is quite impossible, since I have nothing suitable to wear.”
She sat back, smugly aware that her aunt could have no answer to that — only to discover that she had been wrong-footed once again. Her aunt chuckled and ordered her to report to her sitting room straight after breakfast the next morning, for her first fitting.
Felix saw little of Mrs. Eden over the next few days, apart from at dinner, when he detected no marked change in her manner toward him. She remained as polite and formally correct as always. No mention was made of her being compelled by her aunt to attend the ball, but she appeared to be exacting revenge by deliberately giving Felix the minimum attention that politeness dictated. No matter, he was content to bide his time. On Saturday he’d have her all to himself, and was determined to charm her into regarding him with a little less hostility.
Of the twins, Felix saw rather more. If he was at Riverside House when they were released from the schoolroom, they sought him out and joined him in whatever activity engaged his attention. They rode with him in his curricle, went fishing for a second time, and even persuaded him to help them fly their kite.
Felix occupied his time by driving to the villages surrounding Burton Bradstock, where he made verbose enquiries of various traders on behalf of his fictitious clients. That his activities were being observed soon became apparent, when he noticed the same two men on separate days loitering in the street as he drove by, trying too hard not to pay him any attention. They appeared wherever he happened to be, often in different villages on the same day, seeming to imagine that their presence would go undetected.
Saturday evening arrived, and dressed in the most formal attire that Perkins had considered appropriate to his reduced circumstances, Felix entered the drawing room before the usual hour. Saskia, too, was punctual, arriving a very short time after him, in the company of her aunt and a beaming Miss Willoughby, the twins giving vent to their excitement by frolicking about their mother like untrained puppies.
Mrs. Rivers’s changeable silk was of emerald green and turquoise, living up to its name by altering hue as she moved beneath the candlelight. The gown was gratifyingly simple. A smooth sheath caught beneath her breasts with an emerald ribbon that floated about her long legs in a manner that illustrated their slenderness far too graphically for Felix’s comfort. There was the tiniest scrap of sleeve and a disappointingly high neckline, edged with a little Flemish lace, displaying only a modest amount of Saskia’s impressive décolletage. Her hair had been piled into a heap of loose curls, some of which fell about her face, enhancing her fragile beauty.
Felix suspected from the amused chuckle which Mrs. Rivers and Miss Willoughby exchanged that his lascivious thoughts must be clearly visible upon his features. That didn’t prevent an admiring smile from gracing his lips. Beautiful ladies, dressed for special occasions, deserved to be admired. He picked up her gloved hand and kissing it.
“You look ravishing,” he said softly.
“Thank you.”
“The same could be said of you, Mr. Beaumont,” Mrs. Rivers remarked.
Felix hadn’t worn this particular attire at Riverside House before, and the ladies clearly considered his plum-coloured formal coat, contrasting silk waistcoat, immaculately tied neckcloth, and cream wool breeches to be the height of fashion.
“Why, Mrs. Rivers.” Felix arched a brow. “I believe that you’d like to accompany us.”
She sighed. “Ah, if only I were a year or two younger, Mr. Beaumont.”
The door opened to admit Fothergill and the rest of the guests. They were talking amongst themselves, but stopped abruptly at the sight of Saskia.
“My dear Mrs. Eden!” Fothergill cried. “To what do we owe the — ”
“Mama’s going to a ball — ”
“With Mr. Beaumont — ”
“And Aunt Serena and Miss
She sat back, smugly aware that her aunt could have no answer to that — only to discover that she had been wrong-footed once again. Her aunt chuckled and ordered her to report to her sitting room straight after breakfast the next morning, for her first fitting.
Felix saw little of Mrs. Eden over the next few days, apart from at dinner, when he detected no marked change in her manner toward him. She remained as polite and formally correct as always. No mention was made of her being compelled by her aunt to attend the ball, but she appeared to be exacting revenge by deliberately giving Felix the minimum attention that politeness dictated. No matter, he was content to bide his time. On Saturday he’d have her all to himself, and was determined to charm her into regarding him with a little less hostility.
Of the twins, Felix saw rather more. If he was at Riverside House when they were released from the schoolroom, they sought him out and joined him in whatever activity engaged his attention. They rode with him in his curricle, went fishing for a second time, and even persuaded him to help them fly their kite.
Felix occupied his time by driving to the villages surrounding Burton Bradstock, where he made verbose enquiries of various traders on behalf of his fictitious clients. That his activities were being observed soon became apparent, when he noticed the same two men on separate days loitering in the street as he drove by, trying too hard not to pay him any attention. They appeared wherever he happened to be, often in different villages on the same day, seeming to imagine that their presence would go undetected.
Saturday evening arrived, and dressed in the most formal attire that Perkins had considered appropriate to his reduced circumstances, Felix entered the drawing room before the usual hour. Saskia, too, was punctual, arriving a very short time after him, in the company of her aunt and a beaming Miss Willoughby, the twins giving vent to their excitement by frolicking about their mother like untrained puppies.
Mrs. Rivers’s changeable silk was of emerald green and turquoise, living up to its name by altering hue as she moved beneath the candlelight. The gown was gratifyingly simple. A smooth sheath caught beneath her breasts with an emerald ribbon that floated about her long legs in a manner that illustrated their slenderness far too graphically for Felix’s comfort. There was the tiniest scrap of sleeve and a disappointingly high neckline, edged with a little Flemish lace, displaying only a modest amount of Saskia’s impressive décolletage. Her hair had been piled into a heap of loose curls, some of which fell about her face, enhancing her fragile beauty.
Felix suspected from the amused chuckle which Mrs. Rivers and Miss Willoughby exchanged that his lascivious thoughts must be clearly visible upon his features. That didn’t prevent an admiring smile from gracing his lips. Beautiful ladies, dressed for special occasions, deserved to be admired. He picked up her gloved hand and kissing it.
“You look ravishing,” he said softly.
“Thank you.”
“The same could be said of you, Mr. Beaumont,” Mrs. Rivers remarked.
Felix hadn’t worn this particular attire at Riverside House before, and the ladies clearly considered his plum-coloured formal coat, contrasting silk waistcoat, immaculately tied neckcloth, and cream wool breeches to be the height of fashion.
“Why, Mrs. Rivers.” Felix arched a brow. “I believe that you’d like to accompany us.”
She sighed. “Ah, if only I were a year or two younger, Mr. Beaumont.”
The door opened to admit Fothergill and the rest of the guests. They were talking amongst themselves, but stopped abruptly at the sight of Saskia.
“My dear Mrs. Eden!” Fothergill cried. “To what do we owe the — ”
“Mama’s going to a ball — ”
“With Mr. Beaumont — ”
“And Aunt Serena and Miss
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