Page 40 of A Dash of Scot
“Don’t point,” Poppy said, pushing her sister’s hand down. “No need to draw negative attention to yourself. We’ve only just arrived.”
“I can’t help it.” Anise sighed and pressed her hands to her heart. “Just when I thought my life had taken a bleak turn where love would never touch my heart, we come here, and I can see at least five gentlemen that I’d let?—”
“Don’t say it.”
Anise grinned mischievously. “You know me so well.”
“A blessing and a curse.”
“Girls, I’m going to get some punch and meet some of the other ladies present. Do behave,” their mother said, moving toward the punch table and stopping along the way to introduce herself to several of the other matrons in attendance.
“Shall we mingle?” Poppy asked.
“Of course.” Anise put her arm around Poppy’s, and they meandered through the hall, weaving this way and that, nodding and smiling.
It was too much to hope they might recognize someone, as Poppy had been so young the last time they were in the area, and she didn’t think Anise would remember being here at all. And certainly, none of their London or Edinburgh acquaintances were here.
But the strangest thing happened as they were doing their walk about the room. Sir John—of all people—stepped into their path, a smile on his face.
Poppy practically felt Anise’s heart leap from her chest.
“Ladies,” he said with a low bow.
Anise gasped and tightened her hold on Poppy. “Sir John, what a surprise,” she said, though she didn’t seem surprised at all, and the only reason she hadn’t tossed herself onto the man, Poppy was pretty sure, was because she held her arm tightly to her.
Poppy squinted her eyes at her sister. What kind of a game was she playing here? Had she told him where they’d be? How? Could a letter travel so fast and he come so far?
It had taken them nearly a week to travel from Edinburgh to Skerray. And why would he have just happened to show up… He must have left town shortly after they did. Where was he staying? What were his intentions? A storm of thoughts battered through Poppy’s mind, and while Anise shrieked and giggled, Poppy’s brows drew closer and closer until she was fairly certain her face resembled a prune.
“I just so happen to have rented one of the manor houses nearby,” he drawled.
Was it bad that Poppy found this to be far-fetched? When had she become so skeptical? Sir John seemed perfectly pleasant, and she had no reason to doubt his intentions or words except for how Dougal disliked him. And was she going to take Dougal at his word? He’d lied to her about being betrothed.
Poppy’s stomach soured. All she’d wanted to do tonight was meet new people and have a good time, and now she was being reminded of the people and problems they’d left behind.
Sir John continued, speaking exaggeratedly with his arms moving so much that it was as if he were putting on a play. “I couldn’t help but come to the dance tonight in hopes of entertainment, and here I’ve found two familiar and beautiful faces.” He winked as if this were a conspiratorial meeting.
“Oh,” Anise sighed, pulling out her fan and fluttering it as their mother did.
“What a coincidence,” Poppy said, glancing at her sister, trying to figure out what sort of subterfuge was happening here.
“A happy coincidence,” Anise said, the picture of innocence, which to Poppy meant exactly the opposite. Somehow, her sister had arranged this.
“May I be the first to add my name to your dance cards?” Sir John asked.
Anise held hers up so fast he’d barely finished his sentence. Poppy watched as he scratched his name down, not once, but twice, onto Anise’s card.
“Miss Featherstone?” he asked, his smile genuine and sweet.
Still, she didn’t know if she believed it. Anise elbowed her in the ribs when she hesitated.
She nodded and held her empty dance card out, watching the confident scratch of his name fill out the second spot as he’d taken Anise’s first. After he finished writing, she worried he might write his name a second time as he’d done to Anise, but thankfully he didn’t. Poppy didn’t want to dance with him at all, let alone twice. If he were to show her the same favor he showed her sister, then Anise would certainly be put out about it.
The music ended, and there was a brief pause between sets as partners changed, and others went off in search of refreshment.
“Shall we?” Sir John asked Anise, holding his elbow toward her.
Anise grinned, removing her arm from Poppy’s to take his, practically skipping off toward the center of the dance floor as they waited for the next set to commence. A lively reel this time.
