to Roger just yesterday, and he said he is looking forward to attending this evening’s dinner and especially to seeing you there.”
“Oh?” Lady Englewood said, brightening. She turned to her daughter. “Is it true, my love? Then we must make every effort to attend. We should not wish to disappoint his lordship.”
As soon as this point had been decided, everyone turned back to his private conversation and there was soon a happy hum of voices throughout the room. Sophie chatted with Jeanette and Jonathan, while Elizabeth watched them and allowed the tiniest hint of a smile to move the corners of her mouth.
When it became apparent to Ferguson and De Lisle that Sophie’s interest was occupied and that she was not planning to indulge in further intimate conversation with either of them, they rose, made their bows, and departed, both pleading a desire to reach their domiciles before the weather deteriorated further. Jonathan was soon called away to speak to a man of business, and before long Lady Biskup took Lady Englewood into the library to consider some fashion plates that had arrived that morning from a friend in Paris. The four girls were left alone in the yellow salon.
Kathleen immediately moved closer to Sophie and gave her a toothy smile. “Please confide in your friends, Sophie, dear,” she urged. “Is it possible that Trevor Ferguson is becoming a bit particular in his attentions?”
Sophie stared at her in surprise. “Mr. Ferguson? Good heavens! I have only spoken to him twice in my life.”
“But he called on you despite the inclemency of the weather,” Kathleen persisted. “I feel certain that this indicates a marked preference on his part.”
“He did not call,” Sophie explained. “I chanced to meet him in the park, and Jonathan brought him home with us.”
“Ah,” Kathleen said, her face relaxing.
Jeanette turned to gaze thoughtfully into the fire. “Mr. Ferguson is certainly one of the handsomest creatures in the world. He has the most perfect features and a smile like an angel’s.”
“Yes,” Sophie agreed. “If physical beauty were the only thing which captured women’s hearts, the entire feminine world would be hopelessly in love with him.”
Kathleen pressed her lips together.
Elizabeth tilted her head to one side. “There is another man who is also remarkably handsome and whose character and self-sacrifice must recommend him to everyone—Jonathan Gray.” As she spoke, her cheeks grew pink.
Kathleen snorted, “Indeed, Lizzie, I shall not repeat those words to your fiancé. They are quite improper, I swear.”
Elizabeth’s face flushed a dark red. “Well . . . I, that is . . . you misunderstand me, Kathleen.”
“Yes,” Jeanette said, stepping in quickly. “What Elizabeth says is true. And we must also include Albert de Lisle’s name when we are speaking of male pulchritude. He is quite as handsome as Ferguson, in his Celtic way. And there is a sort of wildness about him that lends an extra air of masculinity. It brings to mind crags and storm-lashed rocks, and things of that sort.”
Kathleen turned to Elizabeth, to see what he reaction would be to this, but her sister only nodded thoughtfully and gazed at a tapestry panel that hung nearby.
“Well,” Kathleen said, lowering her voice. “I must tell you the latest on-dit. I have heard that the Woodsons are no longer quite so pleased with the prospect of his marriage to Julia. They have investigated his finances and cooled toward him. She is quite brokenhearted, as you may well imagine. And, really, I see no reason why her parents should be so cruel. I said to Trevor . . .”
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she glanced at the other girls, then hurried on. “‘I see no reason why it should be required that Albert have a fortune, since Julia has quite enough for two. And, after all, he has a great many other things to contribute to a marriage.’”
Jeanette was turning her hands over in her lap, examining
“Oh?” Lady Englewood said, brightening. She turned to her daughter. “Is it true, my love? Then we must make every effort to attend. We should not wish to disappoint his lordship.”
As soon as this point had been decided, everyone turned back to his private conversation and there was soon a happy hum of voices throughout the room. Sophie chatted with Jeanette and Jonathan, while Elizabeth watched them and allowed the tiniest hint of a smile to move the corners of her mouth.
When it became apparent to Ferguson and De Lisle that Sophie’s interest was occupied and that she was not planning to indulge in further intimate conversation with either of them, they rose, made their bows, and departed, both pleading a desire to reach their domiciles before the weather deteriorated further. Jonathan was soon called away to speak to a man of business, and before long Lady Biskup took Lady Englewood into the library to consider some fashion plates that had arrived that morning from a friend in Paris. The four girls were left alone in the yellow salon.
Kathleen immediately moved closer to Sophie and gave her a toothy smile. “Please confide in your friends, Sophie, dear,” she urged. “Is it possible that Trevor Ferguson is becoming a bit particular in his attentions?”
Sophie stared at her in surprise. “Mr. Ferguson? Good heavens! I have only spoken to him twice in my life.”
“But he called on you despite the inclemency of the weather,” Kathleen persisted. “I feel certain that this indicates a marked preference on his part.”
“He did not call,” Sophie explained. “I chanced to meet him in the park, and Jonathan brought him home with us.”
“Ah,” Kathleen said, her face relaxing.
Jeanette turned to gaze thoughtfully into the fire. “Mr. Ferguson is certainly one of the handsomest creatures in the world. He has the most perfect features and a smile like an angel’s.”
“Yes,” Sophie agreed. “If physical beauty were the only thing which captured women’s hearts, the entire feminine world would be hopelessly in love with him.”
Kathleen pressed her lips together.
Elizabeth tilted her head to one side. “There is another man who is also remarkably handsome and whose character and self-sacrifice must recommend him to everyone—Jonathan Gray.” As she spoke, her cheeks grew pink.
Kathleen snorted, “Indeed, Lizzie, I shall not repeat those words to your fiancé. They are quite improper, I swear.”
Elizabeth’s face flushed a dark red. “Well . . . I, that is . . . you misunderstand me, Kathleen.”
“Yes,” Jeanette said, stepping in quickly. “What Elizabeth says is true. And we must also include Albert de Lisle’s name when we are speaking of male pulchritude. He is quite as handsome as Ferguson, in his Celtic way. And there is a sort of wildness about him that lends an extra air of masculinity. It brings to mind crags and storm-lashed rocks, and things of that sort.”
Kathleen turned to Elizabeth, to see what he reaction would be to this, but her sister only nodded thoughtfully and gazed at a tapestry panel that hung nearby.
“Well,” Kathleen said, lowering her voice. “I must tell you the latest on-dit. I have heard that the Woodsons are no longer quite so pleased with the prospect of his marriage to Julia. They have investigated his finances and cooled toward him. She is quite brokenhearted, as you may well imagine. And, really, I see no reason why her parents should be so cruel. I said to Trevor . . .”
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she glanced at the other girls, then hurried on. “‘I see no reason why it should be required that Albert have a fortune, since Julia has quite enough for two. And, after all, he has a great many other things to contribute to a marriage.’”
Jeanette was turning her hands over in her lap, examining
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