Ashley took two steps … and froze at the sight of the elegant matron with silver hair.
Great-Aunt Constance was the kind hostess who had fed her breakfast, gave her a cloak, and sent her home in a hackney.
On what could have been one of the worst nights of her life, Ravencroft rescued Ashley from being attacked and took her to his aunt for safekeeping.
Georgia formally introduced her as Lady Bedford. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Hamlin,” thegrande damesaid. The tilt of her head and direct eye contact told Ashley not to contradict her.
Ashley opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and dipped into a curtsy. “I am happy to make your acquaintance as well, my lady.”
Melissa was the youngest present tonight, as the younger children were not included. A footman circulated with a tray of aperitifs. Ashley selected a glass of sherry and listened to the conversation between Lord and Lady Templeton, Lord Mansfield, and Parker. She didn’t feel guilty about eavesdropping, as it was a spirited discussion about the music they’d practiced earlier and further changes they wanted to make to the composition.
“I understand my niece borrowed your handkerchief,” Lady Bedford said softly, standing shoulder to shoulder beside Ashley. “Lucky you had embroidered your initials on it.”
“I am grateful she made the effort to return it,” Ashley said just as quietly. “In the short time we’ve been acquainted, she has become a dear friend.”
“She did not reveal how she came to be in possession of it.”
Ashley debated how much to tell and how much to keep private. “I was nearby when she found herself in distress and needed the help of a friend.”
Lady Bedford smiled and lightly touched Ashley’s shoulder, then turned her head to converse with Melissa.
Ashley took another sip of sherry, and noticed Ravencroft standing by the fireplace watching her and Lady Bedford together with what she could only think of as a panicked expression. As little as two hours ago, she would have been confused. Now, however, she gave him an innocent smile, as though recalling their waltz together, as though she hadn’t figured out his secret.
His expression relaxed, and he was soon drawn into the conversation with his sister, nephew, and brothers-in-law about the composition.
The butler announced dinner was ready. While Ashley was mildly disappointed that she was seated too far away to converse with Ravencroft or Lady Bedford, Georgia, Parker, and Parker’s wife Deirdre were delightful dinner companions. They were having a lively conversation about the operas they had each seen at Covent Garden when the fish course was brought out. Deirdre turned her head aside, her mouth tightly pursed.
“Please take it away,” Parker said to the footman.
“Are you unwell?” Ashley inquired.
“I will be fine,” Deirdre said between deep breaths. “Normally I adore cod with lemon butter sauce, but these days all I seem to want are potatoes with pearl onions.”
Lady Mansfield, seated on the far side of Deirdre, waved over the footman and quietly spoke to him. Moments later he returned with another generous serving of the potatoes with pearl onions that had accompanied the roast beef. Deirdre gave him a dazzling smile and dug in as though a woman starved. Parker gave her an adoring smile and a kiss on her cheek.
“They were married at the end of last Season,” Georgia whispered as an aside to Ashley. “You’d think they would stay in the country while they still can’t keep their hands off each other.” She let out a little giggle.
Parker tossed a pearl onion across the table at Georgia. She threw it back.
Lady Mansfield cleared her throat ominously, glaring at the siblings.
Suitably chastened, they returned the topic of conversation to the current theater and opera offerings. Ashley participated in the conversation, as she had been to the theater several times in the past few weeks, but a small part of her wistfully thought that no one had ever thrown food at her. What an odd thing to miss.
At the conclusion of the meal, once again instead of the men staying at the table for port and cigars, everyone went directly to the music room. The chairs and sofas had been arranged around the harpsichord and pianoforte in a circle large enough to accommodate everyone present, with music stands in front of several of the straight-backed chairs. People got out instruments in a flurry of activity. While Lord Mansfield and Lord Templeton debated which of them should be seated at the pianoforte, Georgia slipped in and took the bench, settling the matter with a grin as she played a chromatic scale. Her fluffy dog went around the room to be petted by everyone, then curled up at her feet.
Lady Mansfield held a violincello, Mr. Westbrook had his mandolin, Ravencroft the viola da gamba, Melissa her flute, and Lady Templeton a lyre. Deirdre held a violin, and Parker stood behind her chair.
Ashley was feeling uncertain until Lady Bedford tugged her down onto the sofa beside her. Deprived of the keyboard at least momentarily, Lord Templeton sat down on her other side. Georgia’s older sister Clarissa sat close to her fiancé, Lawrence, on the other sofa. Lord Mansfield gestured for them to separate and sat between them. Ashley ducked her head to hide her smile when she caught Clarissa rolling her eyes.
“Time to warm up!” Lady Mansfield called. The noise level had already risen as people started to chat and play, but now it became a cacophony as everyone played something different.
Beneath it all she heard the deep tones of the viola da gamba. She watched Ravencroft bow the instrument slowly and deliberately, staying on the lower strings, his eyes closed. Suddenly he began playing the higher strings in a lively tune, and she recognized Pachelbel’sCanon in D, a piece her vicar in Torquay had often played on the church organ. Ravencroft’s brow furrowed in concentration, his eyes still closed as though trying to see the music in his mind. There were no sheets of music on his stand. She wasn’t sure if the notes he missed were because he was out of practice or couldn’t see the music, but he would shake his head and repeat the passage.
Long before he’d played as much as Ashley wanted to hear, Lady Templeton tapped on her music stand and suggested the first piece for them to play and sing together as a group warm-up. With Lord Templeton and Lady Bedford singing beside her, Ashley joined in the familiar tune.
They played and sang two more songs together, then Lord Mansfield stood up and announced tonight was a Challenge Night. This news was greeted with equal parts laughter and good-natured groans. “Norcross,” he said, “please choose a number between …?” He trailed off as he consulted with his wife, who was perusing a sheet of paper.
“Ten and forty-five,” she said.
