A Lady Never Tells(116)
“Sir Royce. Talbot.” The older man shook their hands, his manner reserved.
“My dear, allow me to introduce you to the earl’s cousins.” Sabrina smiled sweetly at him. She went through the introductions, confirming that he was, as Mary had suspected, Lord Humphrey Carlyle, Sabrina’s husband and Lady Vivian’s uncle. Almost as an afterthought, she turned toward Vivian. “Oh, and, of course, you know Lady Vivian.”
“Of course.” Vivian swept past Sabrina, smiling brilliantly and giving each of the Bascombes a warm greeting. “It is wonderful to see you again. How very handsome all of you look. You will take London by storm next Season.”
“You are going to London next year?” Sabrina turned to the sisters in surprise. “Well … how delightful. I am sure that you will handle it just fine. The main thing to remember is not to let the old matrons frighten you. Or at least,” she added with a dimpling smile, “do not let them see you are afraid.”
“You needn’t worry about that,” Vivian assured her. “I think you’ll find there is little that frightens the Bascombe sisters. In any case, I will be there to help smooth their way. I intend to sponsor them next Season.”#p#分页标题#e#
“Really.”
“Yes. I am planning a ball to introduce them all.”
“At the duke’s town house?” Sabrina’s smile wavered a fraction.
“Of course. Only the grand ballroom there would be adequate. It will be the event of the season.”
“I am sure you know what is best, dear.” Sabrina turned to Mary. “I must confess I found Carlyle Hall quite overwhelming the first time I was there.” She tucked her arm through Mary’s and began to lead her away from Vivian and the others, leaning her head closer to say in a low, confiding voice, “Our dear Vivian, of course, grew up in the house. She does not understand how the rest of us might feel when confronted with such grandeur. Why, even this house has such a grand air that one cannot quite feel at home in it, can one? Willowmere, I fear, must seem the same to you.”
“Willowmere is rather large,” Mary hedged, for she liked Willowmere. She knew that she probably would have found it more intimidating if she had not first stayed in Stewkesbury House in London. Though Willowmere was larger, it was less formal, from its wayward sprawl of buildings to its friendlier servants, and it had a lived-in feel, with comfortably worn furniture and the marks that showed generations had inhabited the house.
Mary noticed that the rest of the party had drifted after them and was again grouped around Mary and Sabrina.
“You must not worry,” Sabrina went on. “I am sure that you will become accustomed to Willowmere. At least Halstead House is not so gloomy as it used to be. I redecorated several rooms, including this one, soon after Lord Humphrey and I were married.”
“Yes, this room once had a Jacobean carved walnut doorway into the dining room,” Lady Vivian said brightly. “Of course one would wish to get rid of that old thing.”
Sabrina let out a little chuckle. “I fear Vivian is much attached to the house as it was; she still has not forgiven me for my changes. The doorway was lovely, of course, but so massive and dark.” She turned toward Royce. “You remember it, don’t you, Royce?”
“I cannot say that I do, my lady.”
A moment of dead silence followed his terse remark, then Fitz stepped into the conversational breach. “Your renovations are as charming as yourself, Lady Sabrina.”
Sabrina bestowed her glowing smile on Fitz. Mary, glancing at Fitz, noticed that his return smile did not reach his eyes, and it only then occurred to her that Fitz’s compliment could be taken in an entirely different way. She glanced back at him sharply, but he was already turning away and she could not see his expression. Did Fitz not hold Sabrina in high regard?
Mary frowned. It was scarcely remarkable that two such attractive women as Sabrina and Vivian, both used to being the center of attention at any gathering, would have some clashes, particularly when they were residing in the same house. But she could not help but wonder why men, especially such flirtatious men as Sir Royce and Fitz, might not like a woman as lovely as Sabrina.
Lord Humphrey escorted his niece, the highest-ranking woman in the room, into the dining room, which left it to Fitz to offer his arm to Sabrina, and Sir Royce to take in Charlotte. Mary and her sisters trailed along behind them. As they took their seats around the table, Mary noticed that, breaking with the usual ranking, Sir Royce and Fitz had been placed in the midst of the women on either side, the whole group arranged near the head of the long table.