Page 36 of Her Whole Heart
“Nonsense, Papa. You are welcome to join our conversations on lace and suitors at any time, you know that.”
Mr. Torrington grimaced and rubbed a hand over his bald head as the men behind him looked everywhere else and murmured that they should not dream of disrupting such delicate negotiations. “I shall leave thosepleasures to you, my dear. I only hoped for introductions to these fine ladies?”
“Of course. These are my friends, father.” Beginning with Jane, Cordelia quickly introduced them all, and Elizabeth watched Mr. Torrington’s expression. He was very pleased that Cordelia had visitors, and she wondered whether it was an uncommon occurrence.
“Ladies, my father’s friends here are Mr. Grant, Mr. Macon, Mr. Natters, and Mr. Fettingdown. Oh, and that’s young Mr. Harry Grant over to the side, there.”
So hewasa son. It explained his pained, embarrassed expression. Young Mr. Grant bowed neatly to them.
“Welcome, ladies,” Mr. Torrington said when he had finished. “Cordelia.” He smiled at his daughter as all of the other men drained out of the room.
Cordelia waited for the door to close behind them and shook her head. “That was my father and a small number of his friends.”
“Young Mr. Grant was rather handsome,” Amelia said.
“But did he drop from the sky?” Elizabeth inquired.
“I am afraid that he did not.”
The ladies giggled, and Cordelia began to pour the tea.
Elizabeth glanced around their little circle, each woman holding her teacup properly and taking tiny sips.
“Do you know, Elizabeth, I believed Mr. Darcy perfectly horrid at first, but he seems to be minding his manners now." Amelia glanced up rather coyly. "Do not think I have not noticed or heard that he has appeared everywhere you have been.”
“George Darcy?” Miss Jacobsen asked. “I thought he was dead.”
“His son,” Jane replied.
“His son is old enough to be in town?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said. She almost added that she wished he was not, but that would not be fair. He had been somewhat pleasant with them at Hyde Park.
“He was not at the Carutherses' ball, for I should have seen him,” Cordelia said before she raised her teacup to her mouth for a sip.
“No,” Amelia said after, “but he was at the bookshop and took us to Gunter’s. And then Jane said he was at Sir Humphry’s lecture and joined you in the carriage at Hyde Park.”
“He did nottakeus to Gunter’s, Amelia,” Elizabeth corrected her. “You asked him to accompany us.”
“He was not forced to accept,” Amelia replied with an inelegant shrug.
“Mr. Darcywasin the carriage at Hyde Park,” Diana affirmed. “I saw him.”
“Lady Carlisle invited him,” Elizabeth explained, growing a little exasperated.
“Iwouldhave presumed he was there for Jane, if Mr. Bingley had not been there first,” Amelia said blithely. “Jane is nearer to him in age, and she is quite the most beautiful woman I know.”
“I think there are other beautiful women in London this season, Amelia,” Cordelia said, exactly the right thing to say to keep Jane from being embarrassed. “I will agree that none aremorebeautiful than Jane. She garnered a great deal of attention at the Carutherses' ball.”
“But that attention was not genuine,” Jane protested.
Genuinely nefarious, perhaps.
Cordelia apparently had the same thought. “Itwasgenuine. However, many men show genuineinterestonly to have them seek your favours away from your chaperone. I was pleased to see Lord Carlisle taking your protection seriously.”
“He has been a most gracious host,” Jane agreed.
“And an aware one, which is even better.” Cordelia allowed her words to trail off and she turned to Elizabeth. “Now, as to Mr. Darcy, I am curious. He has not been much in town during the past seasons, nor has he been much inclined to dinners or balls when he is in residence. You say he has been appearing where Elizabeth has been?”
