Read Rite of Summer: Treading the Boards, Book 1 for Free Online

they crossed the lawn back towards the house. His ebullient mood was as infectious as ever, but, even so, Stephen could not resist a small poke. “Laying it on a bit thick, weren’t you?”
    “I don’t know about that,” Evander replied, never breaking his easy saunter. “Lady Charlotte’s likely to oppose her father on the color of the sky, simply for the sake of opposing him. It’s better to stay on her good side than be caught between their swords.”
    “Your mind is a labyrinth, my dear Mr. Cade.” He wasn’t wrong, though. There was every reason to suspect that Coventry would be happier than Charlotte herself, when some poor sap finally carried her off to another region of the country. At the very least, his house would be a great deal quieter.
    “And yours entirely too guileless, my dear Mr. Ashbrook.” Evander smiled knowingly, casting a sidelong look at Stephen as they mounted the stairs. “I think the winsome Miss Talbot has her eye on you.”
    He was teasing, the dreadful creature, but there was no time to respond. The door opened and the footman stepped aside to allow them entrance to the grand front hall of Coventry’s country house.
    The hall was a marble-clad masterpiece of modern architecture, a winding staircase soaring up to a mezzanine on either side of the space and carved balustrades fencing off the gallery above. Tasteful statuary lined the pedestals in the hall, cherubs and seraphs in white draperies carved so fine as to appear as translucent as silk.
    Age had not treated Coventry with all the kindness a devoted patron of the arts might have deserved. He was as broad of girth as of shoulder, though he had once been a sportsman to be envied. His suit was of the finest cut, and his light-brown hair had gone to white at the temples, his sideburns all to gray. He extended his arms to the two men as they approached, and they bowed, Stephen a half beat behind.
    “Gentlemen, welcome.” Coventry clapped Evander on the shoulder as he straightened his head, and nodded affably to Stephen. “I trust your trip was uneventful?”
    “Most comfortable, sir, thank you,” Evander lied without a flinch or flutter, sparing Stephen from having to comment. The state of the roads was hardly the earl’s fault, but discussing the first day of travel spent trying not to embarrass himself all over the coach was hardly scintillating conversation. “And thank you again for your kind invitation. We met the ladies outside—are there more guests yet to arrive?”
    “There are indeed! This promises to be quite the party,” Coventry promised with a gleam in his eyes. “Viscount Downe and his sons will be arriving later. They’re Irish, you know, but Downe’s a pleasant fellow otherwise and we shan’t hold that against him. We shall have some excellent weather this week for hunting.” He rubbed his hands together in barely repressed excitement.
    The thought of riding was an entertaining one, though Stephen would be happier to go without the hunting. Too many years of city living were going to be his downfall, especially if the aim was not to embarrass their host.
    “We’re honored to be included among such august company, sir,” Stephen said, and Coventry preened.
    “Not at all! The honor is all mine, I assure you. Now, you must be road weary, and I’m afraid you’ve entirely missed the sideboard. But Gregory will show you to your rooms and arrange for a tray to be sent up if you’re hungry.”
    The livery-clad butler, as tall and stately as Coventry was gregarious and round, bowed, hands clasped behind his back. He looked askance at them over a great eagle’s beak of a nose, and whatever thoughts that passed behind his narrowed eyes, he betrayed nothing. “Sir.”
    He escorted them up the long and winding staircase and past a gallery hung with portraits. They hardly had time to mark any of them as they were led along the hall. Another flight of stairs led to their suite of rooms, which turned out to