Page 14 of The Widow Wore Plaid

Bella caught her breath. Quite a strikingly handsome gentleman. His height and hair color alone would make him attractive, but he also possessed a broad chest, neat waist, and was dressed in the first stare of fashion. Dashing, even, in a blue jacket, buckskin breeches, fawn overcoat, and Hessians with gold tassels. If he was to now make one of the party, the somewhat boring festivities had just become much more interesting.

“Hal!”

Bella jerked her head around just in time to see Lady St. Just rush toward the handsome young man, whose face lit up at the sight of her. She reached him and launched herself into his arms.

“Georgie! Good God, woman. You can’t fly at a man like that and bowl him over as though he were ninepins.” He grabbed her up in a crushing embrace.

“What was I supposed to do? I haven’t seen you in an age, Hal.” She hugged him fiercely. “How do you come to be all the way up here in Scotland?”

He grinned down at her, then caught sight of the other ladies gathered in the entry hall. His gaze roved over them all, settling last on Bella. “Won’t you introduce me to your friends, Georgina?”

“Of course.” Lady St. Just grabbed his arm and steered him over to the little group.

Bella just stood there, her mouth suddenly dry as the desert.

“I believe you know Elizabeth, Jemmy’s wife.”

“Indeed, I do.” He leaned over to kiss Lady Brack on the cheek. “So nice to see you again, dear sister. I hear you and Jemmy are settling in nicely at Blackham. And rumor has it Father is absolutely in alt over his grandson.”

“He is and we are. So good to see you again, Hal.” Lady Brack smiled fondly at him. “It is an adjustment, living at Blackham, but Lord Blackham was quite insistent.”

“Don’t I know it.” The handsome gentleman grinned, setting a flurry of butterflies loose in Bella’s stomach.

“You and Elizabeth can catch up in a moment, Hal.” Lady St. Just tugged him toward Maria.

Bella straightened, suddenly very grateful that her hair had been so wonderfully repaired.

“Lady Kersey, Miss Granger, may I present my brother, Lord Harold Cross? Lady Kersey is one of my former Widows’ Club friends.” The lady smiled broadly. “We are now the Happy Ever Afters, though. She married Mr. Granger last Christmas. Miss Granger is his sister.”

“Lady Kersey, Miss Granger.” Lord Harold made an elegant bow. “I am delighted to meet you. I get to meet so few of Georgie’s friends.”

“If you weren’t forever galivanting about England, Hal, I daresay you’d meet more of them,” his sister shot back with a rueful smile on her face. “But what brings you here? Are you acquainted with Lord Kinellan? If you have come for the shooting you are sadly late indeed. We are about to go out to the grouse moor for luncheon.”

“No, not for the shooting.” He shrugged. “Never one much for sport. And I’m not actually acquainted with Lord Kinellan, although I am here at his invitation.” His charming demeanor darkened. “Jemmy asked him to invite me. I’ve been in London the past few months, knocking about during the Season.” A frown rent his brow. “I looked in on some of the entertainments. Visited Almack’s a couple of times. That sort of thing.”

Bella cut her gaze over to Maria, who smiled broadly. “We were also in London for the Season, Lord Harold. It is a pity we had not made your acquaintance earlier. It would have been so nice to have had Georgie’s brother as a partner for dear Miss Granger.”

“And the Season was surely the poorer for me to not have had that honor, Lady Kersey.” He turned to Bella and she caught her breath at the intense blue eyes now trained on her. “Perhaps next year, or in the Little Season this autumn, Miss Granger.” He looked even more deeply into her eyes. “I would indeed be most happy to partner you.”

She should speak, say thank you, anything, but her throat wouldn’t produce a sound. Because she couldn’t breathe. His intimate gaze seemed to mesmerize her.

“Enough, Hal.” Lady St. Just took her brother’s arm and tugged him away from Bella.

As soon as he turned, the spell broke and she could breathe again.

“You still have not told me why Jemmy asked to have you invited here.” Lord Harold’s sister might be short of stature, but she was a formidable woman, nonetheless.

He slid his gaze away from her, muttering something unintelligible.

“I will take that to mean you’ve gotten yourself into another scrape.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

His grin, lopsided and charming, flashed like quicksilver.

“What did you do this time, Hal?”

He laughed and unexpectedly turned back to face Bella. “How did you find London during the hubbub of the Season, Miss Granger?”

Before Bella could summon a single thought, Lady John sailed into the room followed closely by Lady Lathbury, Lady Wrotham, and several other ladies who were guests of Lord Kinellan.