„The major is coming this way,“ the woman whispered.
Grace could not resist a glance over her shoulder. His uniform made him easy to find, the red standing out even among the glitter of society. It was both elegant and sober, as was the man wearing it.
„He’s coming straight to you,“ the woman hissed, stating the obvious, and Grace turned to greet him.
„Lady Anderson.“ He bowed.
„Major Lindsay.“ She curtsied.
Her smile faded as he stared at her, silent. Then he shook his head in the same slight way he had nodded to her. He turned to her companion as though the two words of her name was all the attention she would have from him.
This, then, was not the good news she had hoped for. Now she was truly embarrassed at the enthusiasm of her earlier welcome.
She stood her ground, though she was sorely tempted to flee. She was embarrassed only. Not humiliated. It was his choice and could have been made for a dozen reasons, reasons that had nothing to do with the way she dressed or drank soup.
With a determination to end their brief acquaintance with civility and, by the by, give the woman in red no further fuel for gossip, Grace watched as the major bowed over the other woman’s hand.
„Good evening to you, Mrs. Rooster.“
Rooster? Good heavens, Grace thought, did he really call her that? Even as she had the thought he blushed.
„It’s Schuster, Major. I believe we met at General Broadbent’s. The name is Schuster.“
He bowed low over her hand. „I do beg your pardon, Mrs. Schuster. How hen-witted of me.“
The choice of words was deliberate, Grace was sure. With real effort, she kept from looking at him. As it was she could barely contain her laughter.
„You must excuse me, Major, Lady Anderson.“ Mrs. Schuster nodded to each of them. „Lady Harriston wants my opinion on some new bonnets for her chicks. They are lovely girls. But having all three make their bow in the same Season would be a burden for any mother. If you will excuse me? And I’m sure you will.“ The arch tone hinted that Mrs. Schuster was going to share more than her opinion on hats.
They both watched her leave, and as soon as she was out of earshot Lindsay turned to her.
„Is there any hope for me or have I ruined myself completely?“ Despite the question, he did not look particularly worried. „Tell me, how important is Mrs. Schuster? You must know the pecking order here.“
She could not hold back her laughter. It came out with a most unladylike gasp, thank heaven, not quite a snort. His own grin became a laugh as well.
„I think you will survive, for she has no idea what the joke is. ‘Chicks,’ Major. She called the Harriston girls ‘chicks.’“
This sent them into gales of laughter, which were soon uncontrollable and attracting more than a little attention. So much so that he tugged her after him and through the doors onto a terrace and the back garden.
The dancing would not end for another hour and the garden was empty. Grace laughed until her sides hurt, as much a release of tension as amusement. Lindsay led her to a bench, dusted the seat with his handkerchief and gestured for her to sit.
They sat side by side, barely touching, the laughter gone as quickly as it had come. Finally, Grace cleared her throat. „I dared hope that your presence tonight meant that you had decided to accept the position.“
„I thought I had.“ He sighed, the sound of indecision at odds with the uniform and the air of authority that seemed so naturally a part of him. After a long moment he said, „I have no choice but to accept, my lady.“ He sounded more resigned than interested.
„One always has a choice, sir.“ He’d made it sound as though he were choosing the guillotine over the hangman’s noose.
„I need the money. Enough for that to be the deciding factor.“ He was staring through the window at the dancers as they made their way through a waltz. Anything to avoid looking at her, she thought.
He needed money that badly? George had said that he did not gamble, or at least no more than most officers with too much time on their hands. Or maybe he needed the money for an investment. She would not ask. She had learned already that he valued his privacy, and she would respect that.
She was silent so long that he finally did turn to look at her.
„Is that too blunt for you?“
„No. Actually I appreciate your honesty.“ Now it was her turn to look away. „I could wish for more enthusiasm, but will do my best not to be offended by the lack of it.“ This awkwardness was not a particularly good way to start out.
„And I will do my best not to be disgusted at the thought of being paid by a woman to do work that is an insult to both of us.“
Oh dear. This could easily lead to an argument, one they had already had. As they sat in strained silence, Mrs. Schuster strutted past the doorway. Grace glanced at Lindsay, who was watching the woman as well.
„Do you think she did it deliberately?“
„I cannot imagine“ – he shook his head – „but she is drawing attention.“
Yes, Mrs. Schuster was leaving disbelief in her wake. „Perhaps her goal in life is to be immortalized by Row-landson.“
„Perhaps, my lady. Picturing her in one of his cartoons takes very little imagination.“
As she passed from view, Grace looked at him directly for the first time since they had come out on the terrace. „We can make of our arrangement what we wilclass="underline" an insult or an adventure. For now I will be grateful that you agreed and, ahem, did not chicken out on me.“
He showed as much disgust as amusement – at the pun, she hoped. She attempted a bland smile, and finally he laughed. So did she. She could not recall a time that she had laughed with a man. Belney had no sense of humor at all. Wharton’s humor was too crude to be amusing. And her husband – around him she had been very careful to control all her sensibilities.
If they could keep each other laughing, this might work after all.
Eight
„Are you having fun, Papa?“
Lindsay glanced over at Poppy, who was sitting on his bed, concentrating on pulling on his too-large gloves.
„Yes, I am.“ More fun than he had expected.
„What’s the best part?“
He ran the brush through his hair one last time and turned to face the child.
„Tell me, Papa, what’s the best part about going out? The people you meet? The food you eat? The clothes they wear? Staying up until it’s almost morning?“
He sat on the bed and gently pulled his gloves off her small hands. „You know how when you go to the park with your governess? And how it’s so much more fun on those days when your friends are there?“
She nodded.
„Society is the same. The best part is finding people who enjoy the same things you do and seeing them as often as possible.“
„Are you going to the play with friends tonight?“
„Yes.“
„A particular friend?“
Where had she learned that phrase? From her governess? „And why are you so curious tonight?“
„Because I asked Miss Truslow why you never stay home and she said that you had a particular friend.“
Now he was the one who was exasperated. „Poppy, I see you and Billy every day.“
She nodded, and he took his gloves and walked over to collect his shako.
„Mama used to go out at night, too.“
He felt her words like a punch to a healing wound. Yes, my child, and I go out at night for the same reason your mama did. To keep food on the table and a roof over our heads.
„Mama used to go out at night and she died.“
Lindsay came back to the bed, where she was kneeling now, her eyes level with his cravat.
„Poppy, dearest, I am not going to die. Not for a very long time. And certainly not because I go out at night.“