“Mama, poor Lord Tattershall has been forced enough into my company. Pray, do not pressure him anymore. It is a wonder I did not stand on his toes when we were dancing. I would not have blamed him for running away from me after that.” Lady Emily’s words made Aaron turn to her with a smile.
Why would I wish to part from this lady’s company?
“On the contrary, you have me intrigued by your game, and quite frankly, you are the best company I have met all night. I would be delighted to join you.”
“That is wonderful!” Lady Dowding said with glee. “Then come quickly. We must find Emily’s brother and sister.”
As they all wandered off, meandering through the crowd, Aaron turned to Lady Emily, seeing her raise her eyebrows.
“I hope you are prepared for what you have got yourself into, my Lord.”
“You make me tremble in my shoes, Lady Emily.” He jested, delighted to find he could make her laugh too.
They crossed the room where they promptly found Lord and Lady Bolton, who Aaron had met before, and Lady Grace Bolton, the elder sister of Lady Emily.
“What is this game then?” Aaron asked looking between the faces around him expectantly.
“It is riddles, so I hope you have come with an active mind tonight.” Lord Bolton rubbed his hands together enthusiastically, making all the young ladies groan around him, especially Lady Emily at Aaron’s side. “What?” Lord Bolton asked innocently.
“Be prepared, Lord Tattershall. My brother is merciless at this game. He likes to win, and he often does, but only by making it nigh on impossible for the rest of us to answer his questions.” Lady Emily shot a playful glare her brother’s way, making him smile.
“With that kind of review, I have no choice but to live up to my reputation. Very well, I will go first.” He paused for a few minutes, looking around the group before his eyes lit up. “Right, here we go… My first affliction denotes, which my second is destined to feel. My whole is the best antidote that affliction will soften and heal.”
Silence followed the riddle, with the whole family looking round at each other in wonder. Soon, they were all heaping playful curses on Lord Bolton’s head, saying he had made it far too difficult, just as the answer occurred to Aaron.
Another word for affliction was ‘woe’, and a man was destined to suffer such woes. The answer was woman, for who else could heal a man’s woes?
“Woman.” Aaron’s answer cut through the playful mockery, making Lord Bolton smile and flick his fingers in his direction.
“He is right!”
“Oh, well done, Lord Tattershall.” The Countess cried eagerly at his side. “It must be your turn now. Can you think of a riddle?”
Aaron was startled by all the praise given in his direction, even Lady Emily was looking up to him with those large eyes of hers wide. He liked it, hoping she would keep looking at him in such a way.
“I have one,” he said eventually. “My first descends from our eternal skies. A winged weapon from my second flies. In my whole, colors will be seen, yellow and blue, as well as red and green.”
He had read it once in one of the magazine sheets delivered at the club. He waited, looking around the group, just as Lady Grace sighed.
“I think we have met someone almost as difficult as Arthur with his riddles. How are we supposed to get that?”
“It’s a rainbow.” Lady Emily’s voice made them all snap their gaze toward her. Aaron smiled instantly, amazed to see not only had she got the answer, but within seconds. “Rain falls from the skies, and an arrow comes from a bow, the winged weapon. Am I right?” she asked, looking up to Aaron with hope. Even if she had been wrong, he thought he would have said yes just to see that smile again.
“Just so,” he said, toasting her with his glass. “Your turn, Lady Emily.”
The game continued for some time, with each riddle being tossed back and forth, getting faster and faster and answered with such alacrity that Aaron realized what clever minds were around him. The more he was with them, the more he forgot there was a ball at all, just wanting to indulge in these few minutes that allowed him to escape the hubbub of the other guests.
Especially Hugh and Jane.
“Well, I suppose we should stop ignoring our guests now,” Lord Dowding said with a clap of his hands. “Off you go, all of you. Go dancing, talking, drinking, no not too much.” He added the latter with a warning glare at his son.
“I was only drunk once,” Lord Arthur said with complaint as they all parted ways, chuckling.
“Yes, but you were so loud I could hear you upstairs,” Lady Emily’s jest made Aaron laugh further.
Aaron could scarcely believe what had happened. He had spent goodness knows how long in this family’s company, with Lady Emily at his side, and found he had enjoyed it more than any other event.
“I hope my family didn’t baffle you too much,” Lady Emily said as she led the way back to the refreshments table. Behind Aaron, Lord and Lady Bolton followed the two of them.
