Page 63 of Kiss Me Lady One More Time
The woman watched her closely for a long moment. “You have been married longer than I,” she mused. “I suppose the bloom does fall off the relationship, eventually.”
“I have heard it said so,” Hope agreed. “If it occurs with us, I shall be sure to let you know, so that you may guard against it in your own time.”
Her mouth flat, the woman appeared to struggle with a response, then abruptly, she smiled. “Well, I must get the rest of these invitations spread about. Good day to you.” With a nod, she returned to her vehicle and set off.
Waving and nodding, Hope watched her go. “Well, that small victory did the thing. I’m feeling quite steady, now. Shall we head home?”
“Yes.” Penelope stopped staring after the barouche and smiled. “I think we had better.”
* * *
True to his word,Tensford took Penelope and Hope to the Tower. They rode in the park again, choosing to go in the morning when it was not so crowded. And the ladies spent one delightful afternoon shopping in various bookstores,
But finally, the morning of the masquerade dawned. Hope and Penelope spent it in busy preparation. Hope’s headpiece was a tricky thing and took some experimentation, but at last they determined just the right way to wear it.
“I cannot wait to see Tensford’s face. He won’t be expecting this!”
“I cannot see how he would,” Penelope agreed. She stared at her wardrobe, whereallof the Madame’s creations hung. “I feel foolish now. I’ve over prepared.”
“Not at all. It’s nothing you won’t eventually put to use,” Hope insisted. “Don’t think twice about it.”
They laughed and went down to luncheon.
“Do you know what the men mean to wear?” Penelope asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
“I haven’t heard what Sterne means to wear. Whiddon declares he will only wear his domino, as he wants to be ready for anything that might happen. Tensford doesn’t object, since he says Whiddon would do the same for any other masquerade.”
“And Tensford? Do you know what the earl will wear?”
“Yes,” Hope answered glumly.
Penelope’s eyes widened. “What is it? Is something wrong with his choice?”
“Yes. He’s going as a lobster.”
Penelope bit back a laugh. “Oh, but it is very sweet. It’s meant as a joke between you, is it not? Some of us know that lobster patties are special to you both.”
“It’s not very dignified,” Hope grumbled.
“Then he sacrificed his dignity to make you smile. As I said, it’s very sweet.”
“It doesn’t make me smile, though,” Hope said with sigh. “After all the teasing we’ve done about lobster patties, suddenly, I can’t abide the thought of eating one! Just looking at his costume makes me feel nauseated.”
“Oh, dear,” Penelope giggled. “Poor Tensford.”
“I know!” Hope wailed. “He is very annoyed, but I cannot help it if the baby doesn’t like lobster!”
She laughed out loud. “No, you cannot. Why don’t you ask him to go as a pineapple?”
The countess’s eyes lit up. “Now that is a fine idea.” She sighed. “Too bad, it’s likely too late to make up something like that.”
When they’d finished, Hope returned to her rooms to rest while Penelope went to the sitting room to write letters. She’d already written to tell her parents what James had done at the townhouse, and about the other things she suspected him of. It was too early to have heard back from them, but she felt as if she’d done what she could to uphold the family honor.
And she was still doing it. She knew that Sterne and the rest of them believed she was overreacting. They all still held Stillwater as the prime suspect in their hunt. But she had a feeling, deep in her gut. James was deeper in this than they yet knew.
“Excuse me, Miss?” A maid stood at the door. “Mrs. Caradec has arrived.”
“Oh, dear. Did you tell her that the countess is resting?”
