Page 4 of Indecently Daring

“Well, then,” Lady St Clair said, her voice trembling with suppressed laughter. “I’m certain you’re all desperate for a cup of tea, so do come inside and we’ll get you all settled.”

Casting a bright smile upon the assembled company, she ushered everyone indoors.

“Well,” Cat said to Alana, watching the new arrivals as Aunt Harriet ushered them all indoors and out of the cold. “Now I understand what all the fuss was about.”

“Hmm?” Alana turned to look at her friend. “What fuss?”

Cat rolled her eyes and slipped her arm through Alana’s. “About the Reverend Martin, dear.”

“What about him?”

With a snort of frustration, Cat shook her head, her ice-blonde curls bouncing. “That he’s divine, you unnatural creature! My, those broad shoulders, and that thick dark hair. What on earth is wrong with you? Surely you noticed him?”

“I noticed he looked at me like I’d crawled out of cheese,” Alana remarked tartly.

“Oh, you must disregard that.” Cat waved this away. “A vicar is still a man, and men often act oddly when meeting pretty girls. Papa says I must deploy my smile with caution. He swears he saw a fellow walk headlong into a lamppost once, simply because I smiled at him and the poor devil promptly lost his bearings.”

She shook her head, apparently still finding this incomprehensible, but Alana knew that, if Cat’s father had told her, she would take it as gospel.

“Lost his wits, more like,” Alana muttered. “And I can well believe you have that effect on men, Cat, but he was glaring at me.”

“Well, and the combined effect of both of us together must have temporarily dazzled him.” Cat snickered. “Come along. We shall give him another chance, and see if he rallies.”

Alana allowed Cat to drag her indoors.

Alana was not to have a chance to see what she made of Reverend Martin that day, however. It appeared that, immediately after being introduced to them, he’d seen his aunt comfortably settled, then made his excuses and rushed off, presumably to tend to his flock. Not that Alana could find fault with that. She was all admiration for those kind-hearted souls who gave their time to aiding and comforting others. Though the possibility that he had fled to avoid her company nagged at her, Alana scolded herself for being conceited enough to think her presence bothered him one way or another and disregarded it. No, he would have gone off doing good works, no doubt.

Today, he had come to Holbrook again at her aunt’s invitation to discuss a fund-raising event for the local school. Alana eyed the man with curiosity as he listened to Lady Beauchamp illustrate some minor mishap that the lady seemed vastly disturbed by, and with every outward appearance of attention and sympathy. He must have a tremendous amount of patience.

Alana had never quite gained the knack for offering comfort. Though she was happy to be busy, to do things, the idea of holding the hand of someone in distress and offering reassurance always made her want to run for the hills. It wasn’t that she was squeamish; Alana was a practical girl with a strong stomach. If you wanted help to lance a boil or to birth a calf, she’d do whatever was required. If you wanted her to hike up a mountain without a murmur of complaint, or wade barefoot through mud to rescue an unfortunate kitten, she'd do it. She had done all those things. But weeping and sickness made her panicky, and she hadn’t the slightest idea of polite chitchat.

Her eldest sister, one of the twins and the most intelligent of the Cadogan brood, despaired of her. Elspeth was truly an elegant lady of the ton, and everything that Alana was not. The other twin, Greer, was far closer in character, but even she had settled down since she’d married, and now lived a peaceful life with her husband. Greer simply said Alana had best marry a farmer and have done with it, because she’d no notion of how to go on in society. Alana had believed for some years that she was going to marry a farmer, and had prepared for the role, only to discover… well, that she’d made a proper mess of things. How unusual.

She gave a heavy sigh and then stiffened as she realised she had been lost in her own thoughts instead of paying attention to the meeting. Reverend Martin was frowning at her in apparent disapproval. Alana sat up straighter, determined to concentrate on the proceedings.

“Have another biscuit, Harry,” Mrs Dankworth said, offering the tray to the reverend.

He took one. That had to be his fifth, Alana noted with amusement.

“Well, so we have decided a ball won’t do, then,” Lady Beauchamp said with a regretful sigh. “A pity.”

“Well, only because there is already a ball for Valentine’s night planned before we go up to town,” Lady St Clair pointed out. “To have another within a few weeks of it might try even my organisational powers, not to mention my patience.”

“Yes, quite right, of course. I’m being greedy as usual,” Lady Beecham said wistfully. “Only I do love a ball. All those handsome young men in their finery, such a pretty sight.”

“Marvellous,” Mrs Dankworth agreed with alacrity. “Though it was better in our day. The fashions are so dull for men now. When we were girls, they wore these tight little pantaloons, and—”

“So if not a ball, what shall we do?” the vicar interrupted hurriedly, moving the conversation on and earning himself a reproachful glare from his aunt.

“How about an auction?” Alana suggested, handing the plate of sugar biscuits she’d been given to Cat after she’d chosen one for herself. “People can get quite competitive about giving the best prize, and then even more so when bidding, each of them trying to look more generous than their neighbours.”

“Oh, a marvellous idea,” Mrs Dankworth said, her eyes lighting up. “I’m certain we could find something to donate, couldn’t we, Dorcas?”

“I should think so,” Lady Beauchamp agreed.

“That sounds interesting, though it would take some organising.” Aunt Harriet frowned a little, considering. “You know what people are for promising the earth, but when it comes to the point, they’re dreadfully hard to pin down.”

“Well, we could help with that,” Cat volunteered. “Alana and I are very good at persuading people. Aren’t we, Lana?”