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Oh, to not have to play this game anymore.
Her mother gently fanned herself beside the painted fire screen. “My dear, would you care to play the piano?”
“Of course, Mama.” Theo moved to the small pianoforte, which saw rare use now Mama was often given to feeling poorly. A run of the scales and she commenced to play a sonata by Haydn. She did not play well, nothing to Mama’s standard anyway, but she muddled through as best she could.
The door opened, and in came the gentlemen, with the squire applauding her. “Very pretty, my dear. Very pretty. I wonder if you might encourage Miss Mannering to sing. I’m told she has a most charming voice.”
Theo turned to Becky, seated on an embroidered chair. “Rebecca, would you wish to sing?” Theo asked.
Becky cast the squire a look before lowering her voice. “I am not sure it is very proper.”
Of course. “I’m afraid it is not. I’m sorry, Sir Giles,” Theo said in a louder voice, “but as Miss Mannering is still in mourning, it’s best she does not.”
“A shame. Well, perhaps you will entertain us.”
“Of course, sir.” She moved to play one of the easier pieces and made it through without obvious mistakes. It was well received, and she accepted their praise, begging young Mr. Bellingham to take his turn. He did have a fine singing voice, and she was not averse to play and accompany him.
When this request was followed by another, she pleaded tiredness, which was true. “Perhaps you might enjoy a game of whist, Sir Giles.”
“Oho! Indeed I would.”
To encourage this, she immediately obtained the cards and arranged the table and chairs to encourage a four-handed round. Grandfather—as she suspected—soon murmured of his disinclination to stay up much longer, insisting he was exhausted. Long had Theo and her mother known this was simply an excuse for him to get Mr. Siddons to wait on him in the library with the good port he refused to share with guests, even those as well-liked as Sir Giles. But selfishness at his age was not to be wondered at, so they let his ruse slide and concentrated on their guests instead.
“I would wish you for my team,” Sir Giles said to Theo.
“Forgive me, sir,” she said, “but I have little inclination to play.”
“Ah. You’d rather be on my boy’s side, would you?”
Conscious of the unwelcome connotations of this, she murmured, “I’m afraid I could not maintain my concentration, no matter who I played with tonight. But perhaps you might find Miss Mannering a more favorable companion. She is still learning the rules of the game, you see, and would likely appreciate the benefits of such an expert player.”
“Would you really?” the squire said, turning to Becky. “Come and sit here, and we’ll take on the two matrons, and watch them squirm as we win.”
“Oh, sir,” Becky bit her lip, looking at Theo as if she wanted an escape.
“With Sir Giles as your partner, you are sure to succeed.” Theo turned to Frederick. “I wonder if you might be willing to continue our conversation from before.”
His eyes lit. “I most certainly would.”
“Mother, Lady Bellingham, you have no objections if I should take Frederick to the library. We all know it is rather hard to hold a conversation when Sir Giles is bent on winning.”
The squire laughed at this but didn’t dispute it, for his reputation as a particularly enthusiastic and vocal whist player was known throughout the village and beyond.
“You may be excused, of course,” her mother said, as they shifted to the card table, their chatter and excitement such that Theo knew she would not be missed.
“Come, Frederick. There is a book I think you’d like to read, and you might even be able to persuade the general to let you borrow it.” She led him out into hall and to the next room, where, sure enough, Grandfather was sipping his port while reading his book before the fire. He looked up with a start. “Theodosia? Oh, and it’s you, young Bellingham.”
“The others are playing whist in the other room, and it’s rather hard to concentrate,” explained Theo. “But we can return there if you are busy.”
He arched a heavy brow at her and glanced between her and Frederick with a wrinkled forehead, doubtless wondering what she was doing. “I suppose you know what you are playing at,” he grumbled.
“Just some quiet conversation,” assured Frederick.
“As long as that is all,” growled Grandfather, in his best General tone and look, which blanched Fredrick’s cheeks to an undignified shade.
Theo sat on the single chair in a small alcove, within earshot of her grandfather, and arranged her skirts after gesturing for Frederick to take a seat opposite. “Now, Mr. Bellingham, you were enquiring about the doctor’s visit earlier. And seemed most keen to learn of the reason for it too.”
Beyond Frederick’s shoulder, she saw her grandfather’s head jerk up, his eyes narrowing as he blatantly listened.
