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“He and Mr. and Mrs. Fairbanks are in the entrance hall, awaiting my return. I have informed Her Grace of their arrival. She is expecting them to join her and the Abernathys in the drawing room.”

The Fairbanks must be the relations Sellers had mentioned in his letter to Rosalind. Mr. Theodore Fairbanks owned a modest estate not more than five miles from Finley Park, and since their arrival in the neighborhood some ten years ago, he had garnered a reputation as one of the most avid hunters in the district. Sebastian had seen the gentleman and his wife only a handful of times since his parents’ deaths, but they had always exchanged cordial greetings, and he should not be surprised that they had come to welcome his new bride. That they had come so soon after Rosalind’s arrival at Finley Park, however, was more than likely due to the urging of their houseguest.

“Thank you, Vickers. I shall join Her Grace directly, but if you would be so good as to take your time returning to the entrance hall, the extra few minutes would be appreciated.”

Vickers gave him a knowing look. “With your permission, I shall send word to the kitchen to have tea brought up before I usher your newly arrived guests into the drawing room.”

“Permission granted,” Sebastian said.

He exited the workshop, and Vickers followed. Locking the door behind him, Sebastian pocketed the key and made directly for the drawing room. The door was open. He paused in the passage to adjust the lace at his sleeves, and then squaring his shoulders, he took a deep breath and entered the fray.

Rosalind saw him the moment he walked in. Her look of relief was almost instantly masked by her welcoming smile. She stood as he approached. Across from her, Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy did the same.

“Your Grace.” The minister bowed. At his side, his wife bobbed a curtsy.

“Good day, Mr. Abernathy. Mrs. Abernathy. Forgive me for not being here to greet you when you arrived. I had hoped to have the pleasure of introducing you to my wife, but I was unavoidably detained by a pressing matter of business.”

“So I understand,” Mr. Abernathy said. “Her Grace was just now telling us how very busy you are.”

The minister’s comment seemed innocent enough, but Sebastian could not shake the feeling that it contained a hidden rebuke. Before he could respond, however, Vickers appeared at the door.

“Mr. Theodore Fairfield, Mrs. Amelia Fairfield, and Mr. Nigel Sellers,” he announced.

Sebastian turned his attention to their new visitors. Mr. Fairfield stepped forward to greet him, a wide smile on his face. He was as portly and jovial as Sebastian remembered. Mrs. Fairfield’s graying hair aged her, but her eyes sparkled with undisguised excitement as she surveyed the drawing room and its occupants. Behind her, Mr. Sellers looked particularly dashing in his dark-green jacket and breeches paired with an extravagant lace cravat.

Forcing a smile, Sebastian made the necessary introductions and then clasped his hands behind his back so as to prevent himself from tugging at his own limp cravat. He took a step closer to Rosalind. Unfortunately, he did not move quite fast enough to evade Mrs. Fairfield.

“Oh, Your Grace, what a marvelous vase!”

At Mrs. Fairfield’s enthusiastic outburst, Mrs. Abernathy joined in. “I was just thinking the very same.” The ladies moved closer to the decorative piece positioned on the table near the window. “Do tell us where it came from.”

“China, I believe,” Sebastian said, obliged to turn away from Rosalind to respond politely.

Mrs. Fairfield gasped. “I have never seen Ming porcelain before, but I’ve heard tell of its beauty.”

“Is it truly Ming?” Mrs. Abernathy was agog.

“My mother purchased it many years ago,” Sebastian said. “I seem to recall her saying that it was a Ming dynasty piece.”

Mrs. Fairfield placed her hand to her heart. “Your mother, may God rest her soul, was the most refined of women. It does not surprise me in the least that she would own something so exquisite. Why, the Finley Park ballroom alone is so elegant it is quite beyond description.”

“Is it really?” Mrs. Abernathy’s wonder held no bounds.

“Oh yes, indeed.” Mrs. Fairfield turned to Sebastian. “If it is not too great an imposition, Your Grace, perhaps Mrs. Abernathy might see the ballroom before she leaves today.”

Behind him, Sebastian heard Mr. Sellers speak and Rosalind’s soft reply. Blast it all. He needed a graceful way out of this inane conversation, and he needed it right away. “By all means,” he said. “I believe the duchess has requested that tea be brought in. Afterward, any who are interested may see the ballroom.”

Mrs. Fairfield beamed, and Mrs. Abernathy squeaked. The sound was not quite loud enough to be a squeal, but he assumed it was meant to convey delight.

He was not of a mind to wait to find out. “If you would excuse me, ladies, I will leave you both to admire the vase.”

To his relief they seemed quite content. He turned. Mr. Abernathy was standing beside Mr. Fairfield and was in the midst of a lengthy monologue. Sebastian caught references to all the rain, the damage done by the swollen river in the village, and Noah’s ark. Mr. Fairfield gave the appearance of listening intently, even going as far as to nod and murmur his agreement occasionally. Mr. Sellers’s attention, however, was directed elsewhere. He was at Rosalind’s side, maintaining another conversation entirely.

Sebastian crossed the distance between them in eight strides. Rosalind saw him coming and offered him a strained smile. His heart lifted. Mr. Sellers may be handsome and charming, but he did not know Rosalind well. If he did, he would recognize that smile as her please-let-this-be-over-soon look. Sebastian had seen it when she’d danced with a gentleman who’d been too far in his cups at the Marlboroughs’ ball and again when he’d walked in on Mrs. Frost reviewing the price of meat at the butcher’s shop with her.

“Good day, Kelbrook.” Sellers cut short his conversation with Rosalind to greet him.

Sebastian was not sure the gentleman was a close enough associate to address him in such a way, but he inclined his head. “I had not thought to see you again so soon, Sellers.”