Glimmers (20 page)

I listen to her strategically dissect the situation, but am wondering about the tart I still hold. Perhaps she will not notice if I taste it.

“How delightful it is that Edmund has invited Mr. Stone to stay here!” Victoria looks overcome with anticipation.

“He seems nice, I met him outside father’s study,” I offer.

“How should you be so lucky as to stumble up on him, so? I am jealous!” She puffs out her lower lip. “I will just have to come up with something equally as clever.”

“I wouldn’t exercise too much thought on the matter,” I say and indulge in the sweetness of the apple tart. “After all, he will be staying with us for at least a fortnight.”

The tart is now completely gone, so I decide it would be rude to deny a macaroon my attention. After that, I treat myself to a variety of desserts, listening indifferently to Victoria’s ramblings. She is in a tizzy, discussing the scandalous rumors circulating the room.

“Emma, I do hope you will not make a spectacle of yourself by gorging on the dessert table again,” says Victoria.

“If you are referring to Mrs. Primrose’s high tea, then I must inform you I did not make a spectacle of myself. I merely tasted some of the delicacies that were on display.”

“Darling sister, if that is how you wish to remember the event then I shall leave you to your delusions.” Victoria produces a handkerchief and wipes my chin with it. “You have some jam on your face.”

I glimpse over at my brother and Mr. Andrew. They are speaking avidly to one another. I watch their faces light up with animated excitement. Their meeting with Papa must have gone well.

“There he is, now! Just over there, with Edmund!” Victoria exclaims, taking in the sight of him. “Mr. Stone has a certain distinctive air about him. Does he not?”

“Yes, he does,” I reply.

“Oh and look, Edmund seems to be motioning for your future husband to join them,” observes Victoria. “Why would our brother wish to introduce him to Mr. Stone? I thought Edmund found Mr. Grant to be a complete bore.”

I stare unblinkingly, as my brother laughs while inviting an uncomfortable looking Mr. Grant closer into their conversation. Edmund looks pleased with himself. Why, he is grinning from ear to ear. What deviltry is he up to now?

Slowly, it occurs to me what Victoria has just said.

“What do you mean Edmund finds Mr. Grant boring? He has never mentioned his dislike of Mr. Grant to me,” I say, still staring at the three men just beyond the threshold.

“Of course, he would not let you know how he truly feels about the man you are about to marry. That would be in poor taste, would it not? Now that you are aware of his feelings, I must let you hear some of the funny remarks he has made about Mr. Grant!” she offers with a large grin.

“No thank you, Victoria. I have a feeling I could guess some of them.”

“You are no fun! Why, I laughed hysterically, when just earlier, Edmund referred to Mr. Grant as the most boring man in all of England!” She sniggers right in the midst of retelling the story.

I shake my head and continue watching Mr. Grant, as he wipes his nose with his handkerchief. His eyes keep shifting towards the other room. What has captured his interest so? I peer over to where he is looking. Why, he is watching his mother! I cannot believe it! I should think he would prefer to stare longingly towards me, not the woman who gave birth to him. And now, Mama is standing next to his mother. They appear anxious. They must be busy planning our firstborn’s nursery.

Victoria interrupts my thoughts, “Join me in the other room. I would very much like to make Mr. Stone’s acquaintance.” Only, she does not wait for a response. She scampers off towards the three men, practically dragging me behind her.

“Go on without me, I will catch up with you later,” I offer, removing my hand from her firm grasp.

Truthfully, the idea of being caught in a conversation between Mr. Andrew and Mr. Grant sounds mortifying. I restrict my attention back toward the dessert table and reach for another pastry.

From behind me, I hear a strange coughing noise. I turn around to see who it is. When I realize it is Mr. Grant, I feel my stomach tighten. I had naively assumed he was still in the other room. How did he manage to sneak up on me so quickly? I peer over his shoulder and see Victoria speaking with Mr. Andrew and Edmund.

I sigh, while trying to imitate Victoria’s pleasing smile and pretend I am delighted. Although truthfully, I had believed I would be able to avoid Mr. Grant until our scheduled meeting on the terrace. What could he possibly want of me now?

“Miss. Emma, I must inform you that a most regrettable situation has occurred at my home in Webshire. It calls for my immediate return.” He is speaking to me, but his attention is in the hall, where his mother and my Mama are still in heated discussion.

“Oh dear, I do hope it is nothing serious!” I say with genuine concern.

“I believe everything is well within my control. It is imperative, however, I be present. Unfortunately, I will not be able to meet with you as planned.”

“How unfortunate; however, I can assure you there will be other opportunities for us to meet. Please, do not give it a second thought.”

“You are ever so gracious. I thank you for your kind words of understanding,” Mr. Grant says, gently taking my hand. “I will call upon you as soon as I can. Good-evening, Miss Emma.”

After his departure, I return my undivided attention to the dessert table. There are a few colorful petit fours I have neglected. Reaching for one, I become aware of Mr. Andrew’s stare. He must have witnessed the conversation between Mr. Grant and me. Why is Mr. Andrew watching me, when he has Victoria standing next to him?

Although it is entirely unladylike, I stuff a petit four into my mouth. I believe it to be my favorite and enjoy the vanilla icing. From the corner of my eye, I can barely see a smile spread across Mr. Andrew’s face. Although it is a struggle, I pretend to pay little attention.

