Page 83 of To Treasure an Heiress
She dipped another curtsy, a bit longer this time, and told herself not to run a self-conscious hand over her own dress again. It was perfectly fine. Pretty, even. And something like what these two wore would have been completely useless aboard theNaiad. She’d never be able to man the sails in either of those dresses.
The shorter one in red dipped her knees in response. “How do you do, Miss Tremayne? So kind of you to come for us. I’m Lady Millicent Howe, and this is my sister—”
“Lady Abbie Howe,” the owner of the name interrupted, offering a smile and a curtsy of her own. She then patted her leg, and a pug trotted over to her side, tongue lolling. The maid held out a leather leash, which the lady casually wrapped around her hand.
“How do you do?” Beth had no trouble calling a smile to her lips. Something about their voices put her at ease just a bit.
“A bit aghast, truth be told.” Lady Millicent cast a look over her shoulder, into the cottage, and gave an exaggerated shiver. “It’s like living in one of Theo’s tents.”
“But without our chef, who usually travels with us.” Lady Abbie speared the cottage with a glare of her own and then took another step away from it, her dog following. “Not that we’re impugning the islands themselves, of course, Miss Tremayne.”
“Absolutely not! They’re quite beautiful. What we’ve seen of them.”
“Which is precious little.” Lady Abbie offered Beth a smile just as sweet, and just as mischievous, as Sheridan was wont to do. “I don’t suppose this trip to Tresco includes a bit of a tour, does it?”
“Not that we need to get off the boat, mind you. We’d just like to see what can be seen from its decks.”
“Exactly.”
Her attention had been bouncing from one sister to the other. When they actually paused to await a response, she found herself grinning. “I would be absolutely delighted to show you about the islands—from the sea this time, but if you spot anything you’d like to examine on land, say the word and I’ll take you back another day.”
“Perfect.” As if in punctuation, Lady Millicent snapped her parasol open. “Now then. Lead the way to the quay, my dear girl. I’m afraid I paid too little attention to the path last evening.”
“We were far too busy taking in the view of the sea every time it appeared. Absolutely stunning.”
“The waters are so blue! It’s like being in the Caribbean.”
Lady Abbie chuckled. “I was rather hoping Theo’s search for Mucknell and Rupert would take us there soon. But you know, this is just as lovely, and so much closer to home.”
“I do see why it’s become a popular holiday spot. Mostly.” Lady Millicent cast one more nose-wrinkled glare over her shoulder at the cottage. “Though the cottagesdoleave something to be desired. What are the hotels like, Miss Tremayne?”
“Other than booked solid at this point, she means.”
Gracious, having a conversation with these two was a bit like watching a tennis match.
Luckily, Beth had always quite enjoyed the sport. “Charming, though probably not up to London standards. Though I daresay you’ll find them to be on par with some of the places along the Mediterranean that Lord Sheridan mentioned you’ve enjoyed.”
“Perhaps we should have Boynton see about rooms in the autumn. Or perhaps the spring.” Millicent lifted her brows and hooked an arm through Beth’s. “I hear the Scillies are enchanting in the spring. Flowers abloom everywhere.”
Beth nodded. “A prettier sight you’re unlikely to find outside of the tulip fields in Holland.”
“Excellent.” Abbie gave a decisive nod of her own. “We ought to plan to holiday here for Easter.”
“Assuming Theo wants to return then.”
“Or rather,” Abbie corrected her sister, “you mean if he can be pried away in the meantime.”
The sisters shared a laugh. Beth smiled, but otherwise her pounding heart muted her mirth a bit. These ladies might not be quite so eager to joke about Sheridan’s staying here for a while if they realized she was part of his reasoning.
Millicent’s mirth faded, too, and she sent a frown Beth’s way. “Just a moment. Is Lady Elizabeth Sinclair where we’ll be going?”
Abbie huffed. “I certainly hope so. I’ve been looking forward to giving that girl a piece of my mind. She clearly has no sense at all, to refuse dear Theo as she’s done.”
“Abbie!” Millicent blinked at her. “It’s Miss Tremayne’s brother she’s engaged to now. Isn’t that right, dear?”
Beth nodded. And said a quick, silent prayer for wisdom in how to discuss the subject of her soon-to-be sister-in-law with these ladies who were put out with her. Not that Abbie gave her a chance to speak on the matter.
“And no doubt Mr. Tremayne is as wonderful a chap as Theosays—but even so, it wasn’t right of Lady Elizabeth to run away from our brother as if he had the plague. They would have been a perfect match! She the sister of an earl, and his best friend. And Lady Telford and I had such grand plans for a winter wedding.”
