Page 73 of My Wicked Earl
Except Sutton came home, and Benjamin has not.
Miss Lainscott’s passion appeared to have dissipated. She bent low over the piano, slender fingers caressing each key with infinite sadness. The melody slowed, becoming cheerless and forlorn. A thin sheen of sweat coated Miss Lainscott’s forehead and cheeks.
Miranda turned and caught sight of Welles, leaning against the wall, his form nearly hidden in the shadows lingering in the corner of the conservatory. He watched Miss Lainscott with a bemused look on his face.
Lady Dobson suddenly stood, the veins in her neck sticking out like the strings of a violin. Approaching the piano and her niece, she leaned her skeletal form forward, shaking her head in admonishment. The angry vibration of Lady Dobson’s chastisement could be heard, if not the actual words she used.
Miss Lainscott’s fingers left the piano rather abruptly. Her mouth opened as if she would challenge her aunt, but she quickly looked down, and nodded obediently to Lady Dobson.
A light airy tune soon filled the room as Lady Dobson made her way back to her seat, smiling like a crocodile who had just taken a bite out of an especially tasty water buffalo. She made a great show of smoothing her skirts before laying the fan in her lap.
“Lady Miranda.” Lady Helen, unfortunate peacock feather still untethered, perched herself next to Miranda. “I’m so sorry you missed our outing to the ruins. Your cook prepared a most marvelous picnic.” The feather dipped until it dangled near her chin.
“Unfortunately, I needed to pay a call on the wife of our vicar. She’s been ill. I wished to assure myself that she was on the mend.”
Lady Helen waved her hand, dismissing Miranda’s words, not at all interested in Miranda’s visit with the vicar’s wife. “Lord Kilmaire escorted me, of course. I was so grateful for his assistance as the ground was strewn with stone. Why, I nearly stepped into a hole, but luckily Lord Kilmaire caught me.”
Miranda could just imagine. Lady Helen blithely sailing about the ruins, probably in a pair of slippers more suited for dancing than for climbing. Tripping gracefully to allow Colin to catch her in his arms.
Ugh.
“How fortunate for you that Lord Kilmaire was in attendance.”
“Indeed.” Lady Helen allowed a satisfied smile to creep across her lips. “Fortunate for Lord Kilmaire as well.” She laughed at her own cleverness before tilting her head toward the piano and Miss Lainscott.
“She plays beautifully, doesn’t she? Though I fear it won’t help her in finding a husband. Only her enormous dowry will assist with that. Perhaps if she weren’t soterriblyplain.”
Mean-spirited little twit.“Musical talent of such magnitude,” Miranda’s voice hardened, “is a gift. When Miss Lainscott plays, her beauty shines through. Every man in the room was in awe of her.”
Lady Helen’s fan stilled for a moment at Miranda’s defense of Miss Lainscott. Or perhaps it was the thought that the gentlemen in the conservatory paid attention to someone elseotherthan Lady Helen. She cocked her head, considering her rebuttal, then shrugged her small, perfectly formed shoulders.
“I’m told the grounds at Gray Covington are absolutely splendid for bird watching. In fact, perfect for allmannerof things.” Lady Helen purred, eyes hardening into bits of flint. “After dinner last night, Lord Ridley took me for a turn around the garden so I could hear the evening bird song.” She blinked at Miranda in pretended innocence.
Miranda regarded her blandly. Waiting.
“Oh, please,” Lady Helen spouted in false apology. “Do not misunderstand me. He only escorted me as you were absent. I’msureLord Ridley is quite taken with you. I do hope I haven’t distressed you in any way.”
“Perish the thought,” Miranda replied, her tone neutral and polite.
“Lord Kilmaire, of course, was not pleased.” Lady Helen fluttered her lashes, lowering her voice as if exchanging a confidence. “He’s quite enamored of me.”
Miranda’s heart constricted painfully, though her face remained serene. “How could he not be?”
The girl was deliberately baiting her. She doubted Lady Helen was astute enough to sense that Colin and Miranda had a past together. After all, no one else had. No, it was more likely that Lady Helen needed to be the center of attention, particularly masculine attention.
“I consoled Lord Kilmaire with the promise to accompany him on a walk to search out the ruby-throated thrush. I’m quite passionate about him.” She covered her mouth in mock horror. “Oh, dear, I meant to say the ruby-throated thrush, Lady Miranda.”
Lady Helen deserved a good spanking. What a rudechildshe was.
“I am not a bird watcher myself, Lady Helen, but with the immense parkland that surrounds us, I would assume that your efforts would not go unrewarded. I am sure if you consult our steward, Mr. Smythe, he could tell you where many of the birds you seek can be found. He is more familiar with the grounds than anyone.”
Lady Helen tilted her head closer to Miranda’s, the feather she wore tickling across Miranda’s cheek. Her perfume, something so sweet it made Miranda’s stomach roil, floated in the air.
“Lord Kilmaire tells me there are many paths that lead to more isolated parts of the woods, “she said pointedly, leaning back. “That is where we’ll find the ruby-throated thrush, I’m sure. Or perhaps, something else.”
Miranda wanted to slap Lady Helen for her outlandish behavior. What young lady speaks of seduction in such a manner? Or speaks of seduction at all?
“I keep a journal of my birds, documenting those I see with notes and drawings,” Lady Helen continued in a breathless voice. “Lord Kilmaire isfascinatedby my hobby. Absolutely fascinated.” She gave a practiced shake of her head so that her blonde curls fell artfully to her shoulders. “I find Lord Kilmaire to be quite handsome, in spite of that dreadful scar, don’t you? He’s quite infamous. As his countess, I suppose I would also have to tolerate scrutiny.”
