Page 14 of A Gentleman to Avoid (Sherton Sisters 3)

Chapter Six

Ash wanted to sigh and rake his hand through his hair, but he did neither. Negotiating business in India and the Caribbean had helped him develop the ability to hide his frustrations. But Lady Vigilia was testing his skills. Add in the fact that Lord Bertram had somehow managed to get himself invited, and he was almost ready to come up with an excuse to leave.

“When did you travel down to Crossley?” he inquired.

“We arrived two days ago.”

“Was it a grueling drive?”

Ash was almost surprised when she laughed. She was usually so serious around him. He had mostly only ever witnessed her laughter when she was in company with someone else.

“Not grueling in the least. Crossley’s driver seemed to know exactly where every rut and pothole was and how to avoid them. And Crossley, of course, had the most luxurious of carriages provided for his dear wife. So, I was travelling in the utmost of comfort. And with my best friend at that. When the earl was on horseback, Lady Crossley and I had a delightful time laughing like schoolgirls.”

Ash looked at her quizzically. “I have a hard time imagining that.”

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes as though in question of his statement but then seemed to shrug slightly.

“It’s good that you arrived without incident. I’m sure we’ll be seeing plenty of one another during your stay,” she said as way of terminating the conversation before she turned and walked away from him without further comment.

Watching her walk away, Ashford wondered why he was bothering. He could have set out for his plantation in Bermuda or he could be better served visiting his interests in New York. Either destination would have been more profitable. Trying to figure out the workings of Lady Vigilia’s mind was sure to be complicated enough even without the addition of Lord Bertram to the house party. And if the Sherton chit was interested in that lout, then Ashford didn’t want to have anything further to do with the woman.

But he didn’t want to sever ties with Crossley, so he couldn’t insult the man’s wife by leaving just as soon as he had arrived. Unless urgent messages were to arrive for him, he couldn’t suddenly recall something of import, or they would be sure to feel slighted.

Ash tried to accept the necessity to stay at least a few days and forced his gaze to circle the room casually. He could see why Crossley had said they would be subject to giggles that evening. The ladies all seemed very young, with very few chaperones in sight. He frowned, wondering what the countess was thinking. It seemed like some odd choices had been made while compiling the guest list for this particular party.

He had a mind to follow Vigilia but merely tracked her with his eyes for now. Just as he couldn’t leave, he also couldn’t cause his hosts’ primary guest to be uncomfortable. He may not be his father’s heir, but he had still been raised in the home of the Earl of Everleigh. Ash was well aware of what was considered acceptable or not.

The clatter of the servants rolling in the tea service interrupted all conversations. There was a flurry of activity as seating was rearranged and cups of steaming liquid were passed around. Ash eyed the trays of food, wondering if anything prepared would even begin to assuage his hunger. He was surprised to hear an irritated huff behind him followed quickly by a plate appearing in front of him as though conjured from thin air. His eyebrows lifted in surprise. While it wasn’t going to fill him overly, it was covered in far more substantial selections than was being served to the ladies present.

“I remembered your opinion quite succinctly on the subject of taking tea with ladies.”

“Was I so very obvious about it?” he asked with a smile.

One of Lady Vigilia’s eyebrows rose as though to mock him. “You were quite eloquent on the subject one day when you were calling on my sister.”

“And you remembered that all this time?” He was gratified until she snorted.

“You were the only gentleman who had ever expressed himself in such a way,” she informed him. But then after a pause, her cheeks tinged with pink, to his delight, and she added, “After giving the matter a bit of thought after your visit that day, I came to the conclusion that it was entirely possible that you were the only visitor who had ever been honest on the subject. I suspect most gentlemen would feel the same, at least the sportive ones who actually expend their energies.”

Suddenly, the pink that had been tingeing her cheeks seemed to flood her entire person, as though she were suddenly consumed with embarrassment. Ash had to ponder what either of them might have said to elicit such a reaction. No doubt, she realized she ought not to be even alluding to male activities. He shook his head over the silly proprieties. Some of them made obvious sense, but it was rather ridiculous that no body parts could ever be mentioned. Nor the fact that Lady Crossley was probably with child. No wonder children were led to believe that their siblings were brought into the household by a bird.

“Anyhow, I remembered and asked that something more be brought in case anyone was actually hungry this afternoon. Since we’re in the country, supper won’t be so terribly far off this evening, but if you’ve just arrived, I’m not sure where you might have stopped for a repast or if your cook packed for you this morning. But if you don’t actually want it, I can have it sent back down.”

Ash had never seen the girl babble before. It was a struggle to keep his amusement hidden. She was very obviously trying to stop herself from further speech, but it was as though her mouth had run away with her. Her colour deepened further. Her blue gaze was filled with chagrin as it met his briefly before she turned on her heel and walked away without another word. He hadn’t even had a chance to thank her.

It was amusing to see the lengths she went to for the rest of the afternoon to avoid being in his vicinity. Ashford couldn’t even tell how she was able to keep such close watch on where he was because it didn’t seem as though she looked at him even once. But no matter where he went in the large room, she was always clear on the other side. And she managed to do it so gracefully that he was certain no one else was even aware of it. Except perhaps, their hostess and her best friend. At one point during the hour that had followed, Lady Crossley had looked at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. It had reassured Ashford to know that the countess was obviously not opposed to his courtship of her guest. At least, not nearly as opposed as the lady in question, at any rate.

Vigilia’s efforts were almost thwarted at one point when she was waylaid by Lord Bertram. Ashford watched their interaction closely, in an effort to ascertain the lady’s thoughts on the viscount. He was too far away to hear what was being said, and her body language gave very little away. Which in itself told him something. What exactly it was supposed to be telling him, he wasn’t quite sure, but he did know that Lady Vigilia was usually much easier to read. She wasn’t nearly as contained as her two older sisters were reputed to be. It was one of the things he liked about the girl. She very rarely left one wondering what was going on in her mind. Except, of course, when it came to how she might feel about one Ashford Northcott, but that was an entirely different subject. With Vigilia, if she didn’t tell you outright what she was thinking or feeling, it was usually written on her face regardless.

Ash tried to get closer to hear what was being said between the two but, of course, he couldn’t allow it to be obvious and by the time he approached, she had already slipped away and was on the other side of the room once more, ostensibly checking on the other guests, ensuring someone’s teacup was refilled or offering the plate of sweets. She would make a remarkably skilled hostess, he noted as she moved through the room.

Perhaps, he was actually being unforgivably self-centered to think she was making that much effort to avoid him. It would take true determination for it to be so successful, since he was starting to feel as though he were stalking her. He decided to give up for the time being, as he reminded himself that he would be remaining at Crossley for at least the next week. He really ought to ensure he didn’t actually give her a justified fear of him.

~~~

Vicky was on the edge of her sanity. The dratted man wouldn’t stand still. She had made such a ridiculous fool of herself; she couldn’t bear to even look at him after she had blathered on about the sandwiches she had ordered for him. Even the fact that she had ordered sandwiches was embarrassing. He probably didn’t even want them and only took them because he was too polite to do otherwise. He was obviously going to think she had atendrefor him. She would rather die than have anyone think that.

But she had remembered how he felt about the little bite-sized treats their cook had made when they had callers at tea time. It had been amusing to watch his reaction to the delicate pieces. His large hands had made them look somewhat ridiculous, so she couldn’t fault him for rejecting them. And then too, she knew how hungry Crossley had been when they’d finally arrived upon his estate. So, she had thought Mr. Ashford Northcott would need further sustenance than the things the housekeeper had been planning to serve.

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