Page 42 of Always the Bridesmaid, Never the Duchess
Dinner was a disaster, and it was Kate’s fault. As a hostess, she was expected to seat people according to their station and their interests, and she had failed miserably. In the days since their arrival, guests had grown tired of dinner conversation with the same few people seated near them. She, herself, could attest to growing weary of the Viscount of Surry’s pointed queries into her estate’s prosperity.
To make matters worse, Julia was absent from the table, and Harry had grown progressively louder and more obnoxious with each course. At a loss, she glanced at where Andrew sat. He, too, had been quiet, but not from sulking. Instead, he sat smiling and looking like a blue-eyed cat who had fallen into a bowl of cream. She hoped it was thoughts of their meeting tonight that had him looking so happy. She felt a flush of warmth at the thought of what was to come.
“Miss Avery, don’t you agree?” Viola DeClancy’s voice broke through her reverie.
Kate gave her a blank expression unsure of how to answer. Although the answer was usually yes, with recent events and gossip swirling amongst her guests, she was leery. “I apologize, Miss DeClancy. I was lost in thought. Could you repeat your question?”
Viola gave her a prim look and wiped daintily at her mouth with a napkin. “I said it seemed rather strange to find MissChambers here with the Viscount so soon after her own broken engagement.”
Kate’s ears perked up at this tidbit of news. “I fear that I have not kept up with the latest news. I didn’t know she had a broken engagement. To whom was she engaged?”
Viola gave a furtive look to the other end of the table where Eliza sat next to Lady Uxbridge and her daughter. The poor woman looked like a fox trapped by hunters with no way to escape. Despite Kate’s misgivings about Nicholas’s relationship with her, she hated for anyone to be interrogated by Lady Uxbridge.
Viola lowered her voice. “She was left at the altar. The Earl of Lancaster walked out of the chapel the morning of the wedding and sailed to France by the afternoon. He didn’t leave a note or bother to explain why he left the country.”
Kate’s mouth dropped open. “I didn’t know this. The poor woman. How awful!”
Viscount Surry glanced up from the chicken bone he gnawed and said, “It’s because his creditors called their loans due the day before the wedding. He would have no place to take his new bride as they took his home in London and his estate in Lancaster had fallen into ruins.”
She shouldn’t listen to gossip. Kate loathed it after the harm it had caused Nicholas, but the tingling sensation that something was afoot with Eliza Chambers and her brother made her take a second look at the auburn-haired woman.
Turning to Viola, she asked, “When was Miss Chambers jilted?”
Viola looked at the ceiling and thought. “About two months ago.”
Aha!Elizahad been lying through her teeth.
Realization dawned on Kate. Was Nicholas using the beautiful Eliza Chambers to make Julia jealous? But what reason could Miss Chambers have to agree to such an arrangement? She didn’t know, but she intended to find out. Kate glanced around and wondered how soon she could ask the servants to bring dessert. The sooner this dinner ended, the sooner they could retire to the drawing room, and she could corner Miss Chambers herself.
First, she would question Eliza Chambers on why she lied about her and Nicholas’s courtship. Second, she would find Nicholas and Julia and make them talk to each other. Finally, she would figure out a way to escape from her bedchamber to meet Andrew without any of the guests being the wiser. As she took her last bite of apple dessert, she sat back pleased with her plan of attack.
Andrew watched as Kate finished her baked apple. He had tried not to stare as a bit of the cream that dotted the top of the apple got stuck on her upper lip. When her tongue flicked up and discreetly licked it off, he couldn’t help the rise that stirred. He looked away and cleared his throat. He had been lost in thought all evening and had neglected his dinner companions. Not that most of the guests had noticed. They had been too busy watchingHarry grow angrier and angrier as the evening progressed. As his cousin, Andrew knew he should step forward and distract Harry from his stewing, but he still reeled at how easily his cousin had found it to betray him.
“You would think that Miss Avery would lay a more impressive table the evening before my wedding to her dearest friend. Perhaps the Viscount of Pembrooke has grown miserly and refused to provide for his own sister,” Harry’s said, his words slurring together.
Alarmed, Andrew realized that Harry must have had the servants refill his wine glass more than a few times already. His eyes were glassy, and his look was wild. Harry and alcohol were a poor combination. Sighing, Andrew decided he could no longer ignore his behavior.
“Cousin, you must tell the other guests about the renovations you’ve begun on your house in town.”
Rather than being pleased, Harry’s look soured even further. “I’ve put a hold on the work. I found the work to be shoddy and not up to the Winfield standard.”
Lady Uxbridge nodded. “Isn’t it awful, Earl Winfield? For the past several years, it has been next to impossible to find workmen or servants who either perform to my standards or if they do, they quit. I refuse to provide a letter of introduction or reference for any of the girls who leave my employ.”
They are simply happy to escape your demands.
Andrew was trying to think of another neutral topic of conversation, but he was saved when Kate announced that drinks were to be served in the sitting room and guests were to play Blind Man’s Bluff.
May DeClancy clapped her hands in delight, making a pretty picture. “I love Blind Man’s Bluff.”
They moved from the dining room to the sitting room, although several of the older couples excused themselves to retire for the evening. Andrew tried to catch Kate’s eye, but she had maneuvered herself next to Eliza Chambers. Andrew hoped she wouldn’t disrupt his plans for the night. He had worked too hard since that morning for it to all go awry.
As the guests moved to the sitting room, Kate managed to walk next to Eliza. Andrew had already disappeared with Harry in tow. She was grateful that he had taken on that task. It appeared Harry had partaken of her wine quite happily. Kate linked arms with Eliza, who appeared startled at the gesture of friendship. To her other guests, she announced, “Everyone, please enjoy yourselves. Miss Chambers and I need to check one more thing before we retire for the evening.”
A few guests murmured good night and some continued into the drawing room.
“Miss Avery, this has been a wonderful day. You’ve been so kind to welcome me so quickly into your home. I feel as if we are bonding as sisters already.” Eliza smiled at Kate.
Kate narrowed her eyes and said, “As do I. In fact, I feel that I must get to know you better since you tell me that you are to become betrothed to my brother.” She steered Eliza away from the other guests and toward her library where she knew they wouldn’t be interrupted.
