When Leticia looked up once more, she saw her aunt smiling sadly at her. Perfunctorily, Leticia returned the smile her aunt cast in her direction. Then she picked up the cards she’d been dealt and tried to focus on the game. She listened very little to the continuing gossiping that ensued over the next few minutes, but then, as her head and heart were no longer in the game, she knocked. Several minutes later, the game was over, and Leticia pushed away from the table.
“Excuse me, Your Grace,” she said rising and giving the Dowager a simple nod of the head. “I’m feeling rather tired.”
“Don’t go to bed yet,” Uncle Sebastian called out to her as he swirled the amber liquid around in his cup. “The fun has just begun. I was getting ready to tell these fine ladies and gentlemen all about the time I fought with a tiger shark.”
Leticia snickered a little as she knew that her uncle couldn’t possibly have done battle with a shark, but still, she did not wish to stay in the room that now felt rather confined.
“It was a fearsome creature, I assure you—” Uncle Sebastian began.
“Go ahead and go, Lady Leticia,” the Dowager whispered. “I imagine you won’t miss a thing here.”
As she exited the room, leaving behind all the talk of daring conquests that surely didn’t happen but also truer tales about love, marriage, and babies, tears sprung to her eyes. She could not be sure exactly why that happened as she wasn’t prone to crying very often, but as she left the room, there was no mistaking the all-consuming feeling of her heart breaking.
CHAPTERELEVEN
“We must get back to our game,” Harry said, gesturing toward the table where their empty chairs still sat vacantly.
“I don’t think it’s so pressing,” Richard replied, nodding at the two women, his future wife, Miss Loery, and Miss Drawlington. The pair were talking amiably and didn’t seem to be at all troubled that their party had broken up so quickly.
“Come now,” Harry murmured, “you cannot let people see you behaving in this manner toward your bride. They might think you don’t wish to spend time with her.”
Richard shifted uncomfortably and gazed out the window for a moment. The sun had receded hours ago, and now, only the moon and a handful of winking stars filled in the inky night sky. His fingers went toward the front pocket of his jacket, and they brushed across his list.
Find a lady to be your wife, and marry her. It’s that simple.With that, Richard nodded stoutly and turned to give his friend a tight smile.
“Ease up there, old friend,” Harry cautioned with a bit of a chuckle. “You look as though I’m forcing you to play a hand of cards.”
“Aren’t you?” Richard asked.
“Am I?” Harry returned, and his words hung heavily in the air between them, for Richard did feel as though his best friend was pestering him. All he wanted to do was spend a quiet moment, reflecting on what sort of conversation he might be missing out on with Leticia, but instead, Harry kept rushing him to return to Miss Loery’s side.
“Ah,” Richard grumbled. “This is getting us nowhere.” He led the way then back toward the table.
“Just in time, Your Grace,” Miss Loery said, flashing him an enchanting smile. “We were beginning to think we might have to implore some other players to join our party.”
“Forgive me,” Richard replied with a stiff nod of his head. Just then, as he was settling into his seat, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Leticia rise from her own chair. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was trembling. At once, Richard rose and started toward her.
“Let me,” Harry said, stepping so as to block Richard’s path.
“I think it would be best—” Richard began, but Harry spoke over the top of him.
“It would be best if you let me see to my cousin. You ought to return to your lovely bride and pay her every attention she deserves.” Richard shifted away from his friend but remained standing. He stood motionless as he watched Leticia dash from the room, and right on her heels, Harry followed behind.
She was having so much fun just a moment ago—
Once Leticia and Harry both disappeared through the open drawing-room door, Richard slouched back toward his table.
“Well now, what are we going to do?” Miss Drawlington mewled in her pinched voice.
“Is there a problem?” Richard asked, slumping heavily in his seat and then forcing himself into an upright position.
Miss Loery tittered. “We can’t very well play a game of whist without a fourth, Your Grace.”
“I’m going to need a partner,” Miss Drawlington added, lifting her hand to indicate the empty seat across the table from her.
“Yes,” Richard mumbled, climbing once more to his feet. “I suppose we couldn’t just give up the game, could we?”
With a stiff shake of her head, Miss Loery replied, “We were already in the middle of a game. It would be quite vexing to stop right now.”