Page 27 of The Best of Friends
She would tell Rose the next time she saw her that she’d taken her advice to heart and had emerged victorious. But it was the thought of sharing her success with Toss that made her heart swell.
Chapter Eleven
Daria would have journeyed toGunter’s Tea Shop that afternoon even if doing so wouldn’t have earned her any points in her game with Toss, and not merely because she looked forward to enjoying an almond biscuit. She had asked the Huntresses to meet her there to plan the soiree her parents had permitted her to host, and she was excited.
The Huntresses were seated at a table together when Daria arrived. It was odd not having Lisette among them, no matter that she’d spent only one Season and the house party as one of their group.
“I am so pleased that your parents agreed to allow you to hold a soiree,” Gillian said after greeting Daria with a hug.
Daria sat at the table with them. “They took a little convincing.”
“Good for you for being willing to convince them,” Artemis said.
“I simply reminded myself that Toss would have to award me a point for it, perhaps more than one, and that was motivation enough.” She couldn’t wait to tell him. “The guest list for the soiree won’t be extensive. All of us. And as I told my parents I was doing so for Tobias’s benefit, I have also extended the invitation to the gentlemen.Ourgentlemen, I mean. Well notours, but the ones we are associated with. Friends with.” Daria shook her head in frustration.
“They really need to think of a name for themselves if we are ever to efficiently gossip about them.” Artemis made the declaration with a theatrical degree of annoyance. “It is terribly inconsiderate of them to do otherwise.”
Her teasing commentary eased some of Daria’s embarrassment at being unable to easily explain herself.
“Tobias also made a new friend two evenings ago at a gathering Mr. Layton invited us to. Mr. Greenberry—the son, not the father, obviously.” She shook her head. “I suppose that isn’t actually obvious. It’s entirely possible to make friends outside one’s generation. But in this instance, it is the son rather than the father. Though we did come to know his father, but it’s not the father I meant to be talking about.”
Gillian reached over and set a hand atop Daria’s. They had employed that gesture for three years now, Gillian’s way of helping ease the anxiety that tended to send Daria’s mouth running in an attempt to fix misspoken words.
“Toss also met him at the same gathering. It was a lovely evening and ever so much fun. That was where I got the idea for our own evening party.” She couldn’t hide her excitement and didn’t try to. “I didn’t get to speak overly much with Mr. Greenberry, but Toss and I were on the same team for the evening’s game, and I spoke with him all night. It was delightful. I want all of us to have a wonderful evening together to look back on.”
“I think we would all like that,” Ellie said.
Daria had a difficulty to overcome first. “With Mother’s soiree last Season, our cook had weeks to plan and arrange for the food that was served. With tonight’s gathering, I couldn’t decide if the smaller numbers meant less preparation time was needed. But I dithered for so long that I imagine there isn’t time left even for simple things. That was a mistake.” She couldn’t help a sigh of frustration with herself. “My mother had doubts I was equal to the task of planning this small event. I insisted I could manage it, but perhaps she was correct after all.” She shook off the heavy thought, not wishing to focus on her mother in that moment. “Oh, do say you will all come even if there isn’t any food to be had. I want only for us all to be together before Gillian and Scott leave London. And I enjoy gatherings so much, I was certain I could manage to host one entirely of my own planning. Please promise you’ll come.” Daria had expected some disappointment at her admission that there might not be any food at her soiree, but she hadn’t expected the looks of bewilderment the Huntresses displayed.
“Do you truly think our attendance is contingent on food?” Gillian asked. “Time with each other and, more particularly, with you is the draw of the evening, Daria.”
Daria felt a little relieved. The bewilderment arose from her worries that a lack of food options would keep them away. She ought never to have doubted them. “I do wish there were a means of making certain we have a delicacy or two to enjoy this evening,” she said. “It is my fault for being too intimidated to speak to our cook sooner. I won’t delay next time.”
But she didn’t know if there would be a “next time.” If her parents did send her to live with Great-Aunt Theodosia, there would be nothing resembling gatherings with her friends in the future.
“Approach your gathering the way they do in the countryside of Ireland,” Eve said. “Not those of the finer families but of the farmers and country people. When they gather together, they take it in turns to bring things to share with each other.”
Daria looked to Artemis. “I’ve not heard of this being done in theton.”
Artemis shrugged a little. “One doesn’t hear of it happening in London. But I suspect, especially at country gatherings, which are a little less formal, neighbors have been known to bring a specialty of their household to complement what is offered.”
None of the Huntresses was wealthy. Ellie and Newton had his income from his family to sustain them while he continued his training to become a barrister, but it could not stretch overly far. Charlie had an inheritance from his father, and Artemis had the ever-increasing income of her secret dress business, yet they’d needed to spend the Season living in the London home of Artemis’s oldest sister because they hadn’t money enough for securing their own lodgings. Gillian and Scott hardly had two pennies to rub together, the reason they were not remaining long in London. The O’Doyle sisters had a single wardrobe among them, as the family could not afford two sets of gowns and dresses and shoes and such.
Daria’s family did not lack funds; she should be more grateful for that than she too often was.
Artemis, as was her usual approach, jumped in and addressed the issue head on. “As the soiree will be limited to the Huntresses and the unnamed group of gentlemen, it is more than sufficiently informal for a countrified approach to be entirely acceptable. What any of us is able to contribute, we will, and no one will think anything of it.”
“I can bring scones,” Eve said.
“Won’t your family want them?” Daria didn’t like the idea of taking food away from a family in more strained straits than she.
“I’ve not the first idea how to answer that.” Eve spoke seriously, but her eyes were laughing. “If I say my family won’t want them, you’ll think I am offering to bring horrible scones. If I say they would like them, you’ll argue that I ought to allow my family to eat them.”
“Tell her the entire family throws a rash every time they eat scones,” Nia suggested, her expression nearly identical to her sister’s, “but these are so temptingly delicious that they can’t help themselves, thus we must find a means of removing the delicious but dangerous delicacy from the house.”
The O’Doyles tended more toward teasing than seriousness, but they were also very quick witted. Indeed, all the Huntresses were quite clever. It was an extraordinary thing that they welcomed and liked Daria when she hadn’t that same claim.
“If you bring scones,” Artemis said, “I can bring something else to accompany tea. Surely your cook is able to manage a tea service without needing weeks of warning.”
