Page 39 of Scars of a Passionate Revenge
“I only wish things were as simple for us as they appear to be for you and Lord Grant,” Alice said, gathering up her napkin, now groaning with berries. “Surely there could be no objection to your marriage, from anyone in either of your families?”
Clara shook her head. “I think that we will be lucky in that respect, if it comes to that. But you know, I cannot make any assumptions! I must simply wait for him to speak.”
Alice nodded. “What a shame it is that we are not able to speak freely of our feelings towards these gentlemen. How much easier it would be!”
Clara shrugged. “That is not the way of society, though, sadly, and perhaps it never will be.”
Alice glanced around the garden, and saw that the light was beginning to fade. “We should return to the party,” she said softly. “They will all be desperate for their desserts. And no doubt after we have finished eating, there will be more amusements to come.”
Clara nodded, and gathered up her own bundle of fruit. “Perhaps there will be dancing too!” A flush of excitement crept across her face. “I do hope there will be dancing!”
Alice took her friend’s arm and they began to walk back to where the group were gathered around the table. As they approached, they could hear the hubbub of lively discussion, and the loud popping of corks of champagne bottles.
She saw, as they drew nearer, that Benedict was not joining in the conversation. Instead, he was leaning back in his chair, his eyes fixed on something in the distance. He looked pensive, as if his thoughts were taking him to somewhere far away from the present.
As soon as he saw her approaching, though, his face changed, and he smiled at her warmly. Alice felt a flush of happiness in her chest, and a flicker of excitement at the thought that perhaps this evening, she might get the chance to dance with him again. The thought of him taking her in his arms and leading her across the dance floor, their bodies close together, filled her with a sense of delighted anticipation that she had never felt before.
***
The following day was Sunday, and the whole party went to church together. Alice tried her hardest to concentrate during the long sermon, but her mind kept on wandering. She looked at the beams of sunshine falling through the stained-glass windows onto the stone floor of the church, and felt a surge of warmth flowing through her.
Clara’s words from the previous day came back to her. Even though there were obstacles, she felt sure that things would work out between herself and Benedict. It felt to her as if their love was meant to be. For love it was, now, she had no doubt. At least on her part. And as she glanced rather slyly across the church at Benedict, who was sitting in a pew across the aisle from her, she hoped that he felt the same.
After the service had finished, everyone gathered outside, chatting in the sunshine. Alice stood with the Hutington sisters and some of the gentlemen of the party as they discussed the service they had just experienced.
“I thought the sermon was most inspiring, did you not, Talbot?” Lord Rutherford was saying.
Lord Talbot let out a short bark of laughter. “You are a better man than me, Rutherford,” he said. “I confess that I was thinking more about my dinner than about the Israelites delivery from slavery.”
Miss Emma, standing next to him, giggled. “You must not say such things, Lord Talbot. What if the vicar should hear you?”
He chuckled. “Well, then I should tell him to give more interesting sermons,” he replied.
Miss Elizabeth chipped in. “And did you see Lady Mary Crowley, in her new hat and gloves? Didn’t she look fine!”
Alice smiled. The younger Miss Hutingtons had clearly not quite grasped that gentlemen were unlikely to be interested in things, and sure enough, Lord Talbot and Lord Rutherford turned away, to discuss other things between themselves, while the younger sisters began to gossip about who had been wearing what and about who might be about to announce their engagement to whom.
Benedict appeared next to her, and she felt that flurry of excitement in the pit of her stomach again at the sight of him.
“Miss Dunberry,” he said. “Will you return to the house with us in the chaise? Lord Grant and Lady Clara are already embarking. Lord Grant thought it would be fun to drive back through the village, rather than all squashing up together in one of the carriages.”
Alice nodded happily. The sun was shining, and she could think of nothing more enjoyable than a ride in an open carriage through the village and the countryside. And of course, Benedict’s company would make any pleasant experience all the sweeter.
He took her arm and led her along the path through the church yard to the road where the chaise was waiting. Sure enough, Clara and Lord Grant were already seated in the chaise, Clara looking exceptionally pretty in her new pink bonnet with white ribbons.
Alice felt nothing short of joyful as the chaise pulled away and they began their journey home. The countryside surrounding the Hutington estate was truly beautiful, and it was a pleasure to be able to feel the wind in her hair as the chaise trundled along the winding roads.
“I do not think I have ever enjoyed myself more in my life than I have this week at this delightful house party,” Lord Grant announced, with a broad smile.
“Nor I,” Clara replied, and Alice smiled as she saw the shy glance exchanged between them. Surely, he would speak his intentions soon, she thought.
She looked at Benedict, who was sitting next to her. The chaise was rather cozy, and she knew that either one of them would only have to move a fraction for their legs to be touching.
The space between them was tantalizing, and she realized that she was holding her breath at the thought of how it would feel for their bodies to be pressed together. She blinked and tried to push such thoughts out of her mind, then smiled at him. “And are you having a pleasant time too, Benedict?”
“Indeed,” he replied. “I agree with Cecil here. I think it is indeed the finest house party I have ever been to, and the company is exemplary.”
Alice flushed and looked away, fixing her gaze on the tree line ahead.
