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“C harades?” repeated Amelia. “I’m really not very good at playacting,” she went on. “I think I should excuse myself.”

“My dear, don’t set a bad example for the more shy young ladies here.

The young ones who are so eager in their hearts to step up in front of the company to have a bit of fun don’t have your confidence.

” Lady Townsend patted Amelia’s arm and indicated the Miss Ps in the corner who, Amelia thought, hardly answered to her example.

They were the most boisterous debutantes she could remember having met.

“And it’s not because you’re shy and lacking in confidence that you demur, is it?

So, do say you’ll enter into the spirit of Lady Pendleton’s entertainment this evening?

It would be such a gracious thing to do. ”

How could Amelia respond to such a call upon her good nature, much less obligations, as a guest without anything other than a reluctant nod and a forced smile?

Oh, but she did hate charades with all that silly pretense and play-acting.

Play-acting which was really barely respectable but at which she was deplorable. She knew she was.

“Well, that is wonderful, Miss Fairchild,” said Lady Townsend. “Lady Pendleton will approach those who have agreed and let them know the word or phrase that they will mime for the rest of us to guess. I shall do my part, too, so you’re in good company.”

The older woman gave a shiver of something Amelia couldn’t quite identify. Surely it couldn’t be anticipation for all Amelia felt was dull dread.

A few minutes later, a tap on the shoulder heralded the call to action.

“Heartbreak.”

“Heartbreak?” Amelia stared uncomprehendingly at Lady Pendleton, who was already moving forward towards the Miss Ps who were in a group that included Caroline, a little distance away.

“Your word,” Lady Pendleton said over her shoulder as if she were an imbecile.

Amelia closed her eyes. She was going to have to stand in front of everyone and act out such a word? She felt sick.

Normally so confident, she was also used to being allowed to stay in the background and not be called upon to offer anything in the way of opinion or entertainment.

Yes, she played the piano, as most well brought up young ladies did, but whenever she was invited to perform, she demurred to any of the more eager young ladies wishing to draw attention to their talents.

“You’re looking a little pale, Miss Fairchild. And alone.”

Sir Frederick was hovering nearby, not exactly at her side but looking very ready to bear her company with the merest encouragement.

With an effort, Amelia schooled her features into polite disinterest. She had to remember that courting Sir Frederick made him unavailable to anyone else. Anyone with the credentials that effectively earned Amelia the reprieve from society she so craved.

So while it would have been very pleasant to have whiled away a little time with Sir Frederick who looked all too ready to join her and, perhaps, bolster her confidence, she instead inclined her head and replied, “Lady Pendleton has just told me the word I am to enact in charades and it has confirmed my detestation of the game. But I have promised, so I will take myself off now and prepare myself.”

“Perhaps I can assist?”

Amelia shook her head. “No, no, but I thank you all the same. You can encourage me by trying to guess at my deplorable efforts to mime the word Lady Pendleton has given me.”

Sir Frederick chuckled. “Clearly it is not a word that fills you with the confidence to enact.”

Amelia rolled her eyes. “I truly think she gave it to me to vex me because I was so reluctant to enter into what she considers fun and games.”

“You don’t enjoy this kind of society, Miss Fairchild?

” He indicated the room with a sweep of his arms. The young Miss Ps were still giggling in the corner.

Clearly, they were having a most enjoyable time.

Lady Pendleton held court in another corner while Ladies Townsend and Pendleton, and Lord Thornton, suddenly burst into laughter.

Amelia swiveled slowly, pressing her lips together before she agreed reluctantly, “Everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves, I grant you that.”

“Except you? Why is that, Miss Fairchild? You do not strike me as being a killjoy sour puss.” His lips curved up, and he added with clear reference to earlier, “Why, you entered into the sport of a delightful afternoon’s riding with great spirit and, indeed, as if you were enjoying yourself very much. ”

“Sir Frederick! I beg you!” Amelia exclaimed, mortified.

