Chapter 2: Page 2
"So what do you think of Miss Heartilly?" Selphie
whispered once they were out of earshot. "Is she in love
with your cousin, do you suppose?"
"That is hardly the sort of thing one can tell from a
brief meeting." Or even a long acquaintance. Otherwise
Selphie would have realized ages ago how much he cared
for her. Perhaps she didn't want to see it.
"I suppose not." Selphie did not appear convinced. "She
is very lovely, though. Whatever may have induced her to
accept Lord Leonhart, I do not believe it was his
fortune."
"My mind is at rest on that score as well," Kinneas agreed.
"What shall we do to amuse ourselves until dinner? Would
you care to take a stroll through the gardens? Helmhurst
has very fine ones."
"We've been cooped up in your carriage together all the
way from home." An anxious look tightened Selphie's
smile. Did she think a walk in the gardens might give
him unwanted encouragement? "Why not mingle with some of
the other guests? The earl told me they're set up for
pall-mall and tennis."
"Pall-mall it is." Irvine tried not to let his
disappointment show. After all, any time spent in
Selphie's company was a rare boon, even if he had to
share her attention.
It had been a most enjoyable afternoon, Selphie decided
as she dressed for dinner. She and Irvine had won their
match against Viscount Zell Dintch and his sister. Kinneas
had been vastly comical, larking about with his mallet
and pretending to get the wickets mixed up. It was good
to see the dear fellow relaxing and enjoying himself.
Once or twice, her gaze had met Viscount Dintch's as
they'd chuckled over Lord Kinneas's antics, and she
had felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Zell Dintch was
very handsome and charming. His sister might do quite
well for Kinneas…except that she had a rather tart tongue.
Selphie did not want to see her dear friend saddled with
a scold for a wife.
She was delighted to find herself seated between Irvine
and Dintch at dinner. It was a rather strange
meal, though.
"Why so few candles?" she whispered to Kinneas as the soup
was being served.
"It's Leonhart." Irvine nodded toward the foot of the table
where his cousin sat. "The earl tells me his injured eye
is painfully sensitive to bright light."
"How awful for him." Hard as she tried, Selphie could not
keep her sympathy untainted by a tiny qualm of fear.
Lord Leonhart's black mask did give him a rather
diabolical appearance. "I wonder how poor Miss Heartilly
will manage, wed to a man who must live his life in
darkness?"
"So what do you think of Miss Heartilly?" Selphie
whispered once they were out of earshot. "Is she in love
with your cousin, do you suppose?"
"That is hardly the sort of thing one can tell from a
brief meeting." Or even a long acquaintance. Otherwise
Selphie would have realized ages ago how much he cared
for her. Perhaps she didn't want to see it.
"I suppose not." Selphie did not appear convinced. "She
is very lovely, though. Whatever may have induced her to
accept Lord Leonhart, I do not believe it was his
fortune."
"My mind is at rest on that score as well," Kinneas agreed.
"What shall we do to amuse ourselves until dinner? Would
you care to take a stroll through the gardens? Helmhurst
has very fine ones."
"We've been cooped up in your carriage together all the
way from home." An anxious look tightened Selphie's
smile. Did she think a walk in the gardens might give
him unwanted encouragement? "Why not mingle with some of
the other guests? The earl told me they're set up for
pall-mall and tennis."
"Pall-mall it is." Irvine tried not to let his
disappointment show. After all, any time spent in
Selphie's company was a rare boon, even if he had to
share her attention.
It had been a most enjoyable afternoon, Selphie decided
as she dressed for dinner. She and Irvine had won their
match against Viscount Zell Dintch and his sister. Kinneas
had been vastly comical, larking about with his mallet
and pretending to get the wickets mixed up. It was good
to see the dear fellow relaxing and enjoying himself.
Once or twice, her gaze had met Viscount Dintch's as
they'd chuckled over Lord Kinneas's antics, and she
had felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Zell Dintch was
very handsome and charming. His sister might do quite
well for Kinneas…except that she had a rather tart tongue.
Selphie did not want to see her dear friend saddled with
a scold for a wife.
She was delighted to find herself seated between Irvine
and Dintch at dinner. It was a rather strange
meal, though.
"Why so few candles?" she whispered to Kinneas as the soup
was being served.
"It's Leonhart." Irvine nodded toward the foot of the table
where his cousin sat. "The earl tells me his injured eye
is painfully sensitive to bright light."
"How awful for him." Hard as she tried, Selphie could not
keep her sympathy untainted by a tiny qualm of fear.
Lord Leonhart's black mask did give him a rather
diabolical appearance. "I wonder how poor Miss Heartilly
will manage, wed to a man who must live his life in
darkness?"
