Arabella just stared at her lifelong friend. “You terrify me, Suzanne.
That was just excellent.”
“Well, Mama doesn’t want to be ostracized, you know. She isn’t stupid.
She will come around completely once Lady Ann does the deed.” Then it struck her. A card party with dancing would be perfect. It was the comte’s last evening here. What better way to keep him from Elsbeth?
Suzanne kissed Arabella quickly on the cheek, then turned to the earl.
She smiled at him pertly, then held out her hand.
The earl looked faintly amused. He took her hand and carried it to his lips. He said, “Do not wed Lord Graybourn, Miss Talgarth. You would send the poor fellow stuttering off a cliff. No, you need a gentleman who will beat you daily and tell you jests. You must also remember that Arabella is as fierce as a tiger. If you continue with your outrageous remarks, she just might challenge you to a duel. She is very accomplished, Miss Talgarth. I am a caring fellow. I warn you for your own good.” Suzanne tossed her blond curls and smiled impishly at Arabella. “Oh, Bella is far too certain of her own accomplishments to ever be concerned about mine. She would never hurt me, she would see no need. She would just laugh and tell me to hie myself off to buy a new pair of gloves.” Suzanne gave a trill of laughter and moved with Arabella to the door. She confided in a carrying voice, “Do you know that Mama absolutely refused to allow poor Lord Graybourn to accompany us this morning? As I said, she isn’t stupid. She knows that he is taken with Elsbeth.” A look of rather morbid satisfaction crossed her face. “I daresay it would serve her right. First you catch an earl, and now Elsbeth seduces my eligible suitor from right under my nose.”
“As if you cared,” the earl said as he gave Miss Talgarth a salute, then turned away. It amused him to realize that Lady Talgarth was the one to provide him with the perfect solution, a final test of the comte’s greed.
This was Gervaise’s last chance and the earl knew he would take it. He met Arabella’s eyes. She knew it as well.
It was over luncheon that the earl informed the others of the invitation.
“I was pleased,” Lady Ann said, waving her fork at him. “I never believed she would come around. But it is pleasant, is it not, to have neighbors to care for you?”
“Ann,” the earl said, “you are too gullible, too forgiving. It frightens me.”
“No,” she said easily, spearing a thin sliced piece of ham on her fork,
“not at all. The old witch knows what is what. She has had to swallow her ridiculous antiquated notions, and it quite makes me want to laugh.”
“Mama, you astound me. You really said that, didn’t you? And you look so very sweet.”
“Yes, dear, I know.” She ate another piece of ham and smiled at all of them impartially.
Arabella saw a series of rather mixed emotions flit across Elsbeth’s face and wondered what her sister was thinking. While Arabella was looking at Elsbeth, the earl’s eyes were upon Gervaise’s finely chiseled features.
He was certain that he saw a momentary darkening in the young man’s eyes, then a slight smile of satisfaction about his mouth.
Yes, you bastard, the earl was thinking. You make your plans for tonight.
Then I’ll have you. The expression was gone in the next instant, and Gervaise’s face was wreathed in smiles of innocent anticipation for a simple evening’s pleasure.
After the ladies discussed at some length the appropriate gowns to be worn for the evening, the earl sat back in his chair and said easily, his face filled with bonhomie, “We are now blessed with the sun. Since it is the comte’s last day with us, why don’t you ladies take him for a final outing around the countryside?”
Elsbeth felt a tug of surprise. Arabella patted her hand and said, “That is an excellent idea. Indeed, I believe we shall stop by Talgarth Hall and invite Suzanne and perhaps Lord Graybourn to accompany us. What do you think, Gervaise?”
“I only ask that you keep your distance from the old abbey ruins,” Lady Ann said, waving her fork at her daughter.
“I have promised, Mama,” Arabella said. “No more ruins for me.” She smiled toward her husband.
Lady Ann blinked. Thank God, she thought, thank God. They had worked things out. Justin no longer believed that the comte was her lover. But who was? Or had he been utterly deluded? She chanced to look at Elsbeth.
She very nearly dropped her fork. Her stepdaughter was looking at Gervaise with her heart in her eyes. Oh dear, Lady Ann thought. Oh dear.
It couldn’t be true, could it? But then she realized that it had to be true.
And both Arabella and Justin knew. What was she to do? She wished Paul was here right now, right at this very instant.
With only the slightest of hesitation Gervaise replied gallantly, “I would be most delighted to be in the company of three such lovely ladies.
And you, my lord? Will you also accompany us?”
“Unfortunately,” the earl said as he swirled the deep red wine about in its crystal glass, “I must remain here.
