Page 64 of Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

“They are not real arrows.”

Mr. Audley turned to Grace. Again. “What do you think, Miss Eversleigh?”

“I don’t often think about cupids,” she replied.

“And yet we have already discussed them twice, you and I.”

“Because you brought them up.”

Amelia drew back in surprise. She’d never heard Grace so short of temper.

“My dressing room is positively awash in them,” Mr. Audley said.

Amelia turned to Grace. “You were in his dressing room?”

“Not with him,” Grace practically snapped. “But I have certainly seen it before.”

No one spoke, and then Grace finally muttered, “Pardon.”

“Mr. Audley,” Amelia said, deciding it was well past time to take the situation in hand. She was turning over a new leaf today, she’d decided. She had managed Thomas and she could manage these two if she had to.

“Lady Amelia,” he said with a gracious tilt of his chin.

“Would it be rude if Miss Eversleigh and I took a turn about the room?”

“Of course not,” he said immediately, even though it was rude, given that they were only a threesome, and he’d be left with nothing to do.

“Thank you for your understanding,” Amelia said, linking her arm through Grace’s and pulling them both to their feet. “I do feel the need to stretch my legs, and I fear that your stride would be far too brisk for a lady.”

Good gad, she could not believe she was uttering such tripe, but it seemed to do the trick. Mr. Audley said nothing more, and she steered Grace over to a spot by the windows.

“I need to speak with you,” she whispered, modulating their pace into something even and graceful.

Grace nodded.

“This morning,” Amelia continued, glancing surreptitiously at Mr. Audley to see if he was watching them (he was), “Wyndham was in need of assistance, and I came to his aid, but I had to tell my mother that it was you I had seen, and that you had invited me back to Belgrave.”

Grace nodded again, her eyes straight ahead, and then at the door, but never on her.

“I doubt it will come to it, but should you see my mother, I beg of you not to contradict.”

“Of course not,” Grace said quickly. “You have my word.”

Amelia nodded, somewhat surprised at how easy that had been. She had not expected Grace to decline, but all the same, she thought she’d have to offer something more of an explanation. Grace hadn’t even asked why Wyndham had been in need of assistance. Surely that warranted some curiosity. When had either of them known him to need anything?

They fell silent as they promenaded past Mr. Audley, who looked rather amused at the spectacle they presented.

“Miss Eversleigh,” he murmured. “Lady Amelia.”

“Mr. Audley,” Amelia returned. Grace said the same.

They continued around the room, Amelia picking up the conversation once they were again out of his earshot. “I do hope I do not overstep,” she whispered. Grace was very silent, and Amelia was well aware that she was asking a great deal in asking her to lie.

They heard footsteps in the hall, and Grace’s entire body jerked toward the door. But it was just a footman, walking by with a large trunk, probably empty, given that he had it perched easily on his shoulder.

“Sorry,” Grace said. “Did you say something?”

Amelia started to repeat her comment, but instead just said, “No.” She’d never seen Grace so distracted.

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