Page 12 of The Best-Laid Plans

Mother found her voice at last. “Will he be on the Gravel Walk this afternoon, do you suppose? I have hoped our Ellie might make his better acquaintance.”

“He and Mr. Hughes are friends,” Artemis said. “They may very well be together.”

Ellie began to say something that might move her mother’s thoughts away from Mr. Jonquil, but a subtle shake of Artemis’s head told her not to.

“We had best make our way there,” Miss Mullins said. “Do come, Ellie.”

Ellie looked to her mother and received permission.

“Do not forget yourself and become disagreeable or forward,” Mother whispered as Ellie passed. “And do what you can to speak of your sister to Mr. Hughes without it seeming pointed or forced.”

Ellie nodded, though she didn’t intend to do any such thing.

“And attempt to claim at least a moment of Mr. Jonquil’s attention, despite his... options in this group.”

Ellie offered another disingenuous nod and hurried after her new friends, slipping happily from the house.

“How did we do, Artemis?” Miss Phelps asked.

“Brilliantly,” she said. “Even if you did go on and on in that ridiculous fashion about Charlie Jonquil.”

Miss Mullins and Miss Phelps exchanged delighted looks with Ellie. They obviously found Artemis’s enmity entertaining.

They walked in a clump in the direction of the Gravel Walk. It was a fashionable place to be seen. Ellie had been there once on this trip to Bath, but as she had undertaken the jaunt with her mother and sister, they had not precisely made a splash.

“Artemis told us about your scheme,” Miss Mullins said. “I do hope you will allow us to join in the diversion. I believe you will find we are excellent co-conspirators.”

“I would be delighted to have you join in, Miss Mullins. And you too, of course, Miss Phelps.”

Artemis laughed. “There’s none of that Miss So-and-So amongst us. The Huntresses are on a Christian-name basis.”

“Huntresses?”

Artemis nodded quite solemnly. “My ancient namesake had a band of huntresses, and they were absolutely everything young ladies ought to be permitted to be: fierce, strong, capable, and entirely in control of their own destinies. We mean to emulate them in every way possible.”

“Including the part where they murder people who sneak into their ranks unwelcome?” Ellie asked.

“Especially that part,” Artemis said with a grin.

Ellie did not actually think they meant to murder anyone. But their fearless leader clearly found the comparison entertaining.

“Miss Phelps is Gillian,” Artemis said. “And Miss Mullins is Daria.”

“Ellie,” she said to them both.

They walked on, reaching the Gravel Walk at last. The tree-strewn path was far from empty. Strolling about with these three fashionable young ladies made her far more the center of attention than she was accustomed to being.

Lillian would be in a fury if she could see her younger sister meandering along the shaded walk, being looked at with admiration while she herself had been denied the opportunity. When Lillian was denied the things she wished for, she could have something of a temper. Ellie didn’t wish for Mr. Hughes to be cornered into a match that would render him at the mercy of an unpredictable and, at times, unpleasant disposition. He was personable, kind, and so quiet. What a mismatch that would be.

“Now, our difficulty is attempting to spot the two gentlemen we are hoping to see,” Gillian said.

Daria had an easy answer for that. “We simply pay attention to which direction every lady’s eye turns. That would undoubtedly lead us to Mr. Jonquil, and Mr. Hughes will most certainly be with him. Easy as can be.”

Though Artemis appeared a bit annoyed at the rationale, she did not argue with the strategy. Mere moments later, it proved ingenious. Heads were indeed turning as Mr. Jonquil ambled along. Ellie had met only one of his older brothers—the earl—when he had come to the little neighborhood for Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster’s wedding. He was very fine looking as well. She could only imagine the effects of seven such attractive gentlemen all gathered together.

Mr. Hughes was perhaps not as stunningly handsome, but he was quite pleasant in his own way. Quiet, subdued, with the look of one who listened closely and pondered deeply. He was less stately than many gentlemen of theton. He was also less overwhelming. That would make their ruse far easier to manage.

The two gentlemen greeted all four of them with the appropriate bows and words of welcome.

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