diamonds struck a definitely wrong note.
He glanced again at Caro. Oyster silk, draped to perfection, outlined the seductive curves of her body; the color subtly complemented her fair but warm skin, while her gloriously untameable mass of fine hair shimmered under the candlelight in a medley of browns and golds. She wore silver and pearls, echoing her eyes and their curious silver-blue hue.
Looking at Elizabeth , he couldn’t imagine that Caro hadn’t advised against her present attire. He concluded that behind Elizabeth ’s innocent air lay a will of some strength—one at least stubborn enough to ignore Caro’s injunctions.
His inward frown deepened. A stubborn and headstrong will—was that good? Or not so good? An inability to take advice from those patently well qualified to supply it… ?
A number of guests had arrived late; Caro brought them around, performing the introductions. While two newcomers were chatting with Geoffrey, Michael turned to Elizabeth . “As I recall, we met at Lady Hannaford’s ball in May—did you enjoy the rest of your first Season?”
“Oh, yes!” Elizabeth ’s eyes lit; she turned a glowing face to him. “The balls were such fun—I do so adore dancing. And all the other entertainments, too—well, except for the dinners. They were often boring. But I made a large number of friends.” She smiled ingenuously up at him. “Do you know the Hartfords? Melissa Hartford and her brother, Derek?”
She paused, waited, clearly expecting an answer. He shifted. “Ah… no.” He had a suspicion Derek Hartford would prove to be twenty, and Melissa even younger.
“Oh. Well, they’ve become my best friends. We go all over town together, exploring and gallivanting. And Jennifer Rickards joins us, too, and her cousins Eustace and Brian Hollings.” Elizabeth paused in her bright prattle, then frowned across the room. “Those two girls look rather lost, don’t you think? I’d better go and speak with them.”
With that, she flashed him a brilliant smile and swanned off— without properly excusing herself.
Michael watched her go, feeling rather… disoriented. She’d been treating him like a family friend, one with whom she didn’t need to stand on ceremony, yet…
Silk sussurated beside him; the scent of honeysuckle, faint and elusive, teased his senses.
He looked down as Caro slid her hand onto his arm. She’d followed his gaze to Elizabeth ; she glanced up and pulled a face at him. “I know, but you needn’t think it was my idea.”
He smiled down at her. “I didn’t.”
Looking again at Elizabeth , she sighed. “Unfortunately, she was adamant over the white and simultaneously desperate to wear the diamonds—for courage. They were Alice’s, you see.”
Alice was—had been— Elizabeth ’s mother, Geoffrey’s wife. Michael blinked. “Courage?”
“She’s not used to evenings of this ilk, so I suppose she felt in need of bolstering.” Caro looked up at him, her expressive face and brilliant eyes both teasing and somehow communicating. “It’s just a passing phase—a part of learning to deal with this sort of gathering. She’ll soon find her feet.”
She looked away. He stared at her profile. Had she guessed his thoughts vis-à-vis Elizabeth ?
Should he speak, enlist her aid—
She came up on her toes, stretching to see over the crowd. “Is that … ?”
He followed her gaze and saw Catten standing in the doorway.
“At last!” Caro flashed him a brilliant smile, sliding her arm from his. “Do excuse me while I organize.”
He watched her glide away, smoothly performing the hostessly ritual of pairing her guests according to the recognized order of precedence. With the company boasting English, Irish, and foreign dignitaries, that was no mean feat, yet she organized them all
He glanced again at Caro. Oyster silk, draped to perfection, outlined the seductive curves of her body; the color subtly complemented her fair but warm skin, while her gloriously untameable mass of fine hair shimmered under the candlelight in a medley of browns and golds. She wore silver and pearls, echoing her eyes and their curious silver-blue hue.
Looking at Elizabeth , he couldn’t imagine that Caro hadn’t advised against her present attire. He concluded that behind Elizabeth ’s innocent air lay a will of some strength—one at least stubborn enough to ignore Caro’s injunctions.
His inward frown deepened. A stubborn and headstrong will—was that good? Or not so good? An inability to take advice from those patently well qualified to supply it… ?
A number of guests had arrived late; Caro brought them around, performing the introductions. While two newcomers were chatting with Geoffrey, Michael turned to Elizabeth . “As I recall, we met at Lady Hannaford’s ball in May—did you enjoy the rest of your first Season?”
“Oh, yes!” Elizabeth ’s eyes lit; she turned a glowing face to him. “The balls were such fun—I do so adore dancing. And all the other entertainments, too—well, except for the dinners. They were often boring. But I made a large number of friends.” She smiled ingenuously up at him. “Do you know the Hartfords? Melissa Hartford and her brother, Derek?”
She paused, waited, clearly expecting an answer. He shifted. “Ah… no.” He had a suspicion Derek Hartford would prove to be twenty, and Melissa even younger.
“Oh. Well, they’ve become my best friends. We go all over town together, exploring and gallivanting. And Jennifer Rickards joins us, too, and her cousins Eustace and Brian Hollings.” Elizabeth paused in her bright prattle, then frowned across the room. “Those two girls look rather lost, don’t you think? I’d better go and speak with them.”
With that, she flashed him a brilliant smile and swanned off— without properly excusing herself.
Michael watched her go, feeling rather… disoriented. She’d been treating him like a family friend, one with whom she didn’t need to stand on ceremony, yet…
Silk sussurated beside him; the scent of honeysuckle, faint and elusive, teased his senses.
He looked down as Caro slid her hand onto his arm. She’d followed his gaze to Elizabeth ; she glanced up and pulled a face at him. “I know, but you needn’t think it was my idea.”
He smiled down at her. “I didn’t.”
Looking again at Elizabeth , she sighed. “Unfortunately, she was adamant over the white and simultaneously desperate to wear the diamonds—for courage. They were Alice’s, you see.”
Alice was—had been— Elizabeth ’s mother, Geoffrey’s wife. Michael blinked. “Courage?”
“She’s not used to evenings of this ilk, so I suppose she felt in need of bolstering.” Caro looked up at him, her expressive face and brilliant eyes both teasing and somehow communicating. “It’s just a passing phase—a part of learning to deal with this sort of gathering. She’ll soon find her feet.”
She looked away. He stared at her profile. Had she guessed his thoughts vis-à-vis Elizabeth ?
Should he speak, enlist her aid—
She came up on her toes, stretching to see over the crowd. “Is that … ?”
He followed her gaze and saw Catten standing in the doorway.
“At last!” Caro flashed him a brilliant smile, sliding her arm from his. “Do excuse me while I organize.”
He watched her glide away, smoothly performing the hostessly ritual of pairing her guests according to the recognized order of precedence. With the company boasting English, Irish, and foreign dignitaries, that was no mean feat, yet she organized them all
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