tightened his grip as she tried unsuccessfully to get away.
"By all means, young lady, don't deprive us of your lovely company," Thomas Stillwell added from the doorway as he handed his coat to Selkirk and joined the group.
"Thomas, I didn't think you would make it." Nicholas greeted the doctor with enthusiasm. Perhaps things would remain manageable now. Even though they were close to the same age, Thomas had always been much more the social creature than Nicholas. "What happened to that assembly you planned to attend?"
"Alas, the Women's Christian Temperance Union decided not to allow any men at their meeting. Imagine! And with the outspoken Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer as their President, I fear we shall see all sorts of drastic measures being taken against the evils of liquor," Thomas finished with a flourish.
"She would be right to do so," Jaci spoke up, then looked shocked that she had voiced her thoughts out loud.
Nicholas grinned and shook his head, adding outspoken to her list of attributes. Recalling his manners, he finished the introductions.
"I'm sorry, Miss Eastman. I was in the midst of introducing you. You remember Dr. Stillwell?" Nicholas nodded in Thomas's direction.
Thomas bowed slightly. "Very nice to see you up and around, Miss Eastman. You had us quite worried for a while."
Damn, Nicholas thought, not consciously wanting Lycinda or her father to know Jaci had been here for any length of time, or that she was anything other than a governess. He hurried on before Thomas said anything else.
"Mason, Lycinda, I would like you to meet Miss Jaci Eastman, Amanda's new governess." Lycinda's eyes widened slightly before she shuttered her gaze, but Mason openly scrutinized Jaci from head to toe, and back, like the vulture he was. Nicholas almost wished he had allowed her to leave when she wanted.
"I must compliment you on your taste, Nicholas." Mason managed to keep his voice low, but leered in Jaci's direction. "At least you thought to hire a young one this time." The older man's insinuations galled Nicholas but he refused to be baited.
"Yes, she is very young, indeed," Lycinda added.
Nicholas thought he heard a note of envy. Though Lycinda was truly lovely at the age of twenty-nine, Nicholas knew she worried about being considered on the shelf.
"Good evening, Mr. Edwardson. It's a pleasure to meet you. Miss Edwardson, you're spoken of quite...often...here at Wildwood." Jaci's soft drawl cast a spell over Nicholas, but he wondered at her words. How much did she know about his relationship with Lycinda?
"Can I get anyone a drink?" He moved towards the decanters set against the wall. Even if no one else wanted one, he needed a refresher.
"Thanks, my boy. I certainly need one. The roads are becoming quite a mess; took twice the time to get here. Don't see why you can't move to town and let your manager handle things here. Too damn far for my girl to have to go to see her intended, and it'll be too far later--"
"Papa, please." Lycinda interrupted her father's rather blunt remarks.
Nicholas felt his face and neck warm with embarrassment. In addition to being short, squat and balding, Mason Edwardson was an obnoxious bore. However, he was also the only banker who had enough clout to be able to help Wildwood in the days when his father had been financially unstable.
Even now, the man held notes on Wildwood, which Nicholas had used as collateral for Cameron's shipping venture five years ago. The spring races and yearling sale would clear his indebtedness, but until that time, Nicholas knew better than to alienate the man. Even so, his comments didn't rest easy.
He handed Mason a snifter of brandy, filled well past the half way mark. The banker became more tolerable only when he was sotted, so Nicholas might as well see to it. He then passed a stemmed glass of sherry to Lycinda.
"Miss Eastman?" he asked, even though he knew the answer before she spoke.
"No, thank you." She gave him a smile but her tone cut like
"By all means, young lady, don't deprive us of your lovely company," Thomas Stillwell added from the doorway as he handed his coat to Selkirk and joined the group.
"Thomas, I didn't think you would make it." Nicholas greeted the doctor with enthusiasm. Perhaps things would remain manageable now. Even though they were close to the same age, Thomas had always been much more the social creature than Nicholas. "What happened to that assembly you planned to attend?"
"Alas, the Women's Christian Temperance Union decided not to allow any men at their meeting. Imagine! And with the outspoken Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer as their President, I fear we shall see all sorts of drastic measures being taken against the evils of liquor," Thomas finished with a flourish.
"She would be right to do so," Jaci spoke up, then looked shocked that she had voiced her thoughts out loud.
Nicholas grinned and shook his head, adding outspoken to her list of attributes. Recalling his manners, he finished the introductions.
"I'm sorry, Miss Eastman. I was in the midst of introducing you. You remember Dr. Stillwell?" Nicholas nodded in Thomas's direction.
Thomas bowed slightly. "Very nice to see you up and around, Miss Eastman. You had us quite worried for a while."
Damn, Nicholas thought, not consciously wanting Lycinda or her father to know Jaci had been here for any length of time, or that she was anything other than a governess. He hurried on before Thomas said anything else.
"Mason, Lycinda, I would like you to meet Miss Jaci Eastman, Amanda's new governess." Lycinda's eyes widened slightly before she shuttered her gaze, but Mason openly scrutinized Jaci from head to toe, and back, like the vulture he was. Nicholas almost wished he had allowed her to leave when she wanted.
"I must compliment you on your taste, Nicholas." Mason managed to keep his voice low, but leered in Jaci's direction. "At least you thought to hire a young one this time." The older man's insinuations galled Nicholas but he refused to be baited.
"Yes, she is very young, indeed," Lycinda added.
Nicholas thought he heard a note of envy. Though Lycinda was truly lovely at the age of twenty-nine, Nicholas knew she worried about being considered on the shelf.
"Good evening, Mr. Edwardson. It's a pleasure to meet you. Miss Edwardson, you're spoken of quite...often...here at Wildwood." Jaci's soft drawl cast a spell over Nicholas, but he wondered at her words. How much did she know about his relationship with Lycinda?
"Can I get anyone a drink?" He moved towards the decanters set against the wall. Even if no one else wanted one, he needed a refresher.
"Thanks, my boy. I certainly need one. The roads are becoming quite a mess; took twice the time to get here. Don't see why you can't move to town and let your manager handle things here. Too damn far for my girl to have to go to see her intended, and it'll be too far later--"
"Papa, please." Lycinda interrupted her father's rather blunt remarks.
Nicholas felt his face and neck warm with embarrassment. In addition to being short, squat and balding, Mason Edwardson was an obnoxious bore. However, he was also the only banker who had enough clout to be able to help Wildwood in the days when his father had been financially unstable.
Even now, the man held notes on Wildwood, which Nicholas had used as collateral for Cameron's shipping venture five years ago. The spring races and yearling sale would clear his indebtedness, but until that time, Nicholas knew better than to alienate the man. Even so, his comments didn't rest easy.
He handed Mason a snifter of brandy, filled well past the half way mark. The banker became more tolerable only when he was sotted, so Nicholas might as well see to it. He then passed a stemmed glass of sherry to Lycinda.
"Miss Eastman?" he asked, even though he knew the answer before she spoke.
"No, thank you." She gave him a smile but her tone cut like
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