Page 49 of The Beauty and the Boxer
“It is an honor, your grace,” Sir Kent saidevenly.
“Yes, I imagine it is.”
Without waiting for departing pleasantries,the woman nodded ever so slightly, moving on to the next set ofpeople seated only a few yards from Meredith and Sir Kent.
When she was gone, Sir Kent leaned over.
“I’m afraid that slight was directed at me,”he said softly. “I don’t think the duchess is too pleased withhaving someone of my station in attendance.”
“Your station?” she repeated. “But you’re anational hero.”
That caused a self-deprecating smile toappear on Sir Kent’s face.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I’m just asoldier,” he said, “but I fear the duchess doesn’t appreciate whereI come from.”
“I don’t think it’s you, Sir Kent,” Meredithsaid. “It could be my family. My sister’s step down in society isseen by many as a fault.”
“Then we are in good company with oneanother.”
He nodded at her before returning hisattention to the pitch, while Meredith tried to convince herselfthat Sir Kent was a perfectly fine man who seemed unaffected by thefrivolities of the peerage. He had complimented her as well as herfamily and she tried to convince herself that he was handsome, butshe couldn’t help but compare him to Jack.
It was a foolish thing to do. Jack wasn’tthe type of man she should even have ideas about and yet she wasconstantly thinking about him. What his thoughts on something wouldbe, why his face seemed so much more pleasing to her than anyother, what wicked thing he would say beneath his breath if he werestanding close to her in a room full of people.
Good heavens. She needed to do abetter job of ignoring her feelings.
As the game ended and the afternoon sun hunglow in the sky, Meredith stood, determined not to let herself thinkof Jack. Sir Kent escorted her back to the house with the rest ofthe guests, and Meredith made sure to not think about him as theyclimbed the wide, stone stairs that led to the terrace. She alsodidn’t think about him as Sir Kent bowed and she retreated to herroom to prepare for that evening’s ball. And she absolutely didn’tthink of him when she called for a bath, deciding not to restbefore the evening. Why, he wasn’t even in her thoughts as she wasdressed with expert care by two very helpful maids on loan from theduke.
It was very easy not to think about Jackwhen she thought of him like that.
Sarah had insisted on buying Meredith adozen new gowns when it was decided that she would begin attendingballs again, but the fabric they had picked out would take too longto receive them. Instead, they decided to alter several new gownsthat Sarah ordered from France two months earlier, that had beentrimmed to fit her shorter stature.
Meredith hadn’t ever thought of herself ajewel toned sort of woman, but she had to admit that the lightmulberry colored gown made ofSpitalfieldssilkwith fashionable wide skirt toaccentuate the narrow waist was an exquisite gown. The necklinehowever, was deeper than the one she had worn in Bristol and shealmost felt indecent. Sarah’s gowns had always been made tightlyand Meredith was more well-endowed than her sister.
“Good heavens,” she murmured as she glancedat herself in the mirror. “Is there a bit of lace I can use tocover up with?”
“Trim has gone out of fashion, my lady,”Brynn said as she bent to fluff out her skirts and petticoats. “IfI may, my lady, you are quite a vision in this gown. It fits yousplendidly.”
“It’s not too tight?” Meredith asked, unsureas her hands moved over her abdomen.
“No, my lady. It’s how the other ladies areall wearing their gowns and they’ve just arrived from London.”
Bolstered, but not convinced, Meredith satto allow the other maid, Frederica, fix her hair into a stylishcoiffure. Loose curls framed her face as a dozen or so pearl pinsheld the rest in place and she had borrowed a pearl choker fromSarah. The clasp was held together by a dark amethyst and when shewas finally finished with her attire, Meredith felt as confident asa knight beneath a suit of armor.
Just then there was a knock at her door.Without waiting, Sarah came in, a vision in a deep, emerald greenevening gown, with a lighter green leaf motif pattern embroideredonto the silk fabric.
“Oh, Meredith… You’re beautiful!” she said,coming into the room as she held her hands up. “Let me take a fulllook at you.”
“It’s too tight,” Meredith said, her armsheld out wide by her sister.
“Heavens, no, it’s divine,” she disagreed.“You’re an absolute vision.”
“I’m sure it’s too revealing,” she counteredas she gazed down. “I hope I don’t offend anyone.”
“Good gracious, who would be offended atyour beauty?”
“Well, the duchess didn’t seem too keen onme when we spoke at the Pall Mall match.”
Sarah’s fussing stopped almost instantly andher eyes squinted at the mention of the duchess.
