Page 48 of The Lady Was Lying
“It seems as if you enjoy music as much as my mother,” James commented. “I’m surprised you are not attending.”
“Sebastian is not terribly fond of musicals. He finds them tedious, and since they aren’t the easiest place to socialize, he selected another invitation for tonight.”
“I do not have much experience with musicals myself,” James admitted.
“Lady Greene is quite discerning about whom she allows to play. Her daughters are all musically inclined. And she only invites others to perform who are up to the task.”
Belinda was rather confused by her sister’s extensive knowledge of Lady Greene’s entertaining habits. “You’ve never been to one of Lady Greene’s musicals.”
“Are you suggesting I’m incorrect?” Jane queried.
“Not at all. I simply wasn’t aware you were this interested in music.”
“I’ve been playing and singing since I was girl, and I practice nearly every day.”
Belinda held up her hands. “You are quite gifted. I simply didn’t realize that you would prefer to attend musicals over other engagements. Why haven’t you told Sebastian?”
“Because it isn’t important. I’m more than happy to go to the soiree this evening.”
“But you’d rather go to the musical,” Belinda insisted.
Jane hmphed. “Not necessarily. I want to experience a wide variety of entertainment and meet as many people as I can.”
“Understood,” Belinda responded, unsure why her sister seemed disgruntled. She hadn’t meant to be irritating. There had never been an activity that appealed to her enough to prefer it, but if there had been, she would have informed Sebastian. It wasn’t her fault that she’d assumed her sister would do the same.
In an effort to ease the tension, she joked, “Since you’re missing the musical, perhaps I should play for you when we return home.”
“If you’d like,” Jane replied.
“I wasn’t being serious. We both know I’m horrible at the pianoforte.”
“Untrue. Your playing is perfectly respectable,” Jane lied.
Belinda snorted. “I am about as accomplished as Arianna.”
“Heavens, Belinda. You might not be the best, but you aren’t terrible.”
“Not terrible.” Belinda grinned. “I suppose that is almost correct.”
James couldn’t help smiling as Belinda and Jane bickered about whether Belinda was proficient at the pianoforte. It didn’t much matter to him whether either of them could play, but Jane seemed determined to convince Belinda that she was adequate and he was not going to get between the sisters.
He steered through the entrance of the park and around a carriage that had stopped rather haphazardly. The path was busier than he had ever seen it, probably due to the fair weather, and it took a good deal of his concentration to guide the horses around various conveyances and small crowds. Why did people congregate on what was clearly a thoroughfare?
“Your Grace,” a voice suddenly called out. “Your Grace.”
“Bollocks,” he murmured, recognizing the clipped tone as belonging to his mother.
It took only a second to locate her in a wide barouche that had pulled off the pathway. She was next to the bespectacled lady who lived next door, and both were waving frantically.
He raised his hand in return.
Things had eased between them, but he had no idea how to fully regain the bond they had once shared. It was unlikely that meeting two of Greydon’s sisters would strengthen their relationship, but he could hardly drive past her without stopping, so he steered his phaeton in her direction.
“Lady Elias. Mother.” He smiled and nodded once they had halted close enough to converse. “I didn’t realize you were venturing out this afternoon.”
“Lady Elias insisted I join her, and since you are here with these lovely ladies, I am most glad that I did.”
“Allow me to introduce you both to Lady Belinda and Lady Jane.”
