pretend to be someone other than Lady Helen Poulter in hopes of impressing a man.”
“I suppose I am worried that no gentleman will find Lady Helen Poulter remarkable enough,” Helen said softly.
“Then you simply have not met the correct gentlemen. There are a great many things about you that are remarkable, and any man would be a fool not to perceive them.” Meg smiled, hoping to reassure her new friend.
“You really are a bluestocking, Meg,” Helen said.
“Don’t tell Lady Vernon,” Meg whispered conspiratorially.
Helen smiled in return, and the ladies sat in a companionable silence for a short moment before Helen spoke. “What a time we shall have tomorrow when we go to choose our costumes for the masque.”
Meg felt a shiver of excitement at the thought. She could not wait to choose an exotic costume for the ball.
Helen’s shy expression returned, as did the color flooding her cheeks. “Is there a specific costume you believe Daniel might be pleased to see me wear?” she asked.
Meg resisted the urge to shake Helen’s shoulders but was spared the necessity of answering when a servant stepped into the room.
“Pardon me, Lady Helen, but the music instructor awaits you in the conservatory.”
She thanked him and turned to Meg. “Please excuse me,” Helen said. “I am rather uneasy about the sonata I have chosen for the musicale. I am afraid I will never play Beethoven as well as I should.”
The reminder that she would be performing as well made Meg’s stomach dip uneasily, but she kept a smile upon her face. “I would not worry. That poor musician is rumored to still be at the Bohemian spa in Teplitz. I do not think he can hear Lady Harrison’s pianoforte from such a distance. And even if he could, I think he would be quite pleased with your effort in regards to his work. I do hope you have a lovely practice session.”
“Thank you, Meg.” Helen squeezed her hand and left the library.
Meg crossed to the window seat to push aside the curtains, but she spun quickly when a voice startled her.
“A pity you do not follow your own advice, Miss Burton.”
Meg saw the colonel stand from the chair facing the fire. She pushed her palm against her chest. “Colonel Stackhouse, you startled me.” Meg took a moment to regain her composure, and as her breathing slowed, her eyes narrowed. “Sir, why did you not reveal yourself sooner? It is quite discourteous to eavesdrop on a private conversation.”
The colonel stood, and Meg squared her shoulders. She would not allow this man with his gruesome scar and frightening manner to intimidate her. Luckily Helen had not completely shut the library door. Meg didn’t like to admit it, but the colonel quite unnerved her, and being alone with the man . . .
“Please have a seat, miss.” The colonel indicated a chair near the fireplace with a gracious bow. The corner of his lips twitched slightly, and she had the distinct impression that he could read her thoughts.
“Thank you.” Meg sat on the edge of the chair and smoothed her skirts over her legs, avoiding his gaze.
The colonel sat back into his chair. His hair was tied into a queue, and his face was clean-shaven. Even the patch over his eye seemed to be positioned with more care than she’d previously seen. Perhaps his injury was not bothering him as badly as it had been.
He offered no apology for concealing his presence, and from his expression, she did not think he was likely to. He watched her for a moment, as if waiting for her to speak.
Meg thought back to what the colonel had overheard, and finally spoke to fill the uncomfortable silence. “I do not understand your meaning, sir. If you mean that I should follow my own advice and practice the pianoforte, I do not believe it is a pity at all that I neglect it to such an extent.”
“I was referring to the counsel you gave Lady Helen in regards to impressing a gentleman. It’s a shame you do not follow the course you
“I suppose I am worried that no gentleman will find Lady Helen Poulter remarkable enough,” Helen said softly.
“Then you simply have not met the correct gentlemen. There are a great many things about you that are remarkable, and any man would be a fool not to perceive them.” Meg smiled, hoping to reassure her new friend.
“You really are a bluestocking, Meg,” Helen said.
“Don’t tell Lady Vernon,” Meg whispered conspiratorially.
Helen smiled in return, and the ladies sat in a companionable silence for a short moment before Helen spoke. “What a time we shall have tomorrow when we go to choose our costumes for the masque.”
Meg felt a shiver of excitement at the thought. She could not wait to choose an exotic costume for the ball.
Helen’s shy expression returned, as did the color flooding her cheeks. “Is there a specific costume you believe Daniel might be pleased to see me wear?” she asked.
Meg resisted the urge to shake Helen’s shoulders but was spared the necessity of answering when a servant stepped into the room.
“Pardon me, Lady Helen, but the music instructor awaits you in the conservatory.”
She thanked him and turned to Meg. “Please excuse me,” Helen said. “I am rather uneasy about the sonata I have chosen for the musicale. I am afraid I will never play Beethoven as well as I should.”
The reminder that she would be performing as well made Meg’s stomach dip uneasily, but she kept a smile upon her face. “I would not worry. That poor musician is rumored to still be at the Bohemian spa in Teplitz. I do not think he can hear Lady Harrison’s pianoforte from such a distance. And even if he could, I think he would be quite pleased with your effort in regards to his work. I do hope you have a lovely practice session.”
“Thank you, Meg.” Helen squeezed her hand and left the library.
Meg crossed to the window seat to push aside the curtains, but she spun quickly when a voice startled her.
“A pity you do not follow your own advice, Miss Burton.”
Meg saw the colonel stand from the chair facing the fire. She pushed her palm against her chest. “Colonel Stackhouse, you startled me.” Meg took a moment to regain her composure, and as her breathing slowed, her eyes narrowed. “Sir, why did you not reveal yourself sooner? It is quite discourteous to eavesdrop on a private conversation.”
The colonel stood, and Meg squared her shoulders. She would not allow this man with his gruesome scar and frightening manner to intimidate her. Luckily Helen had not completely shut the library door. Meg didn’t like to admit it, but the colonel quite unnerved her, and being alone with the man . . .
“Please have a seat, miss.” The colonel indicated a chair near the fireplace with a gracious bow. The corner of his lips twitched slightly, and she had the distinct impression that he could read her thoughts.
“Thank you.” Meg sat on the edge of the chair and smoothed her skirts over her legs, avoiding his gaze.
The colonel sat back into his chair. His hair was tied into a queue, and his face was clean-shaven. Even the patch over his eye seemed to be positioned with more care than she’d previously seen. Perhaps his injury was not bothering him as badly as it had been.
He offered no apology for concealing his presence, and from his expression, she did not think he was likely to. He watched her for a moment, as if waiting for her to speak.
Meg thought back to what the colonel had overheard, and finally spoke to fill the uncomfortable silence. “I do not understand your meaning, sir. If you mean that I should follow my own advice and practice the pianoforte, I do not believe it is a pity at all that I neglect it to such an extent.”
“I was referring to the counsel you gave Lady Helen in regards to impressing a gentleman. It’s a shame you do not follow the course you
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