In thinking this, Sir Ralph could not have been further from the truth. Sarah’s frown was engendered by her futile attempts to repress the surge of longing that had swept through her—a relic of that fateful evening in Lady Overton’s shrubbery, she felt sure—when she had seen Darcy Hamilton’s tall figure negligently propped by the door. She had felt the weight of his gaze upon her and, turning to seek its source, had met his eyes across the room. Fool that she was! She had had to fight to keep herself in her seat and not run across the room and throw herself int
o his arms. Then, an arch look from Arabella, unaware of Lord Darcy’s return, had reminded her of her duty. She had put her hand to her head and Lizzie had promptly asked if she was feeling the thing. It had been easy enough to claim Sir Ralph’s escort and leave the music-room. But the thunderous look in Darcy’s eyes as she did so had tied her stomach in knots.
Pushing her own concerns abruptly aside, she transferred her attention to the man beside her. “Sir Ralph, I hope you won’t mind if I speak to you on a matter of some delicacy?”
Taken aback, Sir Ralph goggled.
Sarah ignored his startled expression. Harriet had warned her how he would react. It was her job to lead him by the nose. “I’m afraid things have reached a head with Arabella. I know it’s not obvious; she’s so reticent about such things. But I feel it’s my duty to try to explain it to you. She’s in such low spirits. Something must be done or she may even go into a decline.”
It was on the tip of Sir Ralph’s tongue to say that he had thought it was Sarah who was going into the decline. And the suggestion that Arabella, last seen with an enchanting sparkle in her big eyes, was in low spirits confused him utterly. But Sarah’s next comment succeeded in riveting his mind. “You’re the only one who can save her.”
The practical tone in which Sarah brought out her statement lent it far greater weight than a more dramatic declaration. In the event, Sir Ralph’s attention was all hers. “You see, although she would flay me alive for telling you, you should know that she was very seriously taken with a gentleman earlier in the Season, before you arrived. He played on her sensibilities and she was so vulnerable. Unfortunately, he was not interested in marriage. I’m sure I can rely on your discretion. Luckily, she learned of his true intentions before he had time to achieve them. But her heart was sorely bruised, of course. Now that she’s found such solace in your company, we had hoped, my sisters and I, that you would not let her down.”
Sir Ralph was heard to mumble that he had no intention of letting Miss Arabella down.
“Ah, but you see,” said Sarah, warming to her task, “what she needs is to be taken out of herself. Some excitement that would divert her from the present round of balls and parties and let her forget her past hurts in her enjoyment of a new love.”
Sir Ralph, quite carried away by her eloquence, muttered that yes, he could quite see the point in that
“So you see, Sir Ralph, it’s imperative that she be swept off her feet. She’s very romantically inclined, you know.”
Sir Ralph, obediently responding to his cue, declared he was only too ready to do whatever was necessary to ensure Arabella’s happiness.
Sarah smiled warmly, “In that case, I can tell you exactly what you must do.”
———
It took Sarah nearly half an hour to conclude her instructions to Sir Ralph. Initially, he had been more than a little reluctant even to discuss such an enterprise. But, by dwelling on the depth of Arabella’s need, appealing quite brazenly to poor Sir Ralph’s chivalrous instincts, she had finally wrung from him his sworn agreement to the entire plan.
In a mood of definite self-congratulation, she led the way back to the music-room and, stepping over the door sill, all but walked into Darcy Hamilton. His hand at her elbow steadied her, but, stung by his touch, she abruptly pulled away. Sir Ralph, who had not previously met Lord Darcy, stopped in bewilderment, his eyes going from Sarah’s burning face to his lordship’s pale one. Then, Darcy Hamilton became aware of his presence. “I’ll return Miss Twinning to her seat.”
Responding to the commanding tone, Sir Ralph bowed and departed.
Sarah drew a deep breath. “How dare you?” she uttered furiously as she made to follow Sir Ralph.
But Darcy’s hand on her arm detained her. “What’s that…country bumpkin to you?” The insulting drawl in his voice drew a blaze of fire from Sarah’s eyes.
But before she could wither him where she stood, several heads turned their way. “Sssh!”
Without a word, Darcy turned her and propelled her back out of the door.
“Disgraceful!” said Lady Mailing to Mrs. Benn, nodding by her side.
On the balcony, Sarah stood very still, quivering with rage and a number of other more interesting emotions, directly attributable to the fact that Darcy was standing immediately behind her.
“Perhaps you’d like to explain what you were doing with that gentleman on the balcony for half an hour and more?”
Sarah almost turned, then remembered how close he was. She lifted her chin and kept her temper with an effort. “That’s hardly any affair of yours, my lord.”
Darcy frowned. “As a friend of your guardian—”
At that Sarah did turn, uncaring of the consequences, her eyes flashing, her voice taut. “As a friend of my guardian, you’ve been trying to seduce me ever since you first set eyes on me!”
“True,” countered Darcy, his face like granite. “But not even Max has blamed me for that. Besides,it’s what you Twinning girls expect, isn’t it? Tell me, my dear, how many other lovesick puppies have you had at your feet since I left?”
It was on the tip of Sarah’s tongue to retort that she had had no lack of suitors since his lordship had quit the scene. But, just in time, she saw the crevasse yawning at her feet. In desperation, she willed herself to calm, and coolly met his blue eyes, her own perfectly candid. “Actually, I find the entertainments of the ton have palled. Since you ask, I’ve formed the intention of entering a convent. There’s a particularly suitable one, the Ursulines, not far from our old home.”
For undoubtedly the first time in his adult life, Darcy Hamilton was completely nonplussed. A whole range of totally unutterable responses sprang to his lips. He swallowed them all and said, “You wouldn’t be such a fool.”