Lady Blue (18 page)

“How dare
you
steal my inheritance?” Harmony let a grim smile touch her mouth as she watched a now-familiar and unbecoming flush rise to Agatha’s face. “You’ve made it perfectly clear that you want me out of your house and safely away from my claims on my own money. You want me well married and gone. And it will be a feather in your cap to have your sister married to a lord. So, why the charade, Agatha?”

“I
never!”

“No, you never did,” Harmony continued calmly. “Which probably accounts for you being the way you are.”

Agatha sputtered, but Harmony felt no remorse.

Merely pity. Perhaps it was because of what was growing between her and Anthony, the confidence he gave her in herself, but Agatha no longer intimidated her. Her sister was greedy, mean, spiteful. And pitiable. That was all.

“I ought to order you out of my house!” Agatha spit.

“It would be a pleasure, Agatha. I have nowhere to go, however, since I have no money. Nowhere to go except with Anthony, that is. And I’m sure you would prefer I was married to a man before I went away with him. Imagine the scandal.”

“Yes, imagine it!” Agatha slammed her napkin down on the table. “And imagine the scandal if your
Lord
Farmington proves to be an impostor!”

Harmony felt herself grow cold all over. She watched her sister’s eyes narrow. “What … what are you talking about?”

Agatha smiled thinly and, with her right forefinger, tapped a letter lying to the left of her plate. “This came only this morning, hand delivered from the Millswich library.”

Harmony’s gaze slid to the piece of paper, gleaming bright white against the dark mahogany of the tabletop.

“You haven’t asked, but I’m sure you’ll be interested to know what the letter says.” Agatha picked it up and scanned the lines. “'In response to your request for information on Anthony Allen, Lord Farmington,'” she read, “'we find no such name listed in our archives.'”

A chill seeped into the very marrow of Harmony’s bones. And with it a cold, hard anger. She leaned across the table and snatched the letter from Agatha’s fingers. Quickly she ran her eyes over the page and began to breathe again.

“'Our information is only local, however, primarily for this county,'” Harmony continued to read out loud. “'Should you wish to pursue your investigation you would be advised to apply to the county of origin.'” Harmony laid the paper down carefully, and slid it back across the table to her sister. “I suggest you do as the letter advises,” she went on, “before you refer to someone as an … ‘imposter.'”

Agatha remained silent, eyes glittering. “Why did you do this?” Harmony asked quietly. The smug smile returned. “I’ve already told you. You’re my ward, my responsibility. I have every right to know Lord Farmington’s background if he wishes, as it seems, to court you. Furthermore,” Agatha said casually as she pushed her chair back from the table, “it would serve Lady Margaret to know something of the gentleman who will be escorting you to the party she is giving in his honor.”

Harmony’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“You heard me.” Agatha plucked an imaginary piece of lint from the bodice of her high-necked, pale gray dress. “Because she values my friendship, Lady Margaret has kindly and generously offered to host an evening in order to introduce you … and Lord Farmington … to our neighbors and friends.”

Harmony managed to stifle the retort that came immediately to her lips. If Lady Margaret was indeed a friend of Agatha’s, no doubt the sole motivation for the party was to parade Anthony in front of the locals. She had half a mind to tell her sister they had no interest in attending such a gathering. But on second thought, the idea appealed to her.

Smiling to herself, Harmony imagined how handsome Anthony would look dressed for such an evening. She saw herself at his side, arm linked through his. She envisioned a sea of smiling faces, admiring the handsome couple. The dream was irresistible.

“When is this … event … to take place, Agatha?”

“Friday next.”

Harmony did a swift calculation. The date wasn’t far off, but Anthony had told her he had to leave soon. Would he return in time?

“I’ll have to speak to Anthony,” she replied at last.

“Is there a difficulty?”

“I … I’m not sure. Anthony told me he had to go away for awhile.”

“Oh?” Agatha question-marked her brows.

“He’s a very important man, Agatha. He has a great many affairs to attend to,” Harmony said defensively.

“One does not say no to Lady Margaret,” Agatha responded archly.

“I’m going to see Anthony soon. I’ll talk to him about it.” Harmony did not look again at her sister, but applied herself to her breakfast. In a matter of moments, she heard the sharp rap of her sister’s footsteps exiting the room.

“Lady Margaret?”

“Yes. Lady Margaret Donnelly. A friend of my sister’s, apparently.” Harmony pulled her feet from the chill water of the little river, bent her knees, and tucked her toes under her skirt. She wrapped her arms around her knees. “Agatha told me only this morning.”

“And what is the date?”

“Next Friday.”

Anthony lowered his head and pressed a finger to his lips in a thoughtful expression. He knew he appeared calm to Harmony, but inwardly he quailed. “I told you last night I have to go away for awhile.”

“I know. I remember.” Harmony patted the grassy bank beside her and Anthony sat down. She laid a hand on his arm and looked into his eyes. “You

also said you were coming back.”

“I simply don’t know if I’ll be back in time, Harmony.” He would have to make sure he was away. He couldn’t take the chance of being recognized.

Yet when she heard his response, and he saw the expression on her face, the look in her eyes, something inside him softened to the point of melting. His life, this lie, was so unfair to her. He laid a hand on top of Harmony’s.

“Is this very important to you?” Anthony asked.

“Well, it’s not that it’s important, really. I’m certainly not socially inclined.” “But …?”

