Page 4 of Snowbound with the Earl (Snowbound #2)

Three

Noelle was seated across from the Earl of Evergreen at dinner.

This arrangement meant she could not speak to him, but she had a clear view of him speaking to Miss Halifax and Miss Rummage all evening.

She, on the other hand, was between Baron Foster and Mr. Turlington.

The baron was an amiable man in his middle thirties.

She found him easy to converse with. Turlington was also amiable and charming.

She knew his type. He was a bit of a rake, though she didn’t think any of the young ladies in attendance need worry he would ruin them.

But as a widow, she was a prime target, and as soon as she had entered the drawing room this afternoon, he’d arrowed right for her.

He’d been visibly pleased to be seated beside her at dinner.

“I hear there will be charades tonight,” Turlington said when she turned to him after speaking to Lord Foster at length about the weather. “Do you enjoy charades?” he asked.

“I do, though I fear I am not very good at them.”

Across the table, Miss Halifax laughed and covered her mouth at something Evergreen said.

The girl blushed whenever a man looked at her, and Evergreen seemed to try to put her at ease.

During the hanging of the greenery, he had made a point of asking her opinion when he wrapped evergreen boughs about the banister of the stairway.

Now, he was listening intently as she spoke and didn’t seem at all impatient at her awkwardness.

She appeared painfully shy, and the earl was kind to attempt to draw her out of her shell.

“My lady?”

Noelle turned suddenly to Turlington. She’d completely forgotten their conversation. “I apologize. What did you say?”

Turlington glanced across the table at Evergreen and Miss Halifax then back at her. “I asked if guessing or giving the clues is more difficult for you.”

“Both, I fear. I do not have the gift of creating clues spontaneously, and I am not skilled at guessing either. You will not want me on your team.”

“Rubbish. If I am given the opportunity to choose, you will be my first pick.”

“Then you will have chosen poorly and will lose.”

“Then I lose with a beautiful woman at my side.” He lifted his wine glass and toasted her.

Noelle inclined her head then darted a quick glance to Evergreen and Miss Halifax, who were still conversing.

The young lady spoke quite animatedly, and he was listening intently.

Whatever could she have to say that would interest him so?

“Miss Halifax did not secure a match during her Season,” Turlington said, obviously noting the direction of Noelle’s glance.

“So I understand. I fear the social whirl of a Season must be even more difficult for girls who are shy.”

“Did you find your own Season difficult? You obviously became engaged.”

“Oh, I hardly remember now. It was so long ago.” She was lying.

She remembered her first and only Season as though it were only last week.

She remembered dancing with Evergreen, riding with him in Hyde Park, the frisson of excitement at the touch of his hand.

She didn’t like to think of how the Season had ended—the tears, the begging, the wedding.

“My sense is that Mr. Halifax is rather desperate to see his daughter betrothed. He has two other daughters at home and cannot afford a second Season for the eldest. I’d wager my left foot he had a word with Lady Dorsey to ensure his daughter was seated beside the earl.”

Noelle looked across the table again and caught the smile Evergreen bestowed on Miss Halifax.

Predictably, the girl turned red as an apple under the power of that smile.

Noelle couldn’t blame her. She’d been powerless when he’d smiled at her all those years ago.

Now Miss Halifax appeared smitten. Did Evergreen intend to charm her?

Was he considering Miss Halifax for the position of Countess of Evergreen?

Noelle didn’t want to discuss the matter with Turlington or with anyone really.

Instead, she smiled at him and said, “Is it the fashion for gentlemen to wager parts of their body now? Goodness, I fear I shall turn up at a ball and find the most committed gamblers missing fingers, toes, or even entire limbs.”

Turlington guffawed loudly. “If that ever does become the fashion, few men will remain intact.”

At the end of the meal, Lady Dorsey rose and invited the ladies to take tea in the drawing room. As the only other titled lady, Noelle walked beside Eva, leading the other ladies out of the dining room. “You and Mr. Turlington seemed to get on well,” Eva said quietly.

“Mr. Turlington would get on well with that wall sconce,” Noelle said. Eva laughed.

“I believe he would! He is very handsome, though.”

Noelle gave her a look.

