alice.

“I’ll show her to her room,” Mother said, rising. “Then I must retire as well.”

“Yes, all right,” Crispin said, a little dejected at the thought of everyone going their separate ways so soon. He wanted a reason to remain in Camellia’s company.

Vanessa said, “I propose the men go have their brandy and let us ladies go to bed.”

Jasper grinned agreement. “I hope you have a good bottle, Crispin.”

He snorted. “Several. I knew you and Haz were coming.”

“I will have to bow out,” Reg said. “Georgiana and I are worn to the bone. We haven’t stopped moving since we left Cambridge.”

“Then I’ll bid half of you a goodnight.” Crispin’s gaze slipped to Camellia, then away. He took a chance. “Rather than watch Haz, Jasper, and Benjamin try to outdrink one another, I’m going to take a walk down to the lake.”

“It’s dark out,” Mother said, in a warning tone.

Crispin laughed. “Yes, Mother. I know how the sun works. But we have the moon and stars, and I can find my way to and from the lake with my eyes closed.” He made a show of surveying his guests, and let his attention rest upon Camellia. “You’ve not been to this part of England before, have you? Would you like to see the lake district’s most beautiful lake?”

She started. Then quickly said, “I would.”

“Excellent.” Smiling too broadly, he stood and spoke to the nearest footman. “Have Gerald bring a couple bottles of brandy and a few glasses into the sitting room. Camellia?” He went to her and crooked his arm. “Shall we?”

When she put her hand on his arm, warmth spread through his body. He prayed no one else would express interest in a jaunt to the lake. And prayed, too, that they would ascribe his bordering-on-inappropriate-invitation-to-a-widow to exuberant delight in showing off his property.

He had a housemaid to fetch his coat and Camellia’s pelisse, then he swept her out the front door, down a path past a dormant garden, and into the woods. The sky was clear, and the moon was nearly full.

“I hope you don’t mind that I’ve come,” Camellia said.

“Mind?” He chuckled roughly. “What is the opposite of mind?”

“I’m Alice’s companion, you see, so they asked me—”