nerve and, despite her best intentions, she had lashed out at him, a reaction she would no doubt come to regret. ‘We should go in. I have no desire to keep the Baroness waiting.’
* * *
They were escorted by the butler into an elegant drawing room where most of the guests had already assembled. Anna saw Lydia talking to Lord and Lady Bessmel and smiled in acknowledgement of her friend’s wave. She left her father and brother and went to join them.
‘Good evening, Lord Bessmel, Lady Bessmel,’ she greeted the older couple. ‘And, Lydia, I’m so pleased to see you. How is your mother this evening?’
‘Much better, thank heavens,’ the girl said, clearly relieved. ‘This last megrim has been very difficult for her, but thedoctor gave her something that seems to be helping. But what an exquisite gown, Anna. Surely one of Madame Delors’s?’
‘I thought the occasion demanded something suitably festive.’ Anna took a deep breath and glanced around the room. She had no idea if Sir Barrington had been invited, but she found herself looking for him regardless. ‘Have you seen our hostess yet?’
‘No, but I expect she will be down shortly.’
‘Not the thing for a lady to be late for her own dinner party,’ Lord Bessmel remarked.
‘Patience, Harry,’ Lady Bessmel said, patting her husband’s arm. ‘I’m sure the baroness is simply waiting for the right moment to make her appearance. Most Europeans have a flair for the dramatic. But what lovely pearls, Annabelle. Your mother’s, if I’m not mistaken.’
‘Yes,’ Anna said, surprised that the countess would recognise them. ‘How did you know?’
‘I remember her wearing them. White or pink pearls are relatively common, but that shade of gold is quite rare.’
‘They were a gift to her from Papa,’ Anna said fondly. ‘He always said Mama had the perfect complexion for them.’
‘She did. Fortunately, so do you and they go perfectly with your gown, which I must tell you is absolutely exquisite. But look, I do believe the baroness comes.’
As expected, all eyes turned towards the door where the baroness, resplendent in sapphire satin, stood for a moment framed in the doorway. Her lovely face was wreathed in smiles, but Anna was quite sure it wasn’t her smile or her gown that caused the collective gasp of astonishment that echoed around the room, but the magnificent diamond-and-sapphire necklace that was draped around her throat.
‘Forgive me, dear friends, but a minor crisis upstairsdelayed my arrival,’ she announced to her assembled guests. ‘I trust you have been attended to in my absence.’
‘We have been very well treated,’ Lord Bessmel said as the baroness joined them. ‘The important thing is that you are here now and looking quite spectacular, if you don’t mind my saying so.’
‘I don’t mind you saying so at all, Lord Bessmel,’ Julia said with a soft gurgle of laughter. ‘In fact, I am convinced it is the one thing a lady
never
tires of hearing. Anna, my dear,’ she said, pressing her cheek to Anna’s. ‘How beautiful you look tonight. You will most certainly rob the gentlemen of their senses. And, Lady Lydia, how delightful to see you again. I trust your mother is feeling better?’
‘She is, Julia, thank you; she is so sorry she couldn’t be here this evening. Unfortunately, noise tends to aggravate her condition.’
‘I understand,’ Julia said with a sympathetic nod. ‘Megrims are such tiresome things. You are lucky not to be afflicted.’
‘Good evening, Baroness.’
Julia turned and her smile brightened. ‘Lord Cambermere, Lord Hayle, I am so pleased you were both able to attend.’
‘An opportunity to spend time in the company of a beautiful woman should never be missed,’ Cambermere said as he brushed his lips over her hand in a courtly, old-world gesture. ‘And may I say you look magnificent this evening.’
A becoming flush rose in her cheeks. ‘You are very kind to say
* * *
They were escorted by the butler into an elegant drawing room where most of the guests had already assembled. Anna saw Lydia talking to Lord and Lady Bessmel and smiled in acknowledgement of her friend’s wave. She left her father and brother and went to join them.
‘Good evening, Lord Bessmel, Lady Bessmel,’ she greeted the older couple. ‘And, Lydia, I’m so pleased to see you. How is your mother this evening?’
‘Much better, thank heavens,’ the girl said, clearly relieved. ‘This last megrim has been very difficult for her, but thedoctor gave her something that seems to be helping. But what an exquisite gown, Anna. Surely one of Madame Delors’s?’
‘I thought the occasion demanded something suitably festive.’ Anna took a deep breath and glanced around the room. She had no idea if Sir Barrington had been invited, but she found herself looking for him regardless. ‘Have you seen our hostess yet?’
‘No, but I expect she will be down shortly.’
‘Not the thing for a lady to be late for her own dinner party,’ Lord Bessmel remarked.
‘Patience, Harry,’ Lady Bessmel said, patting her husband’s arm. ‘I’m sure the baroness is simply waiting for the right moment to make her appearance. Most Europeans have a flair for the dramatic. But what lovely pearls, Annabelle. Your mother’s, if I’m not mistaken.’
‘Yes,’ Anna said, surprised that the countess would recognise them. ‘How did you know?’
‘I remember her wearing them. White or pink pearls are relatively common, but that shade of gold is quite rare.’
‘They were a gift to her from Papa,’ Anna said fondly. ‘He always said Mama had the perfect complexion for them.’
‘She did. Fortunately, so do you and they go perfectly with your gown, which I must tell you is absolutely exquisite. But look, I do believe the baroness comes.’
As expected, all eyes turned towards the door where the baroness, resplendent in sapphire satin, stood for a moment framed in the doorway. Her lovely face was wreathed in smiles, but Anna was quite sure it wasn’t her smile or her gown that caused the collective gasp of astonishment that echoed around the room, but the magnificent diamond-and-sapphire necklace that was draped around her throat.
‘Forgive me, dear friends, but a minor crisis upstairsdelayed my arrival,’ she announced to her assembled guests. ‘I trust you have been attended to in my absence.’
‘We have been very well treated,’ Lord Bessmel said as the baroness joined them. ‘The important thing is that you are here now and looking quite spectacular, if you don’t mind my saying so.’
‘I don’t mind you saying so at all, Lord Bessmel,’ Julia said with a soft gurgle of laughter. ‘In fact, I am convinced it is the one thing a lady
never
tires of hearing. Anna, my dear,’ she said, pressing her cheek to Anna’s. ‘How beautiful you look tonight. You will most certainly rob the gentlemen of their senses. And, Lady Lydia, how delightful to see you again. I trust your mother is feeling better?’
‘She is, Julia, thank you; she is so sorry she couldn’t be here this evening. Unfortunately, noise tends to aggravate her condition.’
‘I understand,’ Julia said with a sympathetic nod. ‘Megrims are such tiresome things. You are lucky not to be afflicted.’
‘Good evening, Baroness.’
Julia turned and her smile brightened. ‘Lord Cambermere, Lord Hayle, I am so pleased you were both able to attend.’
‘An opportunity to spend time in the company of a beautiful woman should never be missed,’ Cambermere said as he brushed his lips over her hand in a courtly, old-world gesture. ‘And may I say you look magnificent this evening.’
A becoming flush rose in her cheeks. ‘You are very kind to say
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