Page 36 of Finding Hope
“Will you be returning to the picnic?”
“Are you in need of an escort, Rotham?” she teased.
“I am afraid for my virtue,” he quipped.
“There are some rather determined ladies here.”
They laughed, then caught each other’s gaze. It felt so right and easy to be with her. “And you, Hope? Are you determined?” They leaned towards each other. He was tired of fighting his attraction to her. What would it feel like to kiss her?
“Rotham!” Grace said as she burst into the room.
Guiltily, Max and Hope jumped apart. He had almost kissed her in the room next to that of her sisters, where Joy lay ill. What kind of a scoundrel was he?
“Is there any change?” he asked Grace, and could feel Hope’s eyes upon him. Did she know she had almost been kissed? They had never crossed the bounds of friendship, but there had always been an easy flirtation there. It did not help that the papers always put them together in their speculations and caricatures.
“She is still resting, though she did wake for a short time and took some of the draught the doctor prescribed. Patience and I are going to return to the picnic. Miss Hillier insists she is content to stay with Joy and read.”
“Very well. Then I have three escorts to protect me,” he said with a smile as the little orange tabby cat came up and rubbed himself on Max’s ankles. He picked him up and was rewarded with a purr.
“Maybe he needs to go outside,” Hope said and taking the cat from him, found one of the pouches Joy sometimes carried him in.
“I am surprised to find you alone after this morning, Rotham,” Patience said as she entered the room. “Lady Matilda had her hooks into you.”
“I followed you three inside. You were within earshot the whole time.” Max laughed, but it was not amusing in the least.
He and Hope followed Patience and Grace in a natural pairing as they walked back through the house and gardens and out to where the picnic had been set up near the lake. Even though he longed to stay with the Whitford sisters, he could feel his mother’s eyes upon him and so left their side when they reached the other guests.
CHAPTER 9
When they reached the picnic, Rotham excused himself and went to speak with another group of guests. Hope tried not to feel disappointed or watch him as he walked away like a starving dog waiting for crumbs. Of course, he could not always stay by her side when he was hosting so many people.
Her gaze caught the Dowager’s and she smiled but then Hope saw the Duchess sitting next to the Viscountess, glaring. At least, it seemed to be a glare. Hope had never seen her Grace look pleasant, so perhaps that was her normal expression.
How she could have brought up such an affable son as a Rotham was beyond her, though Hope knew most of the nobility’s children were raised by nurses and governesses, then school and tutors.
Hope filled her plate, but did not feel hungry. She felt as though she were an intruder as she and her sisters sat at a table with Vivienne Cunningham and Lady Susan Courtenay.
“Patience! Grace! You will never believe what I have heard!” Miss Cunningham said with such innocent exuberance that Hope wondered if she’d ever been that childlike. “The Dowagerhas received word that our friends from the Regiment in London have been given some leave and they are to visit for a few days!”
“And Rotham has said we may have a ball while they are here!” Lady Susan added.
Immediately, they began to chatter about their friends in the Guards and how grand it would be to have more dancing partners.
Why could Hope not feel as excited as they did?
As they discussed the ball, Hope casually looked around, wondering who had sent her the notes. The Duchess and the Dowager were talking and, thankfully, she had looked away. However, as she scanned the tables of guests, Lady Matilda was watching her with menace.
What was Hope doing wrong? Why were so many ladies here against her? Possibly her sisters were right that it was simple jealousy. What did she have that they did not, except perhaps, beauty? But beauty was in the eye of the beholder, and apparently not enough to make a person suited to be a duchess.
Hope had never understood jealousy. Wanting what someone else had, perhaps, could be understood, but to wish others ill for your gain? If they only knew that there was nothing at all for them to be jealous of, she thought sadly.
She started as she realized the Dowager was approaching her.
“Have you finished eating? I wondered if you would care for a stroll about the lake?”
“Of course,” Hope said, standing up. Her ladyship took Hope’s arm as if to say we are going for a simple stroll, but Hope knew there was something she wanted to discuss. Had the Duchess told her to warn Hope away?
They walked down the hill, but the Dowager did not say anything until they reached the edge of the water. A warm breezeblew their skirts and lifted their bonnets a little as they stood on a berm near the shore.
