Lucinda sat between her and the reticule. The table stood in the middle of their cluster of couches and chairs, still holding the half-full tea urn and the empty cake plates.
If only Harry was here! Elinor’s youngest sister always had a creative solution to hand. If Harry was the one who had to do this…
Penelope leaned even closer to Benedict, pointing to the pin as she moved it about her shoulder. “Here, do you think, Mr. Hawkins? Or here?”
His cheeks flushed, but he kept his eyes manfully raised from her only-partially-hidden bosom. “I’m sure it would be charming anywhere, Miss Hathergill.”
“Oh, but…” Penelope pouted. “Don’t you have an opinion? Where do you think it would be most attractive on me?”
Enough. Elinor hated gambling, but she couldn’t stand to wait any longer—and if she could put right even one injustice in this house, perhaps she could bear all the rest so much more easily.
She stood up, setting Sir Jessamyn down on the couch in Millie’s place. “I’ll just pour my own tea, shall I, and—oh!” She gasped dramatically as the teapot twisted in her hands. “Oh, Miss Grace! I am so sorry! Your lovely gown!”
Lucinda leapt to her feet, slapping at the skirts of her gown. The tea might be no longer hot, but it spilled just as quickly when it was cold.
“Oh, and your poor reticule, too—here, while you deal with your gown, let me....”
With a lunge, Elinor had hold of the sopping wet reticule. She untied the laces—
“Let’s get this aired out, shall we?”
—up-ended it over the couch before Lucinda could react…
…And a cluster of completely unremarkable objects fell out.
Five hairpins, two hatpins, several assorted coins, a rock and a letter… Elinor stared at the pile and tasted despair.
“How kind of you, Mrs. De Lacey.” Lucinda held out her hand for the empty reticule. “I can take care of the rest by myself now.”
Elinor met Lucinda’s eyes and read the message in them.
“Yes,” she said, letting the reticule go. “I do believe you can.”
Lucinda knew exactly what she was after…and Elinor had lost her wager.
Chapter 16
Elinor had no time to contemplate her failure. Running feet sounded in the corridor outside—servants hurrying to answer an unexpected summons. A moment later, Elinor heard the unmistakable sound of Hathergill Hall’s front doors opening and closing again.
Loud, jovial voices emanated from the front hall.
“We’re hideously early—”
“Never mind, never mind!” That was Sir John’s booming voice. “Delighted to see you, young man. Come in. And Miss Armitage, charming, charming…do you need to retire to your rooms, or d’you want to come straight in for tea?”
A woman’s rich, melodic voice said something Elinor couldn’t quite catch, even though everyone in the sitting room had gone still and silent to listen.
Sir John’s laughter was easy to hear. “A lady after my own heart!”
Oh, dear,Elinor thought.
“Come in, come in!” Sir John’s voice came closer. “I believe my daughter is just in here…”
Penelope jumped a full foot away from Benedict on the couch and set the hatpin down on the table. Millie hurried back to the couch, her face alight with excitement. With a cool nod to Elinor, Lucinda sat back down, swishing her skirts into place and covering as much of their tea-stain as possible with her large, wet reticule. Elinor sank down onto her own seat, gathering Sir Jessamyn back onto her lap. She couldn’t help glancing at Mr. Hawkins, whose face was set in rueful lines.
The first of Sir John’s invited guests had arrived…and the first of Benedict’s serious rivals for Penelope’s attention.
The door opened, and noise and colour billowed into the room. Sir John and the gentleman beside him were both laughing over something that had just been said by the lady who stood between them, wearing a bright crimson traveling gown that perfectly matched the crimson and silver scales of the dragon on her shoulder. As they stepped into the room, Sir John cut off his own laughter and cleared his throat importantly.
