Ginny’s discomfort, “I shall give it up entirely.” That was to say, after the bout tomorrow. He would have to be sure to avoid any punches thrown at his face, but if he were even half as skilled as Grandmama claimed, he should manage rather nicely. “I believe it is getting late. We ought to be on our way to Berkeley Square”
Wraps, gloves, and Anthony’s hat were brought and donned, and after a short carriage ride, Lady Crenshaw’s house on Berkeley Square hove into view.
“This is passing strange,” Anthony mused. “Dinner is meant to be a small affair, but the avenue is thick with carriages”
“That saucy Countess de Lieven resides down the street,” Grandmama said with a huff. “Doubtless she is having her own dinner party before doing her duty as patroness of Almack’s tonight.”
Anthony wished to believe her explanation, but the sight of Lady Derby alighting from a carriage directly across from his mother’s front door gave him pause. “Do beg pardon, Grandmama, but it would seem you are incorrect.” Reaching for Ginny’s hand, he gave it a squeeze. “It looks as if there will be a few more guests to dinner tonight, but never fear, the dancing shall be all ours”
Dinner, alas, was not. When Anthony, Ginny on one arm and Grandmama on the other, entered the parlor, it was fair to bursting with guests. Lady Derby, who was entertaining the attentions of a pair of young bucks, came first to eye, while his mother was soon spotted in the act of attempting to foil the nefarious intentions of a gray-haired lothario.
Across the room, the sofa was taken up by a grim-faced man of the cloth doggedly conversing with a wan young woman, one whose resemblance to the former Lucinda Barrington was remarkable. Too remarkable. Gad, it was Lucinda! Quickly, he scanned the room and determined that her husband was one of the bucks enjoying Lady Derby’s sphere of smiling approval. No wonder Lucinda was out of sorts. What game was his mother playing, and how might he thwart it before it was too late?
“Ah,” he said, testing his voice for telltale tremors, “I think it best if we leave.” Grandmama, her mouth opening and closing like that of a blowfish, was at a loss for words. It was a first in Anthony’s memory.
“I think not,” Ginny said with surprising calm. She looked directly into his eyes, and he saw no fear in them. He dared to flick a glance at Lady Derby, who simpered at him over her cordial of canary. No fear there, either. His mother, on the other hand, was making herself as small as possible in the shelter of the gray-haired man’s imposing girth. It couldn’t be Everston, could it?
Shaking free his arms, he was across the room in two strides. “Mother, I would have a word with you”
“Anthony!” Lady Crenshaw cried with a shaky little laugh. “Have your manners gone begging? You do not give Lord Everston his due”
Anthony inclined his head. “Everston, I do beg pardon, but I must have a private word with Lady Crenshaw.”
Everston bowed and moved away.
“Mother! Him?” Anthony cried. “Of all people, how could you? You know how Grandmama detests him. Look how he corners her even now.”
“Anthony, I will not be dictated to in my own home! It is my dinner party, and I shall invite whom I wish.”
“Ordinarily, I would agree with you wholeheartedly. However, dinner was meant to be just the four of us. You know how I have been counting on you to make Miss Delacourt feel a welcome part of the family.”
“Yes, she is most naturally welcome. Only a dinner party of three females and one male would be uneven, don’t you agree?” she asked with a snap of her fan, behind which she hid her face from the company at large. “I invited Everston for your grandmama. They are both getting on so in age, don’t you think? Mr. Graham neatly rounded out my numbers. However, when Lady Derby got wind of it, I could hardly claim it was family only and felt I must invite her, as well.
Wraps, gloves, and Anthony’s hat were brought and donned, and after a short carriage ride, Lady Crenshaw’s house on Berkeley Square hove into view.
“This is passing strange,” Anthony mused. “Dinner is meant to be a small affair, but the avenue is thick with carriages”
“That saucy Countess de Lieven resides down the street,” Grandmama said with a huff. “Doubtless she is having her own dinner party before doing her duty as patroness of Almack’s tonight.”
Anthony wished to believe her explanation, but the sight of Lady Derby alighting from a carriage directly across from his mother’s front door gave him pause. “Do beg pardon, Grandmama, but it would seem you are incorrect.” Reaching for Ginny’s hand, he gave it a squeeze. “It looks as if there will be a few more guests to dinner tonight, but never fear, the dancing shall be all ours”
Dinner, alas, was not. When Anthony, Ginny on one arm and Grandmama on the other, entered the parlor, it was fair to bursting with guests. Lady Derby, who was entertaining the attentions of a pair of young bucks, came first to eye, while his mother was soon spotted in the act of attempting to foil the nefarious intentions of a gray-haired lothario.
Across the room, the sofa was taken up by a grim-faced man of the cloth doggedly conversing with a wan young woman, one whose resemblance to the former Lucinda Barrington was remarkable. Too remarkable. Gad, it was Lucinda! Quickly, he scanned the room and determined that her husband was one of the bucks enjoying Lady Derby’s sphere of smiling approval. No wonder Lucinda was out of sorts. What game was his mother playing, and how might he thwart it before it was too late?
“Ah,” he said, testing his voice for telltale tremors, “I think it best if we leave.” Grandmama, her mouth opening and closing like that of a blowfish, was at a loss for words. It was a first in Anthony’s memory.
“I think not,” Ginny said with surprising calm. She looked directly into his eyes, and he saw no fear in them. He dared to flick a glance at Lady Derby, who simpered at him over her cordial of canary. No fear there, either. His mother, on the other hand, was making herself as small as possible in the shelter of the gray-haired man’s imposing girth. It couldn’t be Everston, could it?
Shaking free his arms, he was across the room in two strides. “Mother, I would have a word with you”
“Anthony!” Lady Crenshaw cried with a shaky little laugh. “Have your manners gone begging? You do not give Lord Everston his due”
Anthony inclined his head. “Everston, I do beg pardon, but I must have a private word with Lady Crenshaw.”
Everston bowed and moved away.
“Mother! Him?” Anthony cried. “Of all people, how could you? You know how Grandmama detests him. Look how he corners her even now.”
“Anthony, I will not be dictated to in my own home! It is my dinner party, and I shall invite whom I wish.”
“Ordinarily, I would agree with you wholeheartedly. However, dinner was meant to be just the four of us. You know how I have been counting on you to make Miss Delacourt feel a welcome part of the family.”
“Yes, she is most naturally welcome. Only a dinner party of three females and one male would be uneven, don’t you agree?” she asked with a snap of her fan, behind which she hid her face from the company at large. “I invited Everston for your grandmama. They are both getting on so in age, don’t you think? Mr. Graham neatly rounded out my numbers. However, when Lady Derby got wind of it, I could hardly claim it was family only and felt I must invite her, as well.
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