“I don’t know what came over me except that you are clearly very practiced at making ladies like me forget themselves and surely we are both of an age to accept that life has to be more serious than that when it comes to matters of such importance. ”

She knew she’d let her words run away from her when she saw his faint frown and the way he stilled before he responded. “Matters of such importance being…?” he prompted.

Amelia felt trapped. She didn’t want to put it into words. Why, it was ungentlemanly of him to make her. But it appeared he really did want her answer.

Crossly she said, “Hearts are not to be trifled with. And now I have this foolish word ‘heartbreak’ that Lady Pendleton has given me to mime. There! I’ve told you the word.

Now, if you have an ounce of gentlemanliness and want to atone for this afternoon, you can stand in the crowd and pretend I’ve done such a fine job at acting it out that you’ve guessed it.

” It was a relief to get all that out in the open and Amelia finished on a laugh as she saw his features relax.

Then his smile softened and, briefly, he touched her forearm.

“I consider myself a gentleman at all times, Miss Fairchild. Even during our ride—or rather, on the ground and by the trees—for I did honestly believe I had enough encouragement that my actions were still those of a gentleman. Having honor and decency does not preclude indulging in a little innocent enjoyment from time to time. Does it?”

Amelia wasn’t sure if she felt entirely at peace with his answer.

For a start, the unexpected tingling she felt at his touch had been exceedingly distracting, so that it was difficult to attend to his next words.

But then his talk of indulging in a little innocent enjoyment when there was sufficient encouragement made some of it drain away.

Did he really just consider their encounter as a one-off little piece of enjoyment?

And there was the contradiction in her heart.

Sir Frederick most definitely made her go a little weak at the knees, but he was a man with a healthy reputation for dalliances.

It probably massaged his ego that he’d managed to kiss the standoffish Miss Fairchild.

Perhaps he’d set it up as a challenge. Perhaps she was no different a conquest than Mrs. Perry.

The thought made her stiffen as she remembered Mrs. Perry laughing at Amelia behind her back. But Sir Frederick hadn’t actually endorsed her opinions. And then he’d kissed Amelia.

Her feelings about him were all very confusing, but, of course, after this house party, she’d probably not see him again.

So, forcing all these conflicting thoughts into abeyance, she said, “I suppose we are all different, so find enjoyment in different ways. I find mine in books mostly.” There, that should make it clear where she stood.

He nodded. “So, you prefer to read about Miss Elizabeth Bennett and Darcy kissing rather than actually… kissing?”

Heat flooded Amelia’s entire body at the words and images and recollections they conjured. She’d enjoyed kissing him immensely, but she could never tell him that the physical experience was far superior to reading about Miss Elizabeth and Darcy’s romantic dalliances in Pride and Prejudice .

“Come now, everyone!” Lady Pendleton’s imperious summons saved Amelia from answering and with a weak smile she took a seat in the audience, as directed, while the three Miss Ps went up towards the dais, clearly first on the program this evening.

Miss Playford stepped up first, miming the act of carrying something on her arm as she sauntered across the stage, shading her eyes as if she were looking for something in the distance.

“You’re outside in the countryside!” someone shouted from the audience and with a bright smile, Miss Playford nodded before she turned to beckon to her two friends who jauntily crossed the stage before they appeared to consult over a matter, nodding as Miss Penny mimed the act of shaking out something before they gracefully sat upon the ground.

“You’re in the countryside sitting on a blanket!” someone else cried out, as the Miss Ps, ignoring the various suggestions, pretended to pluck things from a basket, savoring various pretend dishes in great harmony.

“A picnic in the countryside!” someone shouted, and the girls laughed in agreement before, in a final act of comedy, Miss Playford pointed a finger at a pretend object, gave a little shriek, which was echoed by the other young ladies who immediately put everything back in the pretend basket, folded up the picnic blanket, and exited the stage.

“A picnic in the countryside invaded by ants!” cried Mr. Greene, and Caroline turned to look at him over her shoulder while the audience laughed at her high-spirited response: a large, theatrical wink.