With that, Mr Tulk was led away into the house only to be replaced by the next guest to arrive. Two gentlemen by the names of Lord Barnard Colton and Lord Edward Colton, the Baron Colton, and his younger brother.
They greeted Nancy and Alice in much of a similar way to Philip, though much more formally and once again Nancy insisted that they ought to spend a little time that week with her greatest friend, Alice. They were then quickly led off by another servant to get themselves situated and it was as the third carriage of guests arrived that Alice noticed a pattern, one that she merely hoped she was imagining.
She was about to quietly voice her suspicions to her friend before the gentlemen at the bottom of the steps could reach them, when she heard someone clearing their throat behind her and both women turned instinctively to find who it was.
Alice was instantly happy to find Lord Kendall standing just behind them. He reached instantly for the small of his wife's back and pressed a kiss to her cheek even as Alice dropped into a curtsey to greet him, "Viscount Kendall, it is so good to see you. I must admit I was beginning to think that you were hiding from me."
When she rose to standing once more, she found Owen Kendall smiling at her warmly, offering her his hand. Alice placed her hand in his and smiled at the way he too kissed her gloved knuckles.
His wavy brown hair which always seemed slightly too long not to be awkward, fell forward to brush his forehead and he was forced to sweep it back from his green eyes as he straightened up. Owen was the sweetest of gentleman, and Alice was more than happy to see him married to her closest friend.
"Pardon me, Miss Skeffington, I would have been down much sooner if not for having so much paperwork to attend to," Owen admitted, offering his wife an apologetic expression before addressing Alice once more, "I do hope that you are well."
"I am quite well, thank you, my lord," Alice said with a nod, pleased to see the way that the Viscount and his wife were looking at each other with affection, washing away her earlier worries that something might perhaps have gone amiss between them.
Then what is this suspicious feeling in my stomach?Alice asked herself even as her mother appeared from the front door to join them also.
"How good of you to join us, Lord Kendall," Lady Skeffington greeted him as she arrived. "You are looking quite well."
"Thank you, Lady Skeffington, as are you." The Viscount bowed his head to the older noblewoman, before they all turned to continue greeting the other guests.
"You know, Nancy," Alice whispered as the next gentleman walked into the house, guided by one of the guests, "I am quite beginning to wonder, where are all the young ladies of the Ton?"
Nancy's artfully confused expression quite simply told Alice all she needed to know, even before Nancy gasped, "My goodness! It appears I have not invited too many of our own sex." Alice struggled not to roll her eyes as Nancy pressed her hand to her mouth in shock and added, "I do hope it shall not cause any kind of scandal."
The grimace that Owen offered confirmed to Alice what she had already been thinking. The gentleman had never really placed much pride in his wife's schemes, even before they had been married, though he often overlooked such things due to his love for the woman. Alice had always tended to do so too, yet now she found she was quite annoyed with her friend, unable to stop herself from questioning her motives on the matter.
"If you will excuse me, I am afraid I have further business to attend to," Owen announced quickly when one of the servants reappeared at the door, though Alice was almost certain the servant did not look as though he needed his master's help.
The poor man looked startled at the Viscount's attention, though both quickly disappeared and the tension around Alice, her mother, and her best friend quickly became palpable. One glance at Lady Skeffington told Alice that her mother was holding in laughter with great difficulty, clearly amused by Nancy's scheme, or maybe even that Alice had begun to figure it out.
Already feeling as though she knew the answer, Alice turned furiously to Nancy and demanded, "What is the meaning of all this?"
Nancy's face broke into an immediate smile, clearly not seeing the seriousness of her friend's own expression, or maybe even choosing to ignore it entirely.
"Is not my plan brilliant?" Nancy asked, her face growing brighter. She practically shone with genius, though Alice could not help but feel as though she looked quite stupid. Had she not been so furious, she might have felt guilty about it. "You need not worry. None of the gentlemen are aware as to the true nature of our celebrations. They merely believe they are here to help us warm our new home."
Nancy continued to look quite pleased with herself, and Alice had to grit her teeth to stop herself from snapping that Nancy had gone too far. She had taken it upon herself to do the unthinkable and had made certain that Alice would be quite uncomfortable for most of their visit.
Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, and she was forced to hide them in the folds of her skirt due to the arrival of another carriage at the bottom of the porch steps. It was almost as if Nancy had planned it merely to save her own skin. The moment the carriage door swung open the swishing of silken skirts announced the arrival of two young women and their noble husbands.
Alice did not pay attention to their welcome from Nancy, instead turning her attention to her mother and asking, "Did you know about this?"
"Alice, I am sure you are well aware that Lady Kendall and I often share correspondence, so that I might check up on her due to her lack of a mother of her own," Lady Skeffington said quietly, drawing close to her daughter. It was clear from her tone that she was not only trying to make Alice understand but also to maybe even cause her to pity her friend.
"It was during those letters that we decided you had suffered the most dreadful Season yet and Nancy took it upon herself to try and correct it for the latter half."
Alice continued to grit her teeth, unable to stop herself from scowling as she did so. As if Lady Skeffington could see that her daughter was not amused, she quickly added, "We merely hoped for you to have a little fun away from the stressful inner London parties."
Alice was not entirely convinced, and she most certainly was not in any kind of forgiving mood. Ever since the tail end of their carriage ride, Alice had been forced to think of nothing but marriage and gentlemen, and she was already growing sick of it. Her only hope was that at least she might be able to fill her time with Mr Tulk who had only ever been friendly, if a little flirtatious, both well aware that they would only ever be friends.
"Alice, you must come and meet a dear friend of my husband's," Nancy announced and Alice turned reluctantly from where she had been scowling at her mother. It appeared that the carriage of the two married couples had housed one more guest and he was only halfway up the porch, awaiting the two couples to be led into the house.
"Mr Andrew Gouldsmith!" Nancy greeted him the moment his foot hit the top step. "It is good to see you. My husband shall be so glad that you were able to make it."
"It is a pleasure to see you too, Lady Kendall. You are looking beautiful as usual," Andrew announced, taking Nancy's hand to kiss her knuckles before he added, "Though please do not tell my friend Owen as he might wish to strike me for my noticing."
Nancy chuckled at his words and wafting away the idea with a wave of his hand. "I am sure my husband would not blame your noticing, sir," she responded, before guiding the man artfully toward Alice who had been praying that their welcome might have simply been a passing moment.