Page 39 of Vanquished By A Viscount
And his plan would give him enough to keep him occupied that he would not have to examine his tender thoughts too deeply.
“What is it?” Charlie asked, catching up as Gray stopped in the door to the library, gazing in to see if Robert was there with the other gentlemen, who sat in a group in the far corner of the room.
Robert was not in the library, and although Pettigrew glanced up, smiled, and gestured for Gray and Charlie to join his group, Gray shook his head in return, smiled, and continued on.
“There is a certain puppet theater in the attic,” he said, looking at Charlie, who now walked by his side. “We used to play with it when we were children. The youngest Hawthornes have only just outgrown it. Mama had it packed away after Neville left the nursery to be bundled off to Eton. I am certain Robert knows where it is.”
“We could send Robert and Barbara to the attic to retrieve it,” Charlie said, smiling as he grasped the plan.
“The same as Barbara sent us after the targets,” Gray said. He even winked at Charlie before remembering that he hated the bastard for leaving him and was not meant to be opening the gates of pain all over again.
It was one thing to conceive of the idea but another entirely to locate both Barbara and Robert, and to bring them out of their respective activities and into the same room. Robert had retreated to his study, using the excuse of handling household accounts to dismiss himself from the day’s social activities, but Barbara was holding court in the conservatory, where she and most of the other ladies were arranging flowers.
“Barbara, might I speak with you for a moment?” Charlie asked as genially as possible as he and Gray approached the table where the ladies worked.
“You may always speak with me,” Barbara said, glancing at Charlie only briefly before picking up a long-stemmed, peach rose and jabbing it into the already overfilled vase of flowers in front of her.
“In private,” Charlie asked, still maintaining a sweet and innocent tone.
Barbara glanced suspiciously up at him, one eyebrow arched. “There is nothing you could say to me that could not be heard by my friends,” she said.
Lady Winifred sent Gray an alarmed look that doubled as an awkward cry for help. Miss Martin looked more than a bituncomfortable as well. Even Lady Suzanne, who was doing a remarkably fine job of arranging her flowers, seemed tense. Gray did his best to reassure them with a glance, but it was alarming to discover that the entire house party was aware something was very much wrong.
“Please, dearest,” Charlie said, stooping to sentimental tones to gain his sister’s attention.
Barbara let out a breath and lowered her shoulders, sending Charlie a weary look. “Very well,” she said, standing and snatching up her shawl from the back of her chair. “But I am loath to be parted from my guests for long. We are enjoying ourselves so thoroughly.”
Once Barbara’s back was turned, Lady Winifred stared at Gray with widened eyes and shook her head.
It was all Gray could do not to laugh, though there was nothing amusing about the situation. His mirth must have shone through, because Lady Winifred’s cheeks went pink and she fought to hide a smile. At least the party guests could enjoy themselves in some way.
“Where are you taking me?” Barbara asked once they’d left the conservatory. “I hope the two of you are not attempting to maneuver me into some sort of reconciliation with my husband.”
Gray and Charlie exchanged a look behind Barbara’s back as they walked with her between them. Gray began to question whether their ploy would succeed.
He was almost certain it would not once they walked Barbara into Robert’s study.
“Come to apologize?” Robert asked as soon as he glanced up from his books.
Gray could have slapped the man for making things worse.
“I’ve no wish to be here,” Barbara said, immediately turning around as soon as she stepped into the room.
Charlie shifted to block her before she could get away. “Now, now, Barb,” he said, grasping her arms and turning her so that she faced Robert. He walked her deeper into the room, though Barbara looked downright rebellious, and said, “Gray and I have had an idea for tonight’s entertainment, but we need the two of you to assist in making it possible.”
“What entertainment is this?” Robert asked, his expression suspicious.
“I had the thought that our guests would enjoy a puppet show,” Gray said more enthusiastically than he felt. “Our family has enjoyed them so much over the years, and I thought now would be the time to introduce Barbara to the Hawthorne family tradition.”
The suggestion was met by a tense silence.
“And?” Robert asked at last.
“And nothing,” Gray said. “I simply thought we would all enjoy the activity.”
Dread began to pool in his stomach when neither Robert nor Barbara said a word. Both looked coldly rebellious as well.
“I am not a child,” Barbara said. “I do not appreciate the suggestion that I might enjoy a puppet show.”
