The Lady By His Side(15)
He grimaced. “Logically, no.”
“But you think it has.”
“I think—and Drake thinks—that rumors about fresh plots coming out of Ireland at the same time that Ennis contacts Drake wanting to impart information of a secret and sensitive nature is too difficult to swallow as mere coincidence. Especially given Ennis is an Anglo-Irish peer with an active estate in Ireland, but a preference for living in England, who is married to an English peer’s daughter and has his sons being brought up as Englishmen.”
Antonia turned to survey the guests; she had to admit Englishmen were in short supply. After a moment, she murmured, “We—you and I—are so obviously English, and upper nobility at that, even if the Anglo-Irish here are discussing such a plot, they’re not going to mention it in our hearing.”
“No—we’ll have to eavesdrop, and even then, it’s unlikely they’ll let anything fall. But I was thinking more in terms of learning who they are, where they hail from, and so on. I can’t see any reason they won’t tell us that, and if any of them prove to be involved in whatever plot is being hatched, the more information we have, the better.”
“All right.” She tightened her grip on his arm. “Follow my lead.”
She guided him to where Mrs. McGibbin and Mr. Parrish were now chatting with Melinda Boyne.
Antonia and Sebastian were greeted with interest. It wasn’t all that hard to get Mr. Parrish talking about his interests in Ireland—sheep and investments, in that order. When appealed to, Mrs. McGibbin revealed that her husband owned a property in the northwest of the country and augmented his income through underwriting the activities of an increasingly lucrative fishing fleet.
Between them, by subtle degrees, Antonia and Sebastian steered the conversation to comparisons with the Boynes’ Irish estate near Tulla—as Mrs. McGibbin, Mr. Parrish, and Miss Boyne had all visited and were familiar with the place, that was a subject on which all three had insights to offer.
Insights, but no startling revelations, yet it was a start.
Tea having been consumed and the cups and saucers surrendered, with the first gong not due to be rung until six o’clock, the company started to drift apart as, in small groups, the guests elected to stroll in the waning light of the mild autumn afternoon.
Some made for the terrace, others for the gardens.
Antonia and Sebastian were joined by Melissa Wainwright and Claire Savage. Together with Miss Boyne and Miss Bilhurst, Antonia’s friends were eager to take the path around the ornamental lake to the small folly on the far shore.
Sebastian held aloof from their plans; Antonia assumed he was intending to join—and attempt to extract information from—the other unattached gentlemen.
Then Cecilia Boyne swept up and halted by Sebastian’s side. She listened to Amelie Bilhurst’s eager outline of their plan and smiled encouragingly. “It is a lovely walk at this time of evening, ladies—I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.” With that, Cecilia looked at Sebastian, then boldly slid her arm through his. “But I’m sure Lord Earith would prefer to stroll the terrace.” To Sebastian, she said, “Perhaps I might show you my new conservatory, my lord.”
Antonia didn’t think, didn’t blink. With an accomplished smile—one she’d learned at her mother’s knee and perfected by observation—she leaned forward and, around Sebastian, addressed their hostess. “Oh, but Earith has already agreed to accompany us—and all the other gentlemen have gone off to play billiards, I believe.” She turned her smile on Sebastian and allowed the gesture to take on a quite different—more lover-like—warmth. “I know how you feel about me wandering unprotected.”
Sebastian seized her lifeline like a drowning man. He turned to Cecilia. “Sadly, Cecilia, as you can see, I’m already committed.”
Cecilia shot Antonia a look that was more puzzled than anything else. She eased her arm from Sebastian’s, then patted his sleeve. “Later, then.” Putting on her hostessly face, she smiled at the other ladies. “Enjoy yourselves, my dears.”
Cecilia turned and headed toward Mrs. Parrish and Mrs. McGibbin.
Resuming their artless chatter, Miss Boyne and Miss Bilhurst led the way through the open French doors and onto the terrace. Melissa and Claire followed. Sebastian drew in a breath and offered Antonia his arm. She laid her hand on his sleeve, and they fell in at the rear of the small procession.
Once they were pacing down the lawn toward the lake, he murmured, “Thank you. Clearly, avoiding Cecilia while pursuing her husband is going to be a trifle more complicated than Drake thought.”