frail looking child beside her cousin, Dorinda saw an opportunity to advance herself with Lord Marsden.
“Such an adorable child, my lord.” Dorinda went to the little girl who drew back at Miss Westerly's advance. “Don't be frightened for I am an old friend of your dear departed mama's.”
Lady Rosalind surprised her father when she sullenly replied, “That is what all the ladies say who are wishing to meet my papa.”
Dorinda gave the child a rather sour smile, but quickly rallied. “Can I pet the dear little kittens?”
Anthea would not quietly tolerate such nonsense. “If they are so dear, why did you make me get rid of them?”
Lady Westerly, ever ready to defend her daughter, said, “Anthea, you know it is not safe to have the kittens around a dog. They are far better here at Whiteoaks. Dorinda, `tis time that we go for it appears Karis shall be very busy with the girls finishing the decorations.”
Dorinda didn't like leaving Karis in the company of the marquess, not that he would look twice at the girl, but she had little choice. Things had not gone as Dorinda had planned. As the marquess coldly returned her stare, she decided perhaps it was best for her to go with her mother. Her cousin would be well occupied with her decorations and the marquess wouldn't likely remain for such domestic business.
Lady Westerly and her daughter said their goodbyes. The baroness reconfirming the time for the dinner while Dorinda, in an undertone, reminded her cousin she had duties at Westwood that she should not neglect.
The marquess walked the women to the door, saying farewell and declaring himself delighted to be coming to their dinner. He closed the door with a sigh of relief, knowing what a close thing it had been and knowing he owned Miss Lockhart a debt of gratitude.
He returned to the library, but was offered no opportunity for private speech with the lady. The two girls were again demanding that she help them finish the decorations.
With an apologetic smile, Karis allowed the girls to lead her from the library. She wouldn't dwell on what would happen once she returned to Westwood, but she was certain her cousin would exact some punishment. She decided to concentrate on finishing the Kissing Bough and getting the decorations hung. She called an invitation over her shoulder to Lord Marsden to join them.
Karis's smile broadened and a warmth rushed through her when the marquess fell into step with her and asked what he might do to help as they followed the girls to the kitchen.
* * *
On the carriage ride home, Dorinda fobbed her mother off with a lie about going to Whiteoaks in search of her cousins. Then she had been required to sit quietly while her mother rang a peal over her head for being out of the house when she'd been unwell. In truth, she'd scarcely heard a word of the reprimand because her mind had been busy plotting her revenge on her interfering cousin. Just as the carriage drew to a halt in front of Westwood Park, a plan came to her. All she had to do was convince her mother and her problems with Cousin Karis would be at an end.
At last they were settled in the back parlor with a roaring fire. Her mother's mood mellowed by having her feet up and a tray of Cook's famous macaroons beside her, Dorinda casually broached the topic. “Do you intend for Karis to make a come out in the spring at the same time as myself?”
Lady Westerly looked up from the cup of tea she was stirring. “Waste money on a Season for a girl with no fortune and little beauty? I think not, my dear. She and Anthea shall accompany us to London but continue as they have here, living quietly. It never does to give one ideas above one's station.”
“But won't society think it rather strange, nay even mean-spirited of you, to have Karis in your household and not take her about since she is of an age to have a Season?”
A speculative look came into the baroness's eyes. She knew appearances were everything in the
“Such an adorable child, my lord.” Dorinda went to the little girl who drew back at Miss Westerly's advance. “Don't be frightened for I am an old friend of your dear departed mama's.”
Lady Rosalind surprised her father when she sullenly replied, “That is what all the ladies say who are wishing to meet my papa.”
Dorinda gave the child a rather sour smile, but quickly rallied. “Can I pet the dear little kittens?”
Anthea would not quietly tolerate such nonsense. “If they are so dear, why did you make me get rid of them?”
Lady Westerly, ever ready to defend her daughter, said, “Anthea, you know it is not safe to have the kittens around a dog. They are far better here at Whiteoaks. Dorinda, `tis time that we go for it appears Karis shall be very busy with the girls finishing the decorations.”
Dorinda didn't like leaving Karis in the company of the marquess, not that he would look twice at the girl, but she had little choice. Things had not gone as Dorinda had planned. As the marquess coldly returned her stare, she decided perhaps it was best for her to go with her mother. Her cousin would be well occupied with her decorations and the marquess wouldn't likely remain for such domestic business.
Lady Westerly and her daughter said their goodbyes. The baroness reconfirming the time for the dinner while Dorinda, in an undertone, reminded her cousin she had duties at Westwood that she should not neglect.
The marquess walked the women to the door, saying farewell and declaring himself delighted to be coming to their dinner. He closed the door with a sigh of relief, knowing what a close thing it had been and knowing he owned Miss Lockhart a debt of gratitude.
He returned to the library, but was offered no opportunity for private speech with the lady. The two girls were again demanding that she help them finish the decorations.
With an apologetic smile, Karis allowed the girls to lead her from the library. She wouldn't dwell on what would happen once she returned to Westwood, but she was certain her cousin would exact some punishment. She decided to concentrate on finishing the Kissing Bough and getting the decorations hung. She called an invitation over her shoulder to Lord Marsden to join them.
Karis's smile broadened and a warmth rushed through her when the marquess fell into step with her and asked what he might do to help as they followed the girls to the kitchen.
* * *
On the carriage ride home, Dorinda fobbed her mother off with a lie about going to Whiteoaks in search of her cousins. Then she had been required to sit quietly while her mother rang a peal over her head for being out of the house when she'd been unwell. In truth, she'd scarcely heard a word of the reprimand because her mind had been busy plotting her revenge on her interfering cousin. Just as the carriage drew to a halt in front of Westwood Park, a plan came to her. All she had to do was convince her mother and her problems with Cousin Karis would be at an end.
At last they were settled in the back parlor with a roaring fire. Her mother's mood mellowed by having her feet up and a tray of Cook's famous macaroons beside her, Dorinda casually broached the topic. “Do you intend for Karis to make a come out in the spring at the same time as myself?”
Lady Westerly looked up from the cup of tea she was stirring. “Waste money on a Season for a girl with no fortune and little beauty? I think not, my dear. She and Anthea shall accompany us to London but continue as they have here, living quietly. It never does to give one ideas above one's station.”
“But won't society think it rather strange, nay even mean-spirited of you, to have Karis in your household and not take her about since she is of an age to have a Season?”
A speculative look came into the baroness's eyes. She knew appearances were everything in the
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