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Rufus a bright and meaningless smile. ‘I have no doubt there are things on your own estate in need of your attention.’ That was a Caro ploy, Elizabeth realised with an inner wince of guilt; there was nothing that a man enjoyed more, her twenty-year-old sister had assured her conspiratorially on one occasion, than the opportunity to talk about himself and how very important he was.
    His chest puffed out predictably as he straightened. ‘Yes, of course, you are right. How considerate of you to realise that.’ He nodded his approval.
    Caroline had forgotten to mention that such flattery only made that man so much more appreciative of a woman’s charms! Which, where Rufus Tennant was concerned, had not been Elizabeth’s intention at all!
    Instead of answering his comment, she turned to look for Letitia Grant. ‘Oh, do let me take some of those from you,’ she offered warmly as she moved forwards to take some of the heavy blooms from the other woman’s arms, at the same time taking care to keep a tight hold on Hector’s lead; it really would not do for her to have to resort to upbraiding Sir Rufus if he should dare to chastise the little dog in any way. ‘I wish you a safe journey home, Sir Rufus,’ she said, turning to dismiss him lightly.
    He was already seated upon his horse, a frown between his eyes as he looked down at her. ‘Those bluebells are the exact colour of your eyes…’
    From any other man the remark would have sounded charming, but he somehow managed to make it sound more of a criticism than a compliment. ‘Thank you,’ Elizabeth murmured uncertainly.
    He raised his hat to the two women. ‘I will wish you both a good day.’ After another intense glance in Elizabeth’s direction, he pulled sharply upon Starlight’s reins to turn the horse and canter away along the cliff path towards his home, his back and shoulders ramrod-straight as he made no effort to look back at the two women.
    ‘How exciting, Elizabeth, that you should have attracted the attention of a man such as Sir Rufus!’ Letitia twittered at Elizabeth’s side.
    She did not find his interest in her to be in the least exciting. In fact, she was sure she had never found anything in her short life less so!

Chapter Five
    ‘S o, now that you have had the chance to observe them, what is your considered opinion of the charms of Miss Rutledge and the two Miss Millers?’
    Elizabeth gave a guilty start as Lord Thorne joined her as she stood at the back of Mrs Wilson’s drawing room on Saturday evening, observing those three young ladies. Three rather silly young ladies, in her ‘considered opinion’, as they stood across the room giggling together like a gaggle of geese. Something that even she, who had no real experience of such things, knew no marriage-minded young lady should ever do; any gentleman remotely interested in a single one of them would be utterly daunted by the presence of the other two.
    Elizabeth schooled her features into mild uninterest as she gave every appearance of ignoring the man standing beside her in the crowded and noisy room where the guests had gathered before they were called into dinner.
    Elizabeth had unfortunately been drawn in to make up the numbers, the invitation to Sir Rufus having apparently made those numbers uneven, something that Mrs Wilson would not tolerate at her dinner table. Elizabeth’s suggestion that Letitia would be much more suited to the task had been rendered null and void when Mrs Wilson revealed that Letitia already also made up one of the number, and that to remove her would only result in their being two more gentlemen than ladies, instead of one. Something else Mrs Wilson would not tolerate, apparently.
    So it was, after two very busy days spent helping Mrs Wilson to organise her dinner party in order to ensure its success—two days when Elizabeth had also managed to avoid any further private conversations with her employer’s nephew—she now found herself attending Mrs