Devils Bride

The drawing room was full, crowded with family, connections and close acquaintances. Despite the subdued tones, the noise was substantial. The Dowager was seated on the chaise beside Tolly's mother. Devil steered Honoria to where Amelia and Amanda were nervously conversing with a very old lady.

'If you need help with names or connections, ask the twins. It'll make them feel useful.'

Honoria inclined her head and coolly returned: 'Much as I'd like to distract them, there's really no need. It is, after all, unlikely I'll meet any of your family again.' Regally aloof, she raised her head-and met the dark, frowning glance Devil sent her with implacable calm.

Amanda and Amelia turned as they came up, an identical look of pleading in their eyes.

'Ah-Sylvester.' The old lady put out a crabbed hand and gripped Devil's sleeve. 'A shame it has to be such a sad occasion on which I see you again.'

'Indeed, Cousin Clara.' Fluidly, Devil drew Honoria into their circle, trapping her hand on his sleeve the instant before she removed it. 'I believe,' he drawled, 'that you've already met…' An untrustworthy gleam lit his eyes; inwardly aghast, her gaze locked with his, Honoria held her breath-and saw his lips curve as he looked down at Cousin Clara. 'Miss Anstruther-Wetherby?'

Honoria almost sighed with relief. Her serene smile somewhat strained, she trained it on Clara.

'Oh, yes! Dear me, yes.' The old lady visibly brightened. 'Such a great pleasure to meet you, dear. I've been looking forward to-' Catching herself up, Clara glanced impishly at Devil, then smiled sweetly at Honoria. 'Well-you know.' Reaching out, she patted Honoria's hand. 'Suffice to say we're all perfectly delighted, my dear.'

Honoria knew one person who was less than perfectly delighted, but, with Amanda and Amelia looking on, she was forced to allow Clara's transparent supposition to pass with nothing more than a gracious smile. Looking up, she fleetingly met Devil's gaze-she could have sworn she detected a satisfied gleam in his eyes.

He immediately broke the contact. Releasing her, he covered Clara's hand with his, stooping so she did not have to look up so far. 'Have you spoken to Arthur?'

'Not yet.' Clara glanced about. 'I couldn't find him in this crush.'

'He's by the window. Come-I'll take you to him.'

Clara beamed. 'So kind-but you always were a good boy.' With brief nods to the twins, and a gracious one for Honoria, the old lady allowed Devil to lead her away.

Honoria watched them go, Devil so large and powerful, so arrogantly commanding, making not the smallest fuss over the creases Clara's sparrowlike claws were leaving in his sleeve. A good boy? She inwardly humphed.

'Thank goodness you came.' Amanda swallowed. 'She wanted to talk about Tolly. And I-we-didn't know how to…'

'Stop her?' Honoria smiled reassuringly. 'Don't worry-it's only the very old who'll ask such questions. Now-' She glanced around-'tell me who the younger ones are:-Devil told me their names, but I've forgotten.'

That was untrue, but the exercise served to distract the twins. Aside from themselves, Simon, and their two younger sisters, Henrietta and Mary, ten and three, they had three younger cousins.

'Heather's fourteen. Elizabeth-we call her Eliza-is thirteen, and Angelica's ten, the same as Henrietta.'

'They're Uncle Martin's and Aunt Celia's daughters. Gabriel and Lucifer are their older brothers.'

Gabriel and Lucifer? Honoria opened her mouth to request clarification- simultaneously, the Dowager caught her eye.

The Dowager's expression was an outright appeal for help. Her sister-in-law's hands still gripped hers tightly. With her eyes, the Dowager signaled to Webster, standing unobtrusively before the door. The tension in his stately figure conveyed very clearly that something was amiss.

Honoria looked back at the Dowager-she understood what was being asked of her, and that a positive response would be interpreted as confirmation of another understanding-a matrimonial understanding between Devil and herself. But the appeal in the Dowager's eyes was very real, and of all the ladies present, she was unquestionably in the best state to deal with whatever disaster had befallen.

Torn, Honoria hesitated, then inwardly grimaced and nodded. She stepped toward the door, then remembered the twins. She glanced over her shoulder. 'Come with me.'

She swept regally across the room. Webster opened the door and stood back; Honoria sailed through. After waiting for her two escorts to pass, Webster followed, closing the door behind him.

In the hall, Honoria found Mrs. Hull waiting. 'What's happened?'

Mrs. Hull's gaze flicked to Webster's face, then returned to Honoria's. The significance of that glance was not lost on Honoria; Webster had confirmed that she'd been deputed by the Dowager.

'It's the cakes, miss. What with all we've had to do, we sent out for them to the village. Mrs. Hobbs is excellent with cakes. We've often used her in such circumstances.'

'But this time she hasn't lived up to expectations?'

Mrs. Hull's face tightened. 'It's not that, miss. I sent two grooms with the gig, like I always do. Hobbs had the cakes ready-the boys loaded them in their trays. They were most of the way back'-Mrs. Hull paused to draw in a portentous breath-'when that demon horse of the master's came racing up, rearing and screaming, and spooked the old mare in the gig. The cakes went flying'-Mrs. Hull's eyes narrowed to flinty shards-'and that devil horse ate most of them!'

Pressing her fingers to her lips, Honoria looked down. Then she glanced at Webster. His face was expressionless.

'His Grace did not have time to ride the horse today, miss, so the head stableman turned him out for a run. The track from the village runs through the stable paddock.'

'I see.' Honoria's jaw ached. Despite all-the solemnity of the occasion and the impending crisis-the vision of Sulieman chomping on delicate petit fours was simply too much.

'So, you see, miss, I don't know what we're to do, with all these visitors and not even enough biscuits to go around.' Mrs. Hull's expression remained severe.

'Indeed.' Honoria straightened, considering possibilities. 'Scones,' she decided.

'Scones, miss?' Mrs. Hull looked surprised, then her expression turned calculating.

Honoria glanced at the clock on the wall. 'It's just four-they won't be expecting tea for at least half an hour. If we arrange some distraction…' She looked at Webster. 'What time were you intending to serve dinner?'

'Seven, miss.'

Honoria nodded. 'Put dinner back to eight-notify the valets and ladies' maids. Mrs. Hull, you've an hour to produce scones in quantity. Take whatever helpers you need. We'll have plain scones with jam-do you have any blackberry jam? That would be a nice touch.'

'Indeed, miss.' Mrs. Hull was transformed. 'We have our own blackberry jam-there's no other like it.'

'Very good-we'll have cream for those that wish it, and we'll have cheese scones and spiced scones as well.'

'I'll get onto it immediately, miss.' With a quick bob, Mrs. Hull sped back to her kitchen.

'You spoke of a distraction, miss-to gain half an hour for Mrs. Hull?'

Honoria met Webster's eye. 'Not an easy task, given the cause of this gathering.'

'Indeed not, miss.'

'Can we help?'

Both Honoria and Webster turned to view the twins.

Amanda colored. 'With the distraction, I mean.'

Slowly, Honoria's brows rose. 'I wonder…?' She looked along the hall. 'Come with me.'

With Webster following, they entered the music room, next to the drawing room. Honoria waved at the instruments ranged along one wall. 'What do you play?'

Amelia blinked. 'I play the pianoforte.'

'And I play the harp,' Amanda supplied.

Excellent examples of both instruments stood before them; Webster hurried to maneuver the required pieces into place. Honoria turned to the girls. 'You play together?' They nodded. 'Good. What pieces can you play? Think of slow, mournful pieces-requiems or sections thereof.'

To her relief, the twins were true to their class, well taught and with decent repertoires. Five minutes later, she'd also discovered they possessed considerable skill.