thought he’d succeeded, but that did notmean the image of her scantily dressed body wasn’t all too memorable. She was definitely shaped to his tastes, graceful and feminine.
Even more entrancing than her undeniable physical appeal, she had two traits he very much admired. Courage—he’d felt the way she’d clung to his hand when they entered that extremely narrow dark passageway—and intelligence. Empty-headed females, no matter how beautiful, bored him.
“The Earl of Augustine’s family?” Colton frowned. “The American? I only know him in passing, actually. He very recently married Eddington’s daughter.”
“So his sister mentioned.”
“Which one? There are three of them, I believe.”
“Lady Lillian.” Damien did his best to sound neutral, and he did neutral very well. “We met last evening.”
“Oh?” Colton lifted his brows a fraction.
“At Pondsworth’s rather tedious rout. At least she could carry on a sensible conversation, but maybe that is just her age. A bit past it for a debutante, isn’t she?”
His brother was silent for a moment. “I’m trying to remember. Something happened… I recall only because she and Brianna made their bow at the same time. I believe Augustine’s sister eloped with Viscount Sebring, and as it turned out, he didn’t marry her after all. There was a scandal and she retired from society.”
That certainly would account for her panic and willingness to resort to a drastic solution to avoid being caught in another very compromising position. “I know Sebring,” Damien said slowly, thinking back. “That all seems rather unlike him unless he’s changed considerably. We were at Cambridge together and good friends.I’ve always thought him a decent sort. Because of the war I haven’t seen him in years, but it still seems out of character for the man I once knew.”
“I’m not privy to the details.” Colton’s gaze was speculative. “Shall I ask Brianna if she knows more? You seem quite interested.”
Damien wasn’t sure how to answer the question.
That of itself was interesting.
Chapter 6
A
quiet evening at home was like a gift.
The clink of china came softly, the candles flickered in the candelabra, and they were already past the fish course. The paneled formal dining room was lit by a fire against the cool fall breeze, the flames warm and cozy, if cozy was possible in a room of its size. Once dinner was over, Lily had plans to escape to her room, where Miss Austen’s latest work sat by her favorite chair, at this time only half-read. She couldn’t wait to finish it.
“I understand you aren’t accompanying us out tonight.”
She glanced up as the plate of duck with roasted figs was slid in front of her by a footman. James sat across the table, the flickering light doing nice things to the planes of his face. “No,” she informed him. “I’m staying in, and if you have plans to scold me for it, don’t bother.” Lily took a sliver of duck and put it in her mouth. It was delicious, succulent and savory, yet sweet from the figs. She chewed and swallowed it before she added, “It is like a rare glimpse of freedom when one finds herself under the hawklike supervision of the Dowager Duchess of Eddington to have a relaxing night free of societal interaction,and especially so after today’s somewhat grueling tea.”
“Lily, please,” her younger sister Carole said in remonstrance. “I thought it was lovely.”
“That is because you were not seated next to an aging baronet,” she said, doing her best to adopt a teasing tone.
Lily
had
been seated next to Sir George Hardcourt, who was at least two decades her senior and was already twice widowed. Yes, he was by all accounts wealthy, not unattractive, and while a bit on the dull side, still considered a tolerably good catch, but it had been all she could do to make the requisite small talk, choke down a sweet biscuit, and swallow several cups of tea while glancing as covertly as
Even more entrancing than her undeniable physical appeal, she had two traits he very much admired. Courage—he’d felt the way she’d clung to his hand when they entered that extremely narrow dark passageway—and intelligence. Empty-headed females, no matter how beautiful, bored him.
“The Earl of Augustine’s family?” Colton frowned. “The American? I only know him in passing, actually. He very recently married Eddington’s daughter.”
“So his sister mentioned.”
“Which one? There are three of them, I believe.”
“Lady Lillian.” Damien did his best to sound neutral, and he did neutral very well. “We met last evening.”
“Oh?” Colton lifted his brows a fraction.
“At Pondsworth’s rather tedious rout. At least she could carry on a sensible conversation, but maybe that is just her age. A bit past it for a debutante, isn’t she?”
His brother was silent for a moment. “I’m trying to remember. Something happened… I recall only because she and Brianna made their bow at the same time. I believe Augustine’s sister eloped with Viscount Sebring, and as it turned out, he didn’t marry her after all. There was a scandal and she retired from society.”
That certainly would account for her panic and willingness to resort to a drastic solution to avoid being caught in another very compromising position. “I know Sebring,” Damien said slowly, thinking back. “That all seems rather unlike him unless he’s changed considerably. We were at Cambridge together and good friends.I’ve always thought him a decent sort. Because of the war I haven’t seen him in years, but it still seems out of character for the man I once knew.”
“I’m not privy to the details.” Colton’s gaze was speculative. “Shall I ask Brianna if she knows more? You seem quite interested.”
Damien wasn’t sure how to answer the question.
That of itself was interesting.
Chapter 6
A
quiet evening at home was like a gift.
The clink of china came softly, the candles flickered in the candelabra, and they were already past the fish course. The paneled formal dining room was lit by a fire against the cool fall breeze, the flames warm and cozy, if cozy was possible in a room of its size. Once dinner was over, Lily had plans to escape to her room, where Miss Austen’s latest work sat by her favorite chair, at this time only half-read. She couldn’t wait to finish it.
“I understand you aren’t accompanying us out tonight.”
She glanced up as the plate of duck with roasted figs was slid in front of her by a footman. James sat across the table, the flickering light doing nice things to the planes of his face. “No,” she informed him. “I’m staying in, and if you have plans to scold me for it, don’t bother.” Lily took a sliver of duck and put it in her mouth. It was delicious, succulent and savory, yet sweet from the figs. She chewed and swallowed it before she added, “It is like a rare glimpse of freedom when one finds herself under the hawklike supervision of the Dowager Duchess of Eddington to have a relaxing night free of societal interaction,and especially so after today’s somewhat grueling tea.”
“Lily, please,” her younger sister Carole said in remonstrance. “I thought it was lovely.”
“That is because you were not seated next to an aging baronet,” she said, doing her best to adopt a teasing tone.
Lily
had
been seated next to Sir George Hardcourt, who was at least two decades her senior and was already twice widowed. Yes, he was by all accounts wealthy, not unattractive, and while a bit on the dull side, still considered a tolerably good catch, but it had been all she could do to make the requisite small talk, choke down a sweet biscuit, and swallow several cups of tea while glancing as covertly as
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