“I am not matchmaking. I am simply stating an opinion.”

“You would waste your efforts trying to find a match for Mr. Turlington. He’s not looking to marry any time soon.”

“Who says you have to marry the man?”

“Are you suggesting—”

“The weather has turned frightfully cold, Noelle. I want to ensure you are warm enough at night.”

Noelle shook her head. “I have a thick nightgown and woolen socks. You needn’t worry about me.”

Once in the drawing room, the ladies collected teacups and took their seats on the various furnishings arranged in small groups for easy conversation.

Normally, Noelle would have taken a seat with Mrs. Redmond and Mrs. Edmonton as she felt she had more in common with the older ladies.

Out of curiosity, however, she joined Miss Rummage, Miss Edmonton, and Miss Halifax instead.

The three young ladies sat straighter when she took the empty place on the couch beside Miss Halifax.

“My lady, we were just discussing the snow,” Miss Edmonton, a brunette with dark blue eyes, said. “We hoped enough would fall so we might go sledding.”

“Has the pond not frozen over?” Noelle asked.

“It has,” Miss Rummage, a girl with hair a color somewhere between brown and blond and eyes somewhere between brown and hazel, answered. “The gentleman did push us on the sledge on the pond, but there’s not far to go, especially if others are ice skating.”

“I see. Do you enjoy ice skating?” Noelle asked, looking at the girls in turn. “Miss Halifax, do you enjoy ice skating?”

Miss Halifax shook her head, not meeting Noelle’s eyes.

“What about you, Miss Edmonton?”

“Oh, I adore it. A few years ago, we spent the winter in Town, and I skated on the Serpentine almost every day.”

“I would rather stay inside and read,” Miss Rummage said.

Miss Edmonton rolled her eyes. “That’s all you want to do every day.”

“There’s nothing quite like curling up with a book before a warm fire on a cold day,” Noelle remarked.

“Precisely!” Miss Rummage exclaimed.

“I would rather be outside,” Miss Edmonton said. “I did enough reading in the school room.”

Miss Halifax had still not uttered a word. Politeness dictated Noelle attempt to include the girl. “Miss Halifax, do you enjoy reading?”

Miss Halifax shook her head.

“Not at all?” Noelle asked.

Miss Halifax looked up, her blue eyes wide. “I do sometimes look through the latest issue of La Belle Assemblée.” Her voice was so quiet, Noelle had to lean close to hear her.

“Did you see the most recent issue?” Miss Edmonton asked.

“The evening dress with the standing ruff collar was simply divine. I have begged Mama to purchase one for me just like it.” Miss Edmonton continued, describing the fabrics and colors she most desired and Miss Halifax listened and nodded.

Noelle simply could not understand what qualities in Miss Halifax might appeal to Evergreen.

Graham—the earl, rather—loved to read. He could talk about books for hours.

Noelle, who had always been a great reader herself, had often asked his opinion of dozens of books when they’d courted, and she’d never mentioned one he hadn’t read.

Was it Miss Halifax’s looks? She was very conventionally attractive with her blond hair and blue eyes and porcelain skin.

Those features seemed to appeal to most gentlemen.

Indeed, the year of her own come out the diamond of the first water had been a girl with features very much like Miss Halifax.

Of course, that lady—who had gone on to marry a duke—had also been witty and clever.

Dozens of men had vied for her attentions.

Noelle was relieved when the men finally joined the ladies, and she could leave the conversation over whether the Blucher bonnet was out of style or whether it might be a la mode with a few embellishments.

Unfortunately, the men’s arrival signaled the start of charades, and she did not look forward to charades either as she’d had no opportunity to prepare any.

In charades, one team or player gave a three-part clue.

The first part was the first syllable of the word, the second the second syllable of the word, and the third a clue to help the listener guess the word as a whole.

Lady Dorsey stood and addressed her guests. “Lord Dorsey and I thought to lead a game of charades and riddles. He will captain one team and I the other.”

“You might have noticed,” Dorsey said, “that we did not hang any of the mistletoe gathered this afternoon. The winning team has the honor of hanging the mistletoe where they choose—and perhaps stealing the first kiss under it.”