* * *
Emily could still hear the words being repeated in her head as she led Lord Tattershall away from Lord Nelson and his brother. She had no wish to go over the matter, yet her heart would not settle. It might as well have dropped into her stomach by the deadened feeling that bloomed there.
I knew it.She thought to herself.This is how I will always be seen by the ton.
“You did not have to do that,” she whispered to Lord Tattershall as they crossed the room together.
“Do what? Insist he apologize?” He still sounded irked, his manner refusing to be calm. She looked to him, startled by the vivacity within him. His words to Lord Nelson had showed courage, and honor.
“How about threatening to duel the man over something so trivial?” She tried to laugh at the words, though they did not last long. She was aware of a bell being rang to announce dinner was being served. She felt Lord Tattershall escorting her into the dining room as they continued to discuss the matter. “A duel would have been a little over the top, do you not think?”
“Well, I did not quite threaten to duel him. I merely mentioned dueling. It made him listen, did it not?” He smiled with a kind of victory, pulling her first real laugh from her. “I hope you are unharmed by his insult.” He led her forward into the dining room. She expected him to deliver her to where her family were sitting at the table and leave her there, but as he pulled out a chair for her to sit, to her surprise, he took the chair beside her.
“I am unharmed.” She lied a little. It did hurt, how could it not? “But have no fear. It was nothing I did not know about myself already.”
“I beg your pardon?” Lord Tattershall seemed so stunned by her words that he nearly fell out of the chair as he sat in it.
“Whatever you said to our new friend, Emily, you scared the poor man out of his wits,” her father said from across the table.
“He scares easily.” She continued the jest, making others laugh. As they all settled into their seats, she grew aware of Lord Tattershall still staring at her. “The food is that way, my Lord.” She urged him to look forward down at his plate.
“I am still recovering from what you just said.” He leaned her way and whispered to her, clearly keen for no one else to hear at the table. “Surely you do not mean that. You cannot think what Lord Nelson just said is true about yourself.”
“Why should I not?” she asked. It was the truth of the matter after all. As a server stepped forward to serve her wine, she was urged to lean closer to Lord Tattershall too. She immediately regretted it. Being so close to him, she found herself enveloped in his scent. It smelled of spices and bay leaves, suggesting he wore some sort of exotic scent. When she found herself involuntarily leaning more toward him, she had to snap herself back.
What am I doing? Remember, no good can come from finding yourself enamored by this man. Only heartbreak will be there.
Lord Tattershall merely blinked at her in response to her question, evidently not quite understanding her.
“You told me a secret earlier this week, perhaps it is time I told you one of mine.” She took a sip from her claret and turned her body more toward his, clearly having enraptured his attention. “Look at my family, my Lord. There is only beauty amongst them, is there not?”
He did as she asked, looking between them before offering a slow nod.
“Sooner or later, the ugly duckling realizes who she is.” Her words made him flinch and turn back to her.
“Do you not use a mirror?” he asked.
“I try to avoid them.”
“Goodness knows why.” He shook his head. As others at the table began to serve their food, he picked up a platter of lemon capon and offered it to her to serve herself first. “Believe me, Lady Emily. There is no ugly duckling in your family.”
“You are kind. You have done enough for me already today in making Lord Nelson apologize.” She brushed off his compliment. “You do not need to do anymore.”
“I am merely stating fact.” His words were firm, making her pause in serving her capon. “Take another look in a mirror some time. I hope someday you will see what I see.”
She felt her breath hitch at the words and those same tingles started again. He did not even have to take her hand this time, only say such words. Her cheeks reddened with heat, and she bent down toward the capon, trying to hide her embarrassment. She thought of making a jest on him perhaps needing spectacles, but the words died on her tongue.
Does he really like how I look?
“Now, earlier this week, you did me a great favor.” Lord Tattershall continued as he proffered a second platter to her, this one full of rosemary potatoes.
“I did? What did I do?”
“You cheered my spirits when I was down, more so than you knew.”
She smiled at the idea, recollecting something of their conversation from when they danced together.
“Today, I will return the favor,” he said with decisiveness. “What do you wish to talk about? Choose any topic you like, and I promise to partake vigorously until you are smiling properly once again.”
