“Is there something wrong with that?”
“Of course not,” Rose said, and then in the next breath, “What will you do to help?”
Rose would be Rose, Lily thought with an inward smile. “Whatever I can. But you must do your part, too. And that means, for once, not pretending that your head is filled with pudding. I wish I could speak half the languages you do. You’re educated and clever, and hiding that makes no sense.”
“For Lord Randal, perhaps it doesn’t, because he enjoys languages, too. But for other gentlemen—”
“For any gentleman. Why would you want one who doesn’t value your strengths?”
“You don’t understand men, sister dear. Most of them thrive on feeling superior.” When Lily opened her mouth, Rose held up a hand. “But we were talking about Lord Randal, who isn’t most men—” She broke off, her eyes widening. “Gemini, here he comes!”
As Rand approached, their mother seemed to appear out of nowhere—a habit Lily and her sisters found vexing. Mum gave him a brilliant smile. “Lord Randal. How very nice to see you again.” Her brown eyes shone with genuine warmth. “We missed you at my first grandson’s christening.”
“She means Nicky, my godchild,” Rose chimed in. “I shared the honor with Ford’s two brothers.”
“Lady Rose,” Rand said with a polite nod before turning to Mum, a half smile curving his lips. “I was sorry to miss the occasion, Lady Trentingham, but I’m afraid I was in Greece.”
“Greece!” Rose laid a graceful hand on her embroidered stomacher. “How marvelous. I would so adore traveling the world. I could make use of all my languages.”
Lily did a little mental jig, delighted to see her sister doing as she’d suggested—as the entire family had been suggesting for years. For once in her life, Rose wasn’t going to play the empty-headed flirt.
This is it, Lily thought. Her sister was at last ready to fall in love. Rose had spent years yearning and sighing over one after another of her suitors—who were drawn by the twofold attractions of her beauty and her inheritance—but Lily could tell she’d never been serious about any of them. In her own way, Rose was just a tenderhearted romantic. She was waiting for someone to take her breath away.
And if a fellow like Rand couldn’t accomplish that feat, Lily didn’t know who could.
Mum cleared her throat. “You’ll remember Lily, my youngest daughter?” she asked Rand.
“Lady Lily.” He gave a little bow, his eyes never leaving hers. Holding hers captive, like they had four years ago and again just a few minutes earlier.
In all of her eighteen years, she’d never seen another gaze like Rand’s. It felt as though he could see right into her, yet not in an uncomfortable way…in a way that warmed and steadied her somehow.
She’d forgotten about that. It seemed she’d forgotten a lot in those four years.
Rose—bold Rose—reached to touch him on the arm. “Did you ever succeed in translating that alchemy book?”
“Secrets of the Emerald Tablet?” He smiled at Lily before shifting his attention to her sister. “Not yet. A fine puzzle it is, very time-consuming, and Ford said that with the sale of his watch patent there was no longer any rush.”
At that, Ford broke into their little group. “You certainly took my words to heart,” he said with mock outrage. “Four years is a bit longer than I had in mind.”
“I’m here now, aren’t I?” Rand countered. “And ready to finish it.”
Grinning, Ford slapped his friend on the back. “Only because you have nowhere to live.”
“That’s not true. I have a beautiful new home.”
“Half built.”
Rand ruefully rubbed his forehead. “The hammering and sawing were driving me insane,” he admitted.
“Rand has commissioned himself a house,” Ford explained to the ladies. “It was supposed to have been ready by now, so he’d already given up his previous residence.”
“And as a consequence,” Rand added, “I’ve been sleeping in a construction site.”
Rose nodded, her face a study in sympathy. “Where’s your new home, my lord?”
“Please, call me Rand. And it’s in Oxford.”
“Rand has been made a professor of linguistics,” Ford added.
Rose gasped. “A full professor?”
“At such a young age?” Mum’s eyebrows arched. “That’s very impressive.”
Indeed it was, despite Rose’s theatrics. Having met her fair share of academics through Ford and Violet, Lily knew it usually took decades to earn a professorship.
“It’s merely a matter of determination and persistence,” Rand told them, coloring faintly at the praise.
“You’re being modest,” Rose purred, favoring him with a wide smile—one Lily had seen her practice countless times in her dressing table mirror.
When Rand just shrugged, Lily took note of his lukewarm response. She’d have to get Rose to drop the old, coquettish act. It didn’t seem to be meshing well with her new, intelligent persona.
“How long are you staying?” Mum asked him.
“My house should be finished within a week or so—”
“As long as it takes,” Ford cut in, “to figure out whether the book indeed holds the secret to making gold. Now, would you all like to see the new water closet?”
“It seems to me,” Rand said in the sort of needling tone only a fast friend would put up with, “it’s taken you longer to build that water closet than I’ve spent on the translation.” He turned to Lily’s family. “I remember when his brother had water closets installed—”
“Colin,” Ford clarified.
“My friend here was so envious. Said he’d design one for Lakefield in no time. That was what, six years ago?”
“Seven. Come see.” As he talked, Ford led them out of the drawing room, threading his way through the many guests. “I’ve finished but one so far, and you’re a fortunate man since it’s connected to the room where you’ll be staying.”
Rand went with Ford up the square oak staircase, Rose hurrying to follow. Lily watched her sister’s swishing skirts as she and her mother trailed everyone else up the stairs, a familiar striped cat scampering behind. Beatrix must have found another carriage to travel in.
Ford reached the landing and headed
