“I do. That’s why we picked that date.”
God, she sounded so much like her sister, it was maddening. “Anyway, I was thinking that the cooks could be back here using the hearth for whatever was needed, and the footmen could grab the trays of champagne glasses through the window.”
Verity lifted an eyebrow. “One window. For enough trays of champagne to serve two hundred people.”
He feigned a sigh. “Your sister didn’t like the idea either.”
“Even after you plied her with champagne?” Verity nodded to the two glasses sitting there with the bottle.
He was starting to get testy again. “I just wanted her to taste it before I ordered enough for the ball.”
Verity walked over and swigged some right out of the bottle. “Even after being uncorked, that champagne tastes very expensive, Your Grace. I don’t think you have any idea how much this particular champagne for that many guests would cost you.”
“Oh, I think I do.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Which is why we settled on a slightly less expensive one.”
Verity smiled brightly. “Excellent. That’s one thing off my list.” She nodded toward the corner. “And the cushions?”
Damn, he should just tell the woman he’d been seducing her sister. It would be easier and make him look less like a dolt.
And more like a . . . well . . . seducer. Not to mention that Diana would have his head if he did. “Those were here when I came. I think the footmen store the extra cushions in here.”
“Right. Instead of in a closet or attic, away from the weather but easy to access from inside the house.”
She laughed and turned for the door. Then she paused, as if thinking, before she faced him again, this time looking quite sober. “Honestly, Your Grace, the next time you and my sister wish to steal a moment or two to kiss or—” She held up one hand. “I don’t want to know. But you’d better let her come up with the lies. Because you are very bad at them. I mean, if Eliza had been the one to come in here, she wouldn’t even have let you past the part about the champagne before she started blistering your ears.”
“And you?” he asked. “Are you going to blister my ears?”
“I’ll do more than that if you dare to hurt Diana. For now, I’ll wait and see. I know she likes you. Just see that you don’t take advantage of that. We may not have a father or husband in our house to protect us, but we do have Mr. Norris, and I understand he is a crack shot.”
“Norris?” he scoffed. “You’re joking.”
“Not one bit. He was in the Royal Navy. I believe he was with Admiral Nelson at Trafalgar. But after that engagement, he sold his commission. Too much blood and death, he said. So, have a care with my sister’s heart. Or you’ll see how much he still remembers about how to cause blood and death.”
And with that final salvo, she left.
Bloody hell, those Harper sisters were not to be trifled with, were they? No wonder they were able to pick and choose their clients. Not only did they know what they were talking about when it came to society, but as sisters they stood together.
He had a sneaking suspicion he had just lost this particular battle, and on two fronts. He would have to be more clever next time.
* * *
Diana was in the drawing room of Grenwood House trying to figure out how they should arrange the furniture for the ball when her sister waltzed in.
“Good Lord, Diana, what the devil have you done to that man?” Verity said as she plopped down on the sofa. “You should have heard the ridiculous tale the duke just spun me.”
With a scowl, Diana walked over to examine the fire screen. “About what?”
“What the two of you were doing in the laboratory.”
Her heart froze in her chest. She whirled to face her sister. “You can’t believe a word he says.”
“Oh, I don’t. Not for a moment do I think he took you back there to convince you that the ball supper should be held outside.”
Diana nearly collapsed with relief. “Actually, he did suggest it.” Sort of. And because the servants had overheard him doing so, Verity would hear nothing to gainsay that.
“Did he also suggest you should have the footmen fetching their serving trays of champagne through that one window?”
“He did mention it.”A pox on you, Geoffrey Brookhouse. Couldn’t you have come up with something more believable?“Of course, I told him that would never work.”
