you
approve of Selina, Mother?” Malcolm asked.
“Yes, of
course. Although I do wonder what you
two were up to in the Statue Gallery. The servants tell me that they found Apollo tilted sideways.”
Lady
Kilbourne watched in amusement as her son turned red and began a tongue-tied
explanation.
“Oh, I am
just teasing you,” she said, cutting his explanation short. “Apollo is right where he is supposed to
be. Although I do find it curious that
you would believe he was not. That must
have been quite a kiss.”
“It was
earth-shaking,” Malcolm said, and grinned.
Ten
Most of
the party met again at breakfast the next day, the younger members dressed for
riding, an appointment that had been made the previous evening. Selina eyed Julia a little warily, but she
seemed in high spirits, and looked very attractive in her military-style habit,
which emphasized her fragile good looks. Selina felt it extremely unfair that Julia always managed to look so
demure, when her personality was just the opposite.
Malcolm
gestured to the empty seat next to his, so Selina chose something to eat from
the sideboard and sat down.
“We were
just discussing the ball we are planning to hold next week,” Malcolm told
Selina. “Miss Thistlewaite would like it
to be a masquerade. What is your
opinion?”
Selina
looked at her father, who was frowning slightly. She knew he did not have the best opinion of
masquerades, considering them to be an excuse to indulge in all sorts of
licentious behavior. “I have never been
to a masquerade—” Selina started to say, but before she could finish,
Julia had interrupted.
“See
there, Malcolm, you must make it a masquerade. Selina has never been to one before.”
“Would
you enjoy that, Selina?” Malcolm asked her.
Selina
hesitated, looking at her father. Mrs.
Dalton whispered something in his ear and he smiled and shrugged his
shoulders. “I suppose so,” Selina said,
unwilling to cross Julia when she seemed so pleased with the idea.
“Oh,
wonderful!” Julia said, clapping her hands. Cassie looked less than pleased.
“I do not
want to wear a costume. It’s bound to be
uncomfortable,” he said, looking sulky.
“You can
wear a domino,” his cousin told him.
“That’s
even worse, dash it. Who wants to wear a
cloak all evening? It’s the middle of
summer.”
“As sorry
as I am to have to miss the rest of this fascinating discussion, I must see to
the horses,” Malcolm said, getting up to leave. “Those of you who wish to ride this morning should join me at the
stables when you have finished here.”
After
Malcolm left Selina rose from her seat and joined her parents at the other side
of the table. “Is the masquerade all
right with you?” she asked Mr. Dalton, speaking quietly so the others could not
hear.
“Well,
you know how I feel about masquerade balls, but your mother reminded me that
Mr. Malcolm is a trustworthy gentleman. I am confident he will not permit the sort of behavior that may attend
these kinds of occasions in town.”
“And it
sounds like such fun,” Mrs. Dalton said.
The group
began their ride with Malcolm and Selina in the lead, followed by Julia flanked
by Mr. Ossory and Cassie. However, after
negotiating a narrow path, Selina found herself at Mr. Ossory’s side, with
Julia, Cassie and Malcolm just ahead.
This was
the first time they had been allowed a private conversation since their one
drive together—Julia having been vigilant in keeping them apart—and
Selina felt a little shy with him.
“So, it
appears it is to be a chess match, after all,” he finally said, breaking the
silence.
Selina
was startled at first, but quickly grasped his meaning. “I am sorry, Mr. Ossory, it is just—”
“I know,
I know. My friend Jeremy has cut me
out.”
“I am so
sorry,” Selina repeated again, not knowing what else to say.
“Don’t
approve of Selina, Mother?” Malcolm asked.
“Yes, of
course. Although I do wonder what you
two were up to in the Statue Gallery. The servants tell me that they found Apollo tilted sideways.”
Lady
Kilbourne watched in amusement as her son turned red and began a tongue-tied
explanation.
“Oh, I am
just teasing you,” she said, cutting his explanation short. “Apollo is right where he is supposed to
be. Although I do find it curious that
you would believe he was not. That must
have been quite a kiss.”
“It was
earth-shaking,” Malcolm said, and grinned.
Ten
Most of
the party met again at breakfast the next day, the younger members dressed for
riding, an appointment that had been made the previous evening. Selina eyed Julia a little warily, but she
seemed in high spirits, and looked very attractive in her military-style habit,
which emphasized her fragile good looks. Selina felt it extremely unfair that Julia always managed to look so
demure, when her personality was just the opposite.
Malcolm
gestured to the empty seat next to his, so Selina chose something to eat from
the sideboard and sat down.
“We were
just discussing the ball we are planning to hold next week,” Malcolm told
Selina. “Miss Thistlewaite would like it
to be a masquerade. What is your
opinion?”
Selina
looked at her father, who was frowning slightly. She knew he did not have the best opinion of
masquerades, considering them to be an excuse to indulge in all sorts of
licentious behavior. “I have never been
to a masquerade—” Selina started to say, but before she could finish,
Julia had interrupted.
“See
there, Malcolm, you must make it a masquerade. Selina has never been to one before.”
“Would
you enjoy that, Selina?” Malcolm asked her.
Selina
hesitated, looking at her father. Mrs.
Dalton whispered something in his ear and he smiled and shrugged his
shoulders. “I suppose so,” Selina said,
unwilling to cross Julia when she seemed so pleased with the idea.
“Oh,
wonderful!” Julia said, clapping her hands. Cassie looked less than pleased.
“I do not
want to wear a costume. It’s bound to be
uncomfortable,” he said, looking sulky.
“You can
wear a domino,” his cousin told him.
“That’s
even worse, dash it. Who wants to wear a
cloak all evening? It’s the middle of
summer.”
“As sorry
as I am to have to miss the rest of this fascinating discussion, I must see to
the horses,” Malcolm said, getting up to leave. “Those of you who wish to ride this morning should join me at the
stables when you have finished here.”
After
Malcolm left Selina rose from her seat and joined her parents at the other side
of the table. “Is the masquerade all
right with you?” she asked Mr. Dalton, speaking quietly so the others could not
hear.
“Well,
you know how I feel about masquerade balls, but your mother reminded me that
Mr. Malcolm is a trustworthy gentleman. I am confident he will not permit the sort of behavior that may attend
these kinds of occasions in town.”
“And it
sounds like such fun,” Mrs. Dalton said.
The group
began their ride with Malcolm and Selina in the lead, followed by Julia flanked
by Mr. Ossory and Cassie. However, after
negotiating a narrow path, Selina found herself at Mr. Ossory’s side, with
Julia, Cassie and Malcolm just ahead.
This was
the first time they had been allowed a private conversation since their one
drive together—Julia having been vigilant in keeping them apart—and
Selina felt a little shy with him.
“So, it
appears it is to be a chess match, after all,” he finally said, breaking the
silence.
Selina
was startled at first, but quickly grasped his meaning. “I am sorry, Mr. Ossory, it is just—”
“I know,
I know. My friend Jeremy has cut me
out.”
“I am so
sorry,” Selina repeated again, not knowing what else to say.
“Don’t
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