A Lady Never Tells(105)
Mary allowed herself a small smile at the thought of Rose shaking her dainty finger in Royce’s face as she rang a peal over his head. But that, of course, was the last thing Mary wanted. She didn’t need a husband, certainly not Royce. She would be fine; she didn’t need his apologies. And she would just have to get by without putting her troubles on her sister.
As she sat there, it struck her that the second floor was awfully quiet. She did not hear her sisters in their rooms or in the sitting room down the hall. And on the heels of that thought came another—she could hear the faint sound of voices drifting up from downstairs. A moment later, she heard the lower rumble of a masculine voice. She stood up and cautiously opened the door a crack.
A woman’s laughter, not one of her sisters’, floated up gently, followed by Fitz’s voice.
Cousin Fitz was here! And he had obviously brought someone with him. No doubt her sisters were down there, chatting with them. Mary closed her eyes and let out a sigh. The last thing she needed was to have to meet people and be polite. But, she realized, it actually offered a perfect opportunity. With Fitz and the others around, it would be far more difficult for Royce to talk to her in private—or to make some sort of a scene. She had to face everyone sometime, and this was probably the best chance she could have.
Quickly Mary undressed and washed, then put on a fresh frock and pinned up her hair. She stood for a moment, doing her best to put the past few hours out of her head, then sallied forth. Following the sound of voices, she made her way to the drawing room, where she found her sisters sitting and chatting with Lady Vivian Carlyle and Cousin Charlotte. Fitzhugh Talbot stood before the fireplace, one arm propped negligently on the mantel.
He turned and smiled. “Cousin Mary! How happy I am to see you.”
He came forward to bow over her hand in his carelessly elegant way. Mary greeted him with real pleasure and turned to Charlotte and Vivian, seated together on the sofa.#p#分页标题#e#
“I am so glad to see you. I had not expected you so soon.”
“London was growing boring,” Charlotte told her gaily. “Then we found out that Fitz was coming up before Oliver, so we decided to join him.”
“Although I fear poor Fitz was none too pleased.” Lady Vivian smiled slyly, cutting her eyes over at Fitz. “With us along, he had to come in a carriage and leave his curricle for Oliver to drive. I am surprised he didn’t refuse to bring us.”
“Nonsense. I would prefer to escort two lovely women anyway. But, Mary, where is that brother of mine? Your sisters told me the two of you were taking a stroll about the garden.”
Mary did not dare glance at her sisters. “We were… .”
“Do not tell me that he abandoned you. Surely even Royce is not so graceless.”
Mary could not help but smile. It was impossible not to like Fitz, and even harder not to relax in his presence. “No, he did not abandon me. I fear ’twas the other way around.”
Fitz grinned. “Was it, now? Well, I am sure it served him right.”
“Indeed, it did,” said a masculine voice, and they turned to see Sir Royce entering the room.
Mary noticed sourly that he looked as neat and calm as ever.
Royce bowed to Charlotte and Vivian, then reached out to shake Fitz’s hand. “I’m glad you are here.”
“As am I.”
“The earl did not come with you?” Mary kept her eyes on Fitz, not glancing at Royce as he joined his brother at the fireplace.
“No, Oliver still had some business to attend to in the city. I had grown quite weary of London, though. It sounded much more amusing to spend time with my new cousins than to hang about in London watching Oliver meet with his man of business and his solicitors.”
“We are very glad you did,” Lily told him emphatically. “Now we will have another dance partner. It will make it ever so much easier.”
“Yes, and you will have a far better one as well,” Fitz teased, casting a laughing glance at his older half brother. “Royce has two left feet, I understand.”
Royce raised his brows. “I am accounted an excellent dance partner.”
“Not as good as I am.”
“And you are such a humble man as well,” Mary said with a laugh.
“One cannot be humble about some things,” Fitz tossed back. “When it comes to dancing or making a bow, I would challenge any man.”
“It would be less maddening if it were not true,” Royce conceded.
The butler, Bostwick, appeared at the doorway, hovering until the occupants of the room turned toward him. “The trunks have arrived, my lady,” he said, bowing to Charlotte. “Where would you have me put them?”