Chapter 12
“What a step up this is!” Barbara gushed as she stepped down from the carriage. Annie followed slowly, uncertain what to think. “A dinner with the Earl of Shrewsbury, what a thing this is. Come on, Peggy, we mustn’t be late.”
Peggy stepped down beside Annie, too, smiling as much as Barbara was.
“I am glad your mother agreed to chaperone me as well at this dinner,” Peggy said in a whisper as she took Annie’s arm, and they followed Barbara forward. “My cousin made it quite plain he would not come. Even though it is an Earl’s house! Isn’t that odd? Apparently, my cousin’s fear of being associated with scandal outranks his wish to climb the hierarchy. Rather surprising, I thought nothing outweighed that hunger.”
Annie laughed briefly at Peggy’s jest, but not for long. She was too busy looking toward the house with a case of nerves. Initially, she had been quite thrilled to receive the invitation to dinner from Lady Shrewsbury. Having spoken to her a few times now, she thought Lady Shrewsbury was lovely company and desired to know her better, but an event at her house came with one obstacle.
Her brother will no doubt be there tonight.
Just the thought of seeing Lord Yeatman again had Annie chewing her lip nervously as she climbed the front steps that led to the door with Peggy beside her. Barbara was so excited she would not stop fussing with her hair and her pelisse as they waited for the door to open.
Once she had finished fidgeting with her own clothes, she turned round and adjusted Annie’s and Peggy’s pelisses too, until they were just right, before she had to turn back as the door opened.
The butler showed them into the house, and as they all admired the beauty of the home, they nearly lost track of where they were going. Lady Shrewsbury’s excited welcome called Annie’s attention back to the moment.
“Lady Maybury,” she said, moving forward with a curtsy as the three of them stepped into a well-dressed parlour. Many guests had already arrived and were sat around with drinks in their hands, yet it seemed Lady Shrewsbury was either a dutiful hostess or eager for their arrival, judging from how quickly she had stepped forward.
“Thank you so much for coming. Miss Storey, Miss Grove, I’m so glad you could come. It will only be a small affair tonight, but I hope the company will be interesting to you.”
Annie thought she spied some nerves in Lady Shrewsbury’s countenance as she glanced back at the party assembled. Annie found herself smiling, wishing to soften any worries Lady Shrewsbury may have about moving amongst theton.
“It is a delightful party, my lady,” Annie said, curtsying herself. “After all, it’s the quality of the company, is it not? Not the quantity. I hope you’ll spare some time this evening to talk again with me of books. I feel we have not finished our conversation.”
“I would love that too. Please, come in. I’ll introduce you to our other guests.” Lady Shrewsbury proved herself to be a very good hostess. She circled the entire party and made sure that Annie and Peggy were not only introduced to everyone there, but learned something of everyone they met, too, including shared reading interests and the like. Annie was so impressed with her that when Lady Shrewsbury moved to the side of the room to find her own drink, Annie followed.
“What a lovely evening this is, Lady Shrewsbury,” Annie said, reaching her side, delighted when the lady’s lips spread into a smile.
“Thank you so much. I must admit, I have been very nervous. Goodness, do you think people can tell,” she said with a giggle and lifted a hand to cover one of her blushing cheeks.
“Not at all.” Annie laughed with her and urged her to lower the hand. “You have done a spectacular job, and I think there is not a face in this room at this moment that is not smiling.”
“I am glad.” Lady Shrewsbury sighed with relief. “We do have two people yet to arrive for dinner, then we can serve.” Lady Shrewsbury looked to the door as she spoke. “Ah, here they are now.”
Annie felt her smile falter. In the happiness of speaking with Lady Shrewsbury, she had forgotten momentarily about the danger that could befall here tonight, for Lord Yeatman had arrived beside Mr Barton.
Some danger…some excitement!
She chastised herself at once for the thought and lifted her glass to her lips, hoping the claret could be mistaken for the cause of her reddening cheeks rather than Lord Yeatman’s arrival.
Eyes swivelled toward the two gentlemen at their arrival, but there were no whispers and no gossiping as there would have been at balls and assemblies about Lord Yeatman’s arrival. There were only friends here, who greeted the two gentlemen warmly and encouraged them further into the room.
“My brother has a habit of attracting people’s attention,” Lady Shrewsbury said, as if both humoured by her brother and despairing of him. She pointed at the way gentlemen and ladies moved toward him, eager to greet him for the night. “I see you have shared a few dances with him as of late,” she whispered, moving closer toward Annie.
Annie hesitated, her tongue going still to the roof of her mouth. She wished to talk of this with someone, but Lord Yeatman’s sister hardly seemed like the right person. She could tell her brother what Annie wished to keep secret.
“A few,” Annie said, managing to move her tongue a few seconds later. “He is rather good at asking me to dance at times when I feel it would be improper to turn him down. Such as when others are watching, and he disbelieves my excuse that I have a headache.” Lady Shrewsbury laughed warmly at the words.
“He can be rather persistent when he admires someone,” she said with a giggle.
Admires?
Annie tried to stop herself from glancing in Lord Yeatman’s direction, but she couldn’t stop herself. He was talking at length with his brother-in-law, the Earl of Shrewsbury, when the two laughed heartily at something. It lit up his features completely. There was no longer just the humoured smile, but one of those enjoyed guffaws, a few she had witnessed before, yet he seemed more relaxed in this company as if this was where he belonged.
“Have no fear, Miss Storey,” Lady Shrewsbury whispered at her side another time. “I have spoken plainly with my brother on the matter.”
“On what matter?” Annie said distractedly, turning her focus back to Lady Shrewsbury.