responded.
“Then it is not appropriate for the supper table,” Lady Stillmore added.
The man seated on Emilia’s left, Lord Knightly as he introduced himself, leaned toward her and said, “Ah, yes, the pleasurable company of young ladies is forever tainted by the ubiquitous chaperone.”
“Perhaps,” Emilia replied. “But at least you only encounterthem a few hours per day, whereas we young ladies spend every waking moment in their presence.”
“Touché,” he said with a smile. “It must be quite tedious.”
“Actually, I find my aunt rather amusing.”
“Everyone finds Lady Palmerston amusing. However, as a bachelor, avoiding the machinations of chaperones can be quite exhausting. Your chaperone must have quite a task, keeping you out of the clutches of Huntley.”
“I think she only allows him to court me so she can come along and cut him down. And,” Emilia whispered, “I think she enjoys it.”
Lord Knightly laughed. He was handsome, with sandy brown hair and bright green eyes. She already liked him more than any of the other young men she had met—he seemed so genuine. In fact, had it not been for that scorching kiss with Phillip, she might have set her cap for Knightly. She wondered how many other men she had overlooked these past few weeks while thinking of nothing but That Kiss. Oh, that damned kiss. She could feel her cheeks getting hot at the memory. She must not think of such things at the dinner table.
“I’d give a fortune to know what caused that blush,” Knightly said quietly.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Really.” Unfortunately, she thought, it probably was nothing. Just one kiss that she ought to forget.
“Young ladies aren’t supposed to know things that cause blushes like that,” he said, attempting to sound stern, but the mirth in his eyes gave him away.
Emilia was saved from replying by the footmen bringing the next course, duck in orange sauce.
“How do you know Lord Huntley?” she asked.
“School days at Oxford, we belong to the same club, that sort of thing. Actually, I was better friends with—”
Phillip’s laugh rang out again. Emilia automatically turned to the sound. He was so handsome. It almost hurt to look at him. The candlelight lent a golden glow to his skin and cast shadows on the planes of his cheeks. When he was actually engaged in conversation, his eyes lit up and his mouth turned up at the corners. But why didn’t she bring that out in him?
At the conclusion of the meal, the ladies departed for tea in the drawing room, while the men stayed behind for port and cigars. Annabelle immediately pulled Emilia aside. “George, my fiancé, told me that there are the ruins of a castle from the Middle Ages on the property. He said we should go tomorrow if the weather is nice.”
“Oh, that sounds splendid! I’ve always wanted to see ancient ruins. I’ve read about them, but everything is too new in America, so I’ve never seen them. But I should hate to intrude on you two.”
“Nonsense. You know we couldn’t go without an entire entourage, lest someone be ruined at the ruins,” Annabelle said. Both girls giggled at that.
“What are you two girls twittering about?” Lady Palmerston inquired.
“We were just discussing, um . . .”
“Embroidery,” Annabelle supplied hastily.
“Bah! My niece hates it. If you were discussing that, there would be tears in her eyes. And mine as well.”
“Embroidery is a perfect pastime for a young lady,” Lady Stillmore observed.
“Lady Stillmore, you’ve never picked up a needle and thread in your life,” Lady Palmerston retorted.
“That is utterly beside the point,” she replied.
The men returned then, and it being the first evening of the house party, it was agreed upon that there should be music and dancing. One of the guests agreed to play, providing the music. Phillip asked Emilia for the first dance.
“I heard that there are ruins of an old castle on the estate,” she said once she was
“Then it is not appropriate for the supper table,” Lady Stillmore added.
The man seated on Emilia’s left, Lord Knightly as he introduced himself, leaned toward her and said, “Ah, yes, the pleasurable company of young ladies is forever tainted by the ubiquitous chaperone.”
“Perhaps,” Emilia replied. “But at least you only encounterthem a few hours per day, whereas we young ladies spend every waking moment in their presence.”
“Touché,” he said with a smile. “It must be quite tedious.”
“Actually, I find my aunt rather amusing.”
“Everyone finds Lady Palmerston amusing. However, as a bachelor, avoiding the machinations of chaperones can be quite exhausting. Your chaperone must have quite a task, keeping you out of the clutches of Huntley.”
“I think she only allows him to court me so she can come along and cut him down. And,” Emilia whispered, “I think she enjoys it.”
Lord Knightly laughed. He was handsome, with sandy brown hair and bright green eyes. She already liked him more than any of the other young men she had met—he seemed so genuine. In fact, had it not been for that scorching kiss with Phillip, she might have set her cap for Knightly. She wondered how many other men she had overlooked these past few weeks while thinking of nothing but That Kiss. Oh, that damned kiss. She could feel her cheeks getting hot at the memory. She must not think of such things at the dinner table.
“I’d give a fortune to know what caused that blush,” Knightly said quietly.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Really.” Unfortunately, she thought, it probably was nothing. Just one kiss that she ought to forget.
“Young ladies aren’t supposed to know things that cause blushes like that,” he said, attempting to sound stern, but the mirth in his eyes gave him away.
Emilia was saved from replying by the footmen bringing the next course, duck in orange sauce.
“How do you know Lord Huntley?” she asked.
“School days at Oxford, we belong to the same club, that sort of thing. Actually, I was better friends with—”
Phillip’s laugh rang out again. Emilia automatically turned to the sound. He was so handsome. It almost hurt to look at him. The candlelight lent a golden glow to his skin and cast shadows on the planes of his cheeks. When he was actually engaged in conversation, his eyes lit up and his mouth turned up at the corners. But why didn’t she bring that out in him?
At the conclusion of the meal, the ladies departed for tea in the drawing room, while the men stayed behind for port and cigars. Annabelle immediately pulled Emilia aside. “George, my fiancé, told me that there are the ruins of a castle from the Middle Ages on the property. He said we should go tomorrow if the weather is nice.”
“Oh, that sounds splendid! I’ve always wanted to see ancient ruins. I’ve read about them, but everything is too new in America, so I’ve never seen them. But I should hate to intrude on you two.”
“Nonsense. You know we couldn’t go without an entire entourage, lest someone be ruined at the ruins,” Annabelle said. Both girls giggled at that.
“What are you two girls twittering about?” Lady Palmerston inquired.
“We were just discussing, um . . .”
“Embroidery,” Annabelle supplied hastily.
“Bah! My niece hates it. If you were discussing that, there would be tears in her eyes. And mine as well.”
“Embroidery is a perfect pastime for a young lady,” Lady Stillmore observed.
“Lady Stillmore, you’ve never picked up a needle and thread in your life,” Lady Palmerston retorted.
“That is utterly beside the point,” she replied.
The men returned then, and it being the first evening of the house party, it was agreed upon that there should be music and dancing. One of the guests agreed to play, providing the music. Phillip asked Emilia for the first dance.
“I heard that there are ruins of an old castle on the estate,” she said once she was
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