Page 27 of The Misfortunate Miss Farthington
Nerves rose up right alongside hope as she remembered her father’s somber voice the other day. “But even if Mr. Grant has decided his daft idea of giving me a better life by stepping aside is, as I said,daft…”
“There’s still your father’s permission to worry about,” Marian finished for her.
“He’ll never go for it so long as he thinks an earl has intentions to marry you,” Mary added with a frown.
Eloise pursed her lips. “And Lord Yardley is meant to attend the ball tomorrow night as well.”
It wasn’t a question, but Daphne answered it. “No.”
Eloise blinked. “Pardon.”
Daphne grinned. “The great and powerful earl will not be in attendance, I’m afraid.”
“But he was invited, was he not?” Mary asked. “I’ve heard he enjoys balls.”
“Still. I know for certain he will not attend.”
When Tessa turned to her in surprise, Daphne’s smile grew smug. “As I said, I’ve handled it.”
“Handled what?” Tessa asked.
“And how?” Marian added.
Daphne sighed when it became clear that the ladies demanded to know more. She slipped a hand into the pocket of her apron and held out an envelope.
Tessa took it from her, her lips parting in shock. What she held was… “The invitation.”
The others gaped as they realized what Daphne had done.
Marian said it first, her voice rich with laughter. “Youstolethe Earl of Yardley’s invitation to the ball?”
Daphne dipped her head modestly, and folded her hands in her lap in a show of demureness that no longer fooled Tessa in the slightest.
“Daphne, what have you done?” Tessa asked. But truly she was torn down the middle between awe, relief, horror…and amusement.
She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh as her cousin said, “Really, your mother should have known better than to task a clumsy girl like me with sending out the invitations. One could slip out of the pile and get lost.”
Marian shocked them all with her burst of loud laughter as her head fell back against her seat. “Oh, the earl will be so peeved. I can’t imagine there’s a ball he hasn’t been invited to ever since he inherited the earldom.”
Considering Marian knew the man and this turn of events seemed to delight her so much, Tessa decided he wouldn’ttrulybe angry. And no one could prove it wasn’t an accident, after all.
“You stole his invitation,” Eloise repeated with a shake of her head, her eyes wide with delight.
Mary turned to Tessa. “Oh, I do like your cousin, Miss Farthington.”
Tessa laughed. “I had a feeling you might.”
10
Richard wove his way through the crowd, Luke and Lydia right behind him.
“Icando this alone, you know,” he grumbled.
“Nonsense, you need moral support,” Luke said.
“Also, we’re very keen to see your happy ending,” Lydia added with a mischievous grin.
He let out a huff of amusement. He wished he shared Lydia’s certainty.
