Page 18

“Hello again, Mr. Kingston,” Albert, the curly haired smiler said, walking over to shake his hand.

“Good afternoon, sir.”

“You know Mr. Kingston, Bertie?” Miss Hawthorne asked with a curious frown.

“Yes, we met the other day,” he glanced at Leo, choosing his words carefully, “a service to Aunt Theo.”

Aunt Theo, was it? “Yes, I remember, how are you?” Leo replied.

“Well enough, this is my mother, Mrs. Upton with Miss Mason.”

Leo nodded in her direction, and she smiled returning the gesture.

“Good evening, ma’am.”

“Did you see Aunt Theo there with Mr. Thornfield?”

“He saw me, Bertie,” came her sharp voice, “Galant he may be, but his curtsy still needs some work.”

“I could say the same of you, Mrs. Burghley-Harrison,” he replied with a benign smile.

“Oh, they are acquainted,” Miss Hawthorne joked patting his arm. “I’ll leave you to it then.”

“Indeed,” but he walked over to where the old crone sat with a fur blanket on her lap and a shawl around her shoulders. “Thornfield,” he nodded to Richard who returned the gesture with his customary no good grin.

“Kingston. This delightful woman has been regaling me with her exploits.”

“I’m sure she has,” he replied, determined to remain civil.

He had stopped himself from storming over to her residence more than once after she pulled that stunt with the folio sent to his home.

His mother had raised him to be a gentleman and no matter what, he had no intention of making a further spectacle of himself here.

“We are making plans to elope,” Richard said winking at her.

“You’d have to, she doesn’t have three weeks to waste on bans.” Leo replied.

Richard looked at him, eyes wide and mouth wider in fake outrage, shaking his head slowly. “Shocking.” he scolded. “I can’t believe you called her a harpy.”

“I called her worse than that,” he replied, and the woman had the nerve to smirk at him.

“You won’t abandon me to this cruel gentleman, will you?” she turned pleading eyes to Richard.

“Never, my queen,” he vowed extravagantly, taking her wrinkled hand in his. “I shall stay close to you all through the evening.”

“You’d better,” she said squeezing his hand. Then she turned her attention back to Leo.

“What are you even doing here?” Leo asked.

“Ah, you’ve been introduced to my godmother,” Lord Melbroke said, walking up to them.

“Godmother?” Leo glanced between the two of them. How was it possible that she was a part of this family?

“Indeed.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him, and he pursed his mouth against a sneer. She was the height of entitlement and audacity. If she wasn’t so bloody nosey, he would have been able to appreciate it.

“How many godchildren do you have exactly?” Leo asked.

“When you are as old as I am you have several, of all ages. If you get a move on, I can squeeze in one more before the veil descends.”

“As if I’d let you near any of my children.” The words were out before he could stop them. A low cough reminded him that his host was still standing there. “My apologies my lord.”

Lord Melbroke pressed his lips together and shook his head. Was he amused?

“You’d need to get a wife first,” Richard commented.

“Shouldn’t be too difficult for a man like him,” Lord Melbroke said. “Dinner is ready, shall I take you in, Aunt?”

“No Cuddy, you’ve been replaced by this strapping young man here,” a gnarled hand patted Richard’s shoulder fondly and he smiled down at her with genuine appreciation before standing behind her.

“Can you handle her?” Lord Melbroke asked.

“I shall endeavor to withstand her brilliance with all my might,” Richard somberly replied.

The Viscount’s eyebrows shot up at his theatrics and Leo rolled his eyes.

“Come along, my lady,” Richard said, wheeling her slowly and carefully around the furniture.

“We shall plan our nuptials over dinner.”

Chuckles scattered throughout the room at his declaration. His charge shook her head ruefully but there was a new tinge of pink in her cheeks that was almost adorable. Almost.

“Rapscallion,” she mumbled as she shook her head.

Leo hung behind, waiting as they all stood and ushered themselves in to dinner. Lord Melbroke taking his daughter, Lord Sterling taking his wife, Richard wheeling his unlikely future bride, Captain Mason and his wife, and Albert with his mother.

“I think that leaves you with me,” Miss Mason said softly. He turned to her and his breath caught in his throat. She was even more beautiful up close.

“Yes, I believe so.”

“Good evening,” she added with a smile.

“Good evening.” He felt like a fumbling idiot.

She stood there staring at him for a moment, before pressing her lips against a smile. “If you offer me your arm, you can lead me in to dinner.”