Victoria is close to Mr. Andrew’s side. She appears to circle him as though she were a lioness stalking her prey. After a little while, he escorts her to the dance floor, at which point, I can scarcely focus on anything else. He moves his body effortlessly about the floor. My sister appears eager, as she follows his lead. An uninvited feeling of envy has crept into my heart.

Although I have wedged myself inconspicuously between some familiar faces, my brother has little trouble finding me and seems quite aware of my ungracious thoughts.

“Victoria has a way of attracting the attention of men. Do not you agree?” he says, edging his body between the surrounding people.

“She cannot help herself. Men are naturally drawn to her, as bees are to honey.” I smile weakly.

“I understand Mr. Grant had to make a sudden departure. I am sorry if his leave taking has caused you any heartache,” Edmund says sarcastically.

“I can assure you, it is of little consequence. In fact…may I speak freely, dear brother?”

“I hope you would feel comfortable enough with me to always speak freely.”

“Oh Edmund, since we last spoke on the matter of Mr. Grant, I find myself feeling confused! I am not entirely certain I want to marry him!”

“Well, I am glad you have returned to your senses. I must say, I am not at all surprised by your lack of feeling for the man. Perhaps you can sneak away with me to London before he notices you are gone.”

“We must not let him know or Mama and Papa, for that matter,” I tease.

Edmund looks over at Victoria and says, “I suppose we ought to invite her along, as well.”

“It would only be fair. I do fear, however, for the poor men of London and the trail of broken hearts that would undoubtedly strew the path behind her,” I chide, and we begin to laugh.

“Agreed, but at the moment, she appears quite captivated by Andrew.”

“Would you expect anything less from our younger sister?”

“It is unfortunate Andrew does not appear to share in her interest. I am very fond of the fellow and would like to see him with her. Shame really.”

I peer down at my fidgeting hands. “Oh really, and why would he not be captivated by her?”

“Actually, I believe he has taken an interest in someone else. I am not entirely certain who she may be,” says Edmund, shrugging his shoulders. “Well, we need to shake you out of this downtrodden-mood. Let us have a spin about the floor.”

“Why Edmund, is it wise to keep you from all of the ladies here tonight?” I inquire playfully.

“The fair maidens will just have to wait. I wish to see your smile return, as you delight in my expert lead on the dance floor.”

I smile brightly at him, as he leads me to where couples are already in the middle of a dance. We join them, as if we have been here all along.

Victoria grins from ear to ear and looks as though she is having the time of her life. Her partner; however, wear’s an expression of feigned interest. It almost appears as if she is stepping on his toes.

Edmund must have noticed Mr. Andrew’s discomfort, because he laughs before saying, “Hmm, as the events play out, this ought to be most entertaining. What a tangled web, indeed.”

“I have not the slightest notions as to what you refer.”

“We shall see about that!”

The night takes a turn I rather enjoy. Edmund and I spend most of our time laughing and dancing along with the assembly. The remaining portion of the night is frittered away in this playful manner, for which I am grateful.

The following morning, I awaken to the sound of birds singing sweetly outside of my window. The chime from our grandfather clock announces the hour is still early. If I hurry, I can walk into town and see the baker. I also need to purchase some ribbon and thread. Later, I shall visit a dear friend of mine; I am anxious to show her my latest sketches.

The party lasted into the late hours of the evening. In my haste for sleep, I had carelessly tossed my clothes about the room. I will have to deal with sorting through the mess later. For now, I have prior obligations in town. I leap out of my bed and dash, eagerly attempting to find something suitable to wear for my morning stroll.

I savor the solitude of my mornings, and after the merriment of just a few hours ago, the house is refreshingly still. Quietly, I tip toe the length of the hall and down the stairs. I dislike being sneaky in this way, but find it essential if I hope to leave the house alone. When I enter the kitchen, I continue peering over my shoulder.

“Good-morning,” says a voice from behind me. I startle and tumble backward into a cabinet.

“What do you mean by frightening me like that?” I say, reaching for my pounding heart.

I turn more fully and see Mr. Andrew. He is sitting at the table, nibbling on pastries, and sipping coffee. A sun-beam filters through an open window, falling lightly over him, intensifying the gold in his hair.

“I am truly sorry for alarming you, but must you always recoil upon seeing me?" says Mr. Andrew, and his already perfect mouth moves into a charming grin.

I look toward the floor and concentrate on the grain of the wood. “I suppose, Mr. Andrew, while you are here I should pay more attention to my surroundings.” Bravely, I lift my head and see he is smiling. “I wonder if perhaps you secretly enjoy scaring young women half to death.”

Mr. Andrew raises his eyebrows and sets aside his book. “I confess it is rather amusing how you startle so easily, but it has never been my intention to cause you any unease,” he says, shifting his body into a formal position. “Please, join me for breakfast. I have a feeling you will find the treacle tarts to be delightful.”

“I am afraid I must leave you to it. I have prior obligations in town. Good-day,” I reply and turn to leave.

Swiftly, he rises from the wooden chair and moves towards me.

“May I accompany you? I have seen so little of this part of England and would very much like to explore the area. Edmund has spoken highly of its charm.”

Abruptly, I halt in the doorframe and stare at him in astonishment.

“Perhaps Edmund would like to show you around,” I say, straightening out the wrinkles from my lavender dress.