Page 10 of Charity

Nell shrugged. “He wanted to know if I was ill. I missed dinner last evening and picked at my breakfast since my stomach just churns over and over. It was remarked upon below-stairs.”

“A pity he didn’t know that my late supper last night was for you, but no matter.” Agatha picked a few more sprigs and tucked them into Nell’s drooping bunch. “The less he knows about last night, the better, am I correct?”

Nell looked up, yet her misery remained as clear as day. If she kept up that sort of mournful expression, she would be faced with many more questions below-stairs.

“Try to push the memory from your mind.” Heedless of the impropriety of behaving with such familiarity to a servant, Agatha stroked Nell’s arm. The maid nodded just as the clock began to strike.

Already eleven! Dash it all. Now she had to face her grandfather.

Agatha picked up her long skirts and hurried inside. Punctuality, or lack thereof, was also another favorite topic to be discussed at length. At her grandfather’s study door, she smoothed her hair, then tapped on the wood and waited. Just as the final chime rang through the house, he bade her enter.

Almost at once, Agatha was cast back to her first day in the house. The decidedly masculine chamber had intimidated her then, just as it did now. Striving to appear placid, to be the dutiful granddaughter he expected, Agatha crossed the room and took her usual seat.

He waved a letter at her. “I’ve received a letter of invitation from the Marquess of Ettington to spend Christmas at his estate in the country. However, given certain changed circumstances, I am undecided on the value of whether to accept.”

Concerned, Agatha leaned forward. “What has changed?”

He scrubbed his hand across his jaw. “Given the recent spate of marriages amongst his set, I fear the time and unnecessary disturbance to attend would not be worth the effort. It doesn’t do you any good to associate with gentlemen already committed in marriage. I can hardly imagine the marquess would widen his circle with eligible men just to be sure you had the opportunity to be properly admired.”

Agatha pressed her lips together to keep from crying out. He would refuse an invitation to spend Christmas with her friends simply because there would be no marriageable gentlemen in attendance? Was that the only reason he had forced her into society, into the presence of peers far above her expectations when the invitations had come from Ettington House? She longed to see Virginia, Lady Hallam, and Constance, the Marchioness of Ettington, again. But if he said no today, his decision would be final.

Determining it best not to let her anxiety show, she said nothing while he paced the room. If she spoke up with too much enthusiasm for the trip, he’d try to make a bargain with her. A typical businessman, he’d press her into committing to meet another gentleman of his acquaintance in return for indulging her.

Abruptly, he threw the letter to the desk. Agatha exhaled slowly, certain, given his rushed gesture, that he hadn’t made a final decision as yet.

He circled the desk and sat as if he were negotiating a difficult meeting. “Now, we have the orphanage’s charity tea tomorrow, and I want you to wear something pretty. There’s many a lady there with sons in want of a wife who should be greeted with the utmost civility. After that, we shall take a turn around Hyde Park in the new carriage, eh?”

Agatha clasped her hands together to hide her nervousness. “As much as I would like to please you in this, Grandfather, I am already committed with duties during the performance. I am to escort the children and provide the accompaniment on the pianoforte.”

Her grandfather pinched the bridge of his nose. Agatha waited. She’d given her word to help convey the children to Ascot House. If she changed her plans at this late stage, her actions would reflect badly on her grandfather and he knew it too. Perhaps it would be enough that she was to play the pianoforte in public, a feat he was always attempting to arrange. Usually performing in public would set her nerves to chaos, but for the children’s happiness, she was prepared to endure the embarrassment.

“Very well, but do your best to be agreeable during any introductions. You will have very little time to make an impression with your conversation now. Let us hope there is a gentleman in the room with the ability to detect your superior playing under the noisy racket the children will strike up. I’d not like the occasion to be a disappointing waste.”

“Yes, of course. I will do my best to make a good impression.”

When her grandfather nodded and picked up his paper again, Agatha made her escape. With luck, she’d go unnoticed by the guests attending the concert. And with more luck, the unmarried gentlemen seated for the concert would be tone deaf.

CHAPTER FIVE

Estella Ryall, Lady Carrington, liked nothing better than to be the center of attention at any society gathering. However, today she wasn’t as keen on the sensations caused by the warm regard afforded her as usual.

“Mother, could you remove your fingers from my arm? Your grip is causing me considerable discomfort.”

Estella glanced at her rigid fingers gripping her son’s arm and made a greater effort to calm herself. She was one of the ton’s most influential hostesses and should be above being ruffled. But the vexation of having her lover and her oldest acquaintance in the room was proving a real point of contention. Having them both watch her so closely, with exactly the same predatory expression, proved unsettling in the extreme. Flustered, she smoothed her hand over her gown like a green debutant then silently scolded herself for her foolishness. She raised her chin. “The performance is almost ready to start, Oscar.”

His eyes lit up. “Yes, that was what I’d mentioned several times already. Perhaps we should take our seats.”

As Oscar unwittingly tried to maneuver her closer to both men, Estella managed to direct him to an unoccupied row some distance away. Her son’s eyebrows rose in query as he settled in his chair. “Well, Mother, you have me all to yourself. You must have a somewhat urgent matter to discuss to shun the company of your friends.”

Estella opened her reticule to withdraw her fan. “I just wanted to enjoy the performance in peace with you. Really, some of them will think nothing of chatting through the entire performance.” Aghast at her blunt words, she snapped open her fan while she glanced at her neighbors to determine if anyone had overheard. After a few anxious minutes, she blew out a relieved breath.

“That was rather boldly said, Mother. Are you feeling quite the thing?” Oscar chuckled. “So, to what torture am I to be subjected today? The screech of violin or harp, the latest debutant wailing about her lost love? You know that lost love will be a lucky man, don’t you?”

Estella smacked Oscar’s knee with her fan. “You do go on with a lot of nonsense. I’d thought you had outgrown your impatient nature. You will sit and do your best to listen with polite interest. We are here for the orphanage, as you well know.”

Oscar shifted in his chair. “No, Mother. I don’t believe you mentioned that fascinating tidbit in your note. You said it was a luncheon.”

Estella glanced up at her son’s face and found it dark with… Well, she wasn’t exactly sure what emotion he was feeling at that instant. But he definitely glanced toward the door as if to judge whether he could escape.