“Oh, my apologies,” he said, sticking out his elbow. She didn’t laugh, but he knew she wanted to. Instead, she tucked her small hand into the crook of his elbow and nodded towards the door through which the rest of their party had passed.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he walked with her by his side, that light touch triggering a cascade of tingles across his skin.

It was ridiculous that a young woman would have such a visceral effect on him.

When they entered the dining room, he saw there were only two places left directly opposite each other.

“I believe you are seated beside me, Mr. Kingston,” Miss Hawthorne said, and he blinked in incomprehension before nodding in want of a response.

He took the empty seat beside her and glanced around the table wondering if he was going to be moved before food was served.

Regina took her place beside Lady Sterling directly opposite him.

So, he could spend the night trying to avoid staring straight ahead at the person who had most of his concentration.

He glanced at Mrs. Mason and found her eyes fixed on him; absent what little warmth she had previously exhibited. As if she knew where his thoughts were drifting.

Then he caught a look between Miss Hawthorne and Richard.

Had that meddlesome little bastard done this on purpose?

Had she? Were they in cahoots together? Somehow he’d fallen into a trap.

He didn’t know how or what the trap was quite yet, but if there was one thing he knew, it was when he was in the middle of an ambush.

*

Regina couldn’t help her eyes drifting to Mr. Kingston.

He was impossibly handsome in his formalwear tonight, tall, broad shouldered.

But there was an edge to his voice and a tension in his body the more people spoke to him.

She wanted to reach out and hold his hand, to let him know that he wasn’t alone in his unease.

That he was amongst friends in this room.

He kept glaring at Mr. Thornfield, who was blissfully ignorant of his friend’s ire.

Or perhaps he was aware but refused to acknowledge it.

Instead, he focused his attention almost exclusively on Mrs. Burghley-Harrison, hanging on her every word, tending to her every need, making sure she was comfortable.

Mr. Thornfield was a charmer, there was no doubt about it, but there was a gentle quality to his expression and his voice which was mostly absent at any other time.

It was obvious, at least to Regina, that his affection for her wasn’t feigned to antagonize his friend. It was genuine and beautiful to watch.

“What do you get up to when you aren’t seducing the decrepit?” Mrs. Burghley-Harrison asked him as the fish course of trout in a lemon, butter and white wine sauce was served.

“Well, I refute ‘decrepit’, but currently I am finalizing my sister’s homes,” Mr. Thornfield replied.

“Homes?” Captain Mason asked.

“Yes, it’s a sort of wedding gift for her and her husband.”

“Where do they live now?” Mrs. Mason asked.

“They are on their honeymoon at present in France I believe,” Lady Sterling chimed in, and Mr. Thornfield nodded in agreement.

“Who did she marry?” Albert’s mother, Mrs. Upton asked.

“Mr. Basil Thompson, Lord and Lady Sterling’s son.” Elodia replied.

The woman turned to Richard with wide eyes. “Ah! Congratulations, a very good match indeed.”

“Yes, if an unexpected one.” Mr. Thornfield’s smile was small but somehow, to Regina, it was the truest one of his she’d seen all night.

“Man proposes and God disposes,” Lord Sterling commented. He didn’t seem too upset over the fact, but he wasn’t as pleased as Mr. Thornfield or indeed his wife.

“I believe that is called providence,” Regina’s mother said.

“Indeed,” Lady Sterling agreed. “His will is always wisest and best.”

“Speaking of, Miss Mason, I hear congratulations are in order for you?” Mrs. Upton said as the fish course was cleared to make way for the meat course. Regina stared at her in surprise, wondering how the topic had suddenly swung in her direction.

She glanced at Mr. Kingston, wondering what he was thinking behind that perfect mask of a face. He continued eating his wine braised lamb seasoned with garlic and rosemary, but Regina had the distinct impression he was listening to every word that was said. “Oh?”

“Yes, your wedding. I hear it is finally to take place.”

Regina smiled, but she didn’t trust herself to speak. When had it become common knowledge that her marriage was imminent? How many people had Mrs. Harrison told?

“Yes,” her mother replied for her.

“Six years, wasn’t it?” Mrs. Upton asked.

Eight, but who was counting?

Lady Sterling smiled at her. “You must be very excited, my dear. I commend you on your patience.”

“It’s not as though she could drag the boy back by his ear.” Mrs. Burghley-Harrison commented.

“That was the next plan,” her father joked.

Regina maintained her smile but in her lap her hands clenched her napkin.

“Are we to learn the name of this lucky fellow?” Mr. Upton asked.

She looked up when the question was met with ringing silence. Eleven pairs of eyes were on her. “I’m sorry, I thought it was common knowledge. Starkley, the Baron Starkley.”