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“Now what was I going to say? Oh yes, a toast to your health, my lord duke!” Troubridge grinned broadly at his own feeble joke, and everyone raised their glasses and murmured the toast obediently.

The captain turned to the duke, his cheeks faintly flushed. Is he embarrassed to be singled out in company? The captain—for all his experience—was a little shy, she suspected. Fenella melted completely. He’s just adorable.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” he responded.

“Well, no fear you’ll be obliged to do the pretty here, just a family party.”

“Yes, Your Grace,”

She leaned over and whispered, “Uncle is jolly good fun, always merry and full of humor. And to be relied upon to keep one’s secrets.

You know he caught me sneaking into the house once and promised me he wouldn’t tell as soul.

And he didn’t. I suspect that was because he didn’t remember.

He was shockingly drunk at the time.” She bit her lip.

“I probably shouldn’t have said that, Mama says young ladies should at least pretend not to notice such things.

But I really have no patience with missishness! ”

He cast her an amused glance and murmured, “Naturally!”

“Are you laughing at me?” she accused playfully, a fluttery feeling in her stomach.

“Not at all,” he said, but his eyes still smiled.

“I was curious about your paddleboard. I was sure I had read something about them, and then I remembered. The design is very similar I believe to the boards reported in Captain James Cook’s diary of the ones used by the Polynesians to ‘surf’ the waves off the Hawaiian Islands. Have you heard of those?”

“No! Oh, do tell. You mean a board to ride the waves onto the beach?”

“Yes. Apparently, the people there, from children to adults, paddle their wooden boards out into the surf and catch a wave to ride back into shore, lying on the board.”

“What fun! I shall have to try it!”

“Your father will not be happy with me for encouraging your madness,” he said, his eyes showing a warm glow of admiration that made her heart turn over.

She ached to get closer to him, to feel his arms around her again, his mouth on hers, but even she realized she couldn’t do anything so shocking in front of her family and their guests.

She blushed. “Papa is accustomed to my starts. You must know he keeps most of them from Mama. Her health is delicate, and she would worry so if she knew half the things I get up to!”

“I confess to an urge to try it myself,” he admitted. “It does sound like fun.”

“Now you make me long to go home so I can try it!” she said with an impatient wiggle in her seat.

At that point the Marquess of Ravenshaw, seated on her other side, claimed her attention, and the captain turned his to Miss Pringle on his left.

When the ladies withdrew, leaving the gentlemen to enjoy their port in peace, Fenella found herself walking with Ava back to the drawing room. The younger girl tucked her arm in Fenella’s and murmured, “Can we talk?”

“Of course. What is it?”

Ava tugged her into the library and closed the door. “I couldn’t help but notice that Ravenshaw was monopolizing you at dinner. He is a terrible flirt you know, with a shocking reputation!”

“Oh yes, I know, but very amusing,” said Fenella, mindful of her plan to throw sand in her mother’s eye in regard to the captain.

Ava’s bosom swelled and her eyes became glassy. “Are you setting your cap at him?”

Fenella was about to confirm that, but something in Ava’s manner stopped her. “What is it, Ava?”

Ava turned away with a flounce of her pretty jonquil-colored gown, to the window. “Oh, nothing at all! I just w-wondered, you know? He is so very handsome, I’m sure all the ladies in London must be on the scramble for him!”

“Well yes, they are.” Fenella approached the younger girl and put an arm round her. She spoke gently. “He is exceedingly handsome. Yet I don’t know why, I must confess—and you must swear you won’t tell a soul now—promise?”

Ava nodded. “I promise!”

Fenella smiled and her gaze shifted to the windowpane that showed the westering sun sending long shadows across the drive. And beyond it, the fields leading to the ruins of the ancient Norman Keep that gave The Castle its name. “I prefer Captain Falkland.”

“Do you?” Ava’s expression conveyed both pleasure at this knowledge and bafflement as to why.

“Odd of me, isn’t it?” said Fenella.

“Yes, very!” said Ava. “But I’m glad, for I think he might like you, too.”

“Do you truly think so?”

Ava nodded. “I saw the way his eyes followed you when you got up to leave.” Ava sighed. “I wish Ravenshaw would look at me like that!”

“You’re a little young yet for him to do so, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I know. It’s so frustrating,” said Ava. “If we lived in medieval times I would already be married. Girls were married as young as eleven back then.”

“Well, I for one am glad we are not living in medieval times!” said Fenella with feeling. The prospect of being married at eleven holds no allure at all!

“When I am older like you, and out, I am quite determined to marry him. That is,” Ava added gloomily, “if he isn’t married by then. I live in dread of some wretched debutante snaring him.”

Fenella hugged her. “If he has any sense at all, he will wait for you,” she said encouragingly.

“I do hope so.” she sighed “We used to be so close, good friends when I was younger, but lately—he seems distant, and when he does talk to me, it’s like I’m a pesky schoolgirl!

” she sighed again. Then seeming to shake off her melancholy, she hugged Fenella and the two of them joined the other ladies in the drawing room.