Harmony withdrew her hand and wrapped her arms around her knees again. She stared into the water and wondered how much she should say to Anthony, how much of her longing to be with him she should reveal. Then she remembered how she had behaved in his arms last night and chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

Harmony turned her smile on the man beside her. “I was just thinking about how much I want to be with you,” she admitted honestly. “I wanted to tell you that. Also that I would be so proud to meet Agatha’s friends with you at my side. But I thought it might be too forward a thing for me to say. Then I thought about last night.”

“Yes? And?” A smile tugged at the corners of Anthony’s mouth.

“And how … ‘forward’ … I was.”

“Is that what you were? Forward?”

“Yes,” Harmony replied soberly, entering into Anthony’s game. “Until you bent me over backward.”

Anthony guffawed. He slapped his thighs, then turned on his side and stretched out. He motioned with a forefinger and Harmony lay back as well, facing him. His grin softened to a smile.

“I hope you know I would do anything to make you happy, my Lady Blue,” he said quietly.

Something about the way he said that name made her insides seem all quivery, like aspic. To make matters worse, the sentiment he expressed brought a lump to her throat. She didn’t think she could respond.

“You really want me to attend this party, don’t you?” Anthony asked finally.

“Not if you don’t want to, Anthony. Or simply can’t be here.” Harmony kept her voice low in hopes it would remain steady. “It is my wish also, you know, to make
you
happy.”

So simple, so honest, so forthright. Yet it affected him like a blow to the chest. In some ways it was more powerful even than the way she had surrendered to him last night.

“You really do care about me, don’t you?” Anthony asked with wonder, his heart beating a peculiar rhythm he had never experienced before. He smoothed a strand of bright red hair from her temple. “You care about me.”

So much so she couldn’t tell him. But she could show him.

It was rare, in Anthony’s experience, that a woman initiated a kiss. And when it did happen, it was almost always for reasons less than pure. This kiss, however, in the purity and gift of its innocence, rocked him. When the soft touch of her lips withdrew, he trembled, much like it seemed his heart was doing.

“Harmony,” Anthony murmured, and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “My God, Harmony … I love you so much.”

She closed her eyes. Did she love him in return? Was it true?

“I …”

“Ssshh.” Anthony laid a finger to her lips. “Don’t say anything. Not yet. I want you to be absolutely certain.”

In her heart she was certain. It was her mind that was the problem. Could she truly trust him yet? Could she?

The answer to the question would have to wait a little longer. It was time to leave. Anthony had told her he had to take her home by midday to be on his way by early afternoon. They stood and brushed bits of grass from their clothing. Their timing was perfect, as Sneed appeared moments later.

“I’m sorry to intrude, sir,” he said in his lazy, gentlemanly drawl. “But we must be off if you’re to remain on schedule.”

“You should have been born a dog, Sneed,” Anthony remarked lightly. “You would have been so good at herding sheep.”

Harmony laughed and took Anthony’s arm as they left the fragrant shade of the willow and walked back up the hill to the waiting coach.

The return journey to Agatha’s house was passed largely in silence. There seemed little to say after what had already been said between them. Harmony was glad of the opportunity to collect her thoughts.

The question of the party was still undecided. Anthony had not given her an answer one way or the other. In truth, she didn’t mind at all whatever his decision might be. She had been honest with him when she had told him she was not socially inclined. She had been raised in wealth. She knew how to behave, how to act, if she needed to. She was grateful for the luxuries wealth afforded. But it was not, as she had observed in so many others, a thing that made her feel better about herself, or more important. She was who she was and she was comfortable with that person. She did not need the trappings of a social event to amuse her. She didn’t need to be the center of attention.

It would have been nice, of course, as she had imagined, to be seen on Anthony’s arm. She was proud of him, proud that he took an interest in her. But she had also been truthful with Anthony when she told him she wished for his happiness. If he did not want to go, or was unable, she would abide by his decision without the slightest regret or word of rebuke.

With those thoughts in mind, Harmony descended from the coach and climbed the steps to Agatha’s front door. Anthony accompanied her, as usual, and Harmony expected Mrs. Rutledge, as usual, to open the front door. She was surprised, therefore, to see her sister.

“Agatha!”

“Yes, of course, Agatha,” her sister replied with an edge to her tone. A heartbeat later she smiled ingratiatingly at Anthony. “Lord Farmington, how nice to see you again.”

“My pleasure entirely.”

“Won’t you come in for awhile? Have a cup of tea, perhaps?”

“Thank you, but I must be on my way. I have to go … home … to take care of some business.”

“Harmony told me you would be away for awhile. Which is what I wanted to talk to you about.”

In response, Anthony merely raised his brows.

“Did Harmony inform you of Lady Margaret’s little get-together?” Agatha continued.

“Yes, she did, as a matter of fact. I’m simply not sure I’ll be able to attend.”

“Oh, but you must. You must!” Agatha tittered. “Lady Margaret is a scion of our community. It’s so important that you meet her. Especially since you are … friendly … with my sister. Lady Margaret is a great friend to me, you know. As well as many others who will attend.”

“Just out of curiosity,” Anthony said, and tapped a finger to his chin. “Have you put together a guest list yet?”

“Why … why, yes. Would you like to see it?”

“I
would
actually. Yes. Just out of curiosity, as I said. I’d like to see if I recognize any names. Perhaps we have friends in common. It would be interesting to find out.”