“And drink, yes. I also asked what your mother and Rosy liked. In my opinion, one should always havesomefood at one’s own party that one truly enjoys. Don’t you agree?”
He nodded, his mouth too full of marzipan to speak. When he swallowed his last bite, he dug around in the basket until he found some rather small sandwiches. Holding one up, he said, “Please tell me these aren’t marzipan, too.”
She laughed. “No. Those are ham and cheddar, cucumber and butter, and roast beef and mustard sandwiches. The mustard is Verity’s own special recipe. She won’t even tell me or Eliza how she makes it or what’s in it, but it’s delicious.”
Geoffrey tried that first, then closed his eyes in sheer bliss. “God, that’s good.” He picked up one of the cucumber sandwiches while also pointing to what looked like small tarts. “What are those?”
“Lemon, jam, and Bakewell tartlets. Oh, and miniature mincemeat pies.” As he reached for the mincemeat, also his favorite, she added, “We’re serving all these at the ball supper in two weeks. What do you think?”
“I think you should give Lady Verity a much higher percentage of your profits.”
She eyed him askance. “If you don’t mind, I shall keep that our little secret. Verity already has a very big head.”
“So do I, as it happens. That’s why I always have trouble finding hats.” He polished off a lemon tartlet. “I don’t suppose there’s anything to drink with this.”
“Oh! I forgot completely!” She thrust her head out of the window. “Thomas? We’re ready for the claret.”
“Of course, my lady.”
Thomas had to wait while the carriage moved up again, but as soon as it halted, he poured two glasses of claret for them and handed them in through the window. Geoffrey stared at his. It looked like a decent enough wine. And there was something to be said for having a woman manage matters in his household, even considering the high cost of Elegant Occasions.
Don’t become too comfortable with that. The only woman who’ll be managing your household for a long while is Mother. At least until I’m sure it’s safe to marry.
Diana told Thomas, “You may start icing the champagne now. We’re about five carriages back, right?”
“Four, my lady.”
As Thomas left the window, she lifted her veil to sip her claret, and Geoffrey watched her cautiously. “What’s the champagne for?”
“To celebrate your sister’s success, of course.”
“You’re that sure of her?”
“I’m that sure of Eliza’s ability to guide her through this. And yes, that sure of Rosy, too. Your sister has come a long way in the past few weeks. She’s determined to do well.”
He swallowed some claret. “Then I hope you’re right. Because if you’re wrong, tonight will be a disaster.”
“But as my other clients know, I’m always correct in matters like these.”
“And modest, too,” he drawled.
“Of course. Being otherwise would be gauche.”
The carriage moved again, jostling his glass. “Showingotherwise would be gauche.Beingotherwise is another thing entirely. I happen to be well aware of my own abilities, and I’m beginning to think you are as well.”
She smiled and sipped more claret. “Aware of yours or aware of mine?”
“Both, I would imagine.” He’d best change the subject. “You’ve got me curious now about your mother. What happened between her and her paramour?”
Diana waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, they married. For a time, the scandal made it impossible for him to serve in the army, but eventually he went to the Continent and took up his sword and rifle again.”
“And your mother? Did she go with him?”
“She did. For about four months. But war isn’t pretty, as you might guess, and the major-general finally packed her off home to wait for him on his estate in Cumberland.”
“I can understand why he—Wait, he has anestate?”
“He does. After he married Mama, his father died, so he inherited his father’s viscountcy.” She pursed her lips. “I suppose we should stop calling him the major-general, but we simply cannot. It’s too vexing to realize that after he and Mama upended our lives, he became Lord Rumridge through no effort of his own and in spite of his involvement in an adulterous affair. And Mama became Lady Rumridge and is now holding court in Cumberland.”
