Page 74 of An Unwitting Alliance
Miles grinned at Tom’s sarcasm. “Then, my work here is complete.”
“Complete? Hardly. I am not going to kidnap a mother and child by myself.” Tom pulled the topic away from his love life and back to their important business on the morrow. He went through a rough scenario of how best he thought to rescue the Kelbys and then waited for his friends’ approval.
Miles pursed his lips. “Not bad.”
“But what’s plan B?” Ian’s brows knit together.
Tom grinned. “I will do what I do best: improvise.”
Chapter 24
Cassandra’s mother was not pleasedto host a full house of guests without being capable of joining them for dinner.
“Will you be all right?” Cassandra asked, positioning Mama’s water within reach and setting a book beside her.
Mama shrugged. “I suppose I will have to be. I have a viscount and half the town of Brookeside in my house, and I cannot even greet them. You and your aunt will share the role of hostess in my absence. At least there I can be assured things will go right.”
“We will not disappoint you.” Cassandra fluffed the pillows and then left her mother alone and returned to her own room so she might change into her evening gown. One glance at her reticule on her desk reminded her of her own dilemma. While Tom was saving people’s lives, she would have to save her own.
Howhadthat pearl necklace gotten there? She had not glanced inside her new reticule since she had taken it to the ball. In fact, she was surprised she had not taken her older, plainer one to the sewing club.
While her maidpinned her hair, Cassandra retraced her steps on the night of the ball. Could Patricia have placed the necklace there by mistake? No, then her reticule would not be missing too. But someone had put it in Cassandra’s. On purpose or by accident, she could not say. By the time she made her way downstairs, she was no closer to solving the mystery of the pearls.
Nancy arrived just before dinner, and Tom took her aside to explain the details of their mission. Cassandra overheard their exchange.
“I want to help this boy and his mother.” Nancy’s voice was fervent and her gaze determined.
Tom sighed in audible relief. “I am grateful to hear this. I know little about children, and I will rely on you a great deal.”
“If you can get them out of the workhouse, I will do all that I can to assist you.”
“Thank you, Nancy.”
“And once they are safe, I want to help the others too. I am quite good at knitting blankets.”
Tom’s smile lit his face. “I shall see you are given the needed supplies.”
Nancy’s enthusiasm touched Cassandra. Nancy had not let her own difficulties break her, and she was now eager to lift someone else.
As soon as Nancy disappeared to check on Mama, dinner was announced. The company moved toward the dining room just as an older matron and two young ladies crossed the threshold to the house and were announced by Mr. Buttars.
Like with his male friends, Tom eagerly sprang to welcome the ladies and began introductions. Cassandra heard the names Vixen and Angel, along with Lord Reynolds’s translation of Vixen to Miss Jemma Fielding and Angel to Miss Lisette Manning. Cassandra’s eyes stopped longest on Miss Manning as she remembering Megan’s teasing about Tom being smitten with a woman called Angel.
Between Miss Fielding and Miss Manning stood their mutual grandmother, Mrs. Fielding. Tom explained that Mrs. Fielding was far more than their grandmother though; she was the guardian of Miss Fielding. Cassandra would never remember the details, but thank heavens they all seemed friendly enough.
Once everyone was gathered at the dinner table, however, the amiability seemed centered on the group of friends, and Cassandra suddenly felt like an outsider. Aunt Evans took immediately to the older Mrs. Fielding, so even the two gray-haired women chatted seamlessly together. Cassandra sent Megan a long look across the table, but her sister seemed wholly entertained by the group and only frowned at Cassandra in confusion.
It was not that she felt purposefully excluded, but she was used to having more of Tom’s attention. And now she realized these people knew him so much better than she did. It felt silly that she was the one he was supposed to marry. She picked at her food. To think she claimed any part of his heart seemed terribly foolish now. Why, he smiled at everyone—gave them all equal notice—and laughed and spoke far more freely than ever. He had a gift for putting a person at ease, and Cassandra had tricked herself into thinking that when the same behavior was applied to herself, he’d meant more by it.
Dinner finally waned, and soon they were all gathered in the sitting room, with the exception of Aunt Evans and Mrs. Fielding, who had gone upstairs to meet Mother. Outside, rain pelted the window, and many expressed how grateful they were that the storm had waited until after they had arrived. No one was more surprised than Cassandra when Mr. Buttars entered and announced the arrival of yet another guest. Two others, to be precise.
“Mr. and Mrs. Paul Sheldon.”
Cheers erupted in the room as a tall, thin man with russet-brown hair entered with a grin on his face, leading an equally happy young woman with thick dark hair and a heart-shaped face.
“Fisher, you’ve surprised us all!” Tom said, and the friends crowded together, laughing and chatting in a manner so genial that Cassandra had to smile.
Megan bumped her with her shoulder. “Who knew Mr. Harwood was so popular?”
