The Rakehell Regency Romance Collection Volume 2(134)

But first they had to get into dinner. The bevy of new arrivals had thrown the eating arrangements into complete disarray. With some extra leaves in the long table, and a willingness to sit much more closely together than would normally be the custom, they managed to sort themselves out.



Her brother was of course at the head of the table and his wife at the foot. Vevina sat with the Duke, her husband with the Duchess. Elizabeth sat on the left of her brother, for he was not taking too many chances with his sister in such a large company of strange men. Thomas specially requested that Will join them, and so he now sat on Elizabeth's left. Stewart's cousin Marcus Fitzsimmons pressed in next to Vevina, and Major Parks next to him. Mitchell sat on Will's left to complete the group at that end of the table.



Elizabeth felt breathless with anticipation. She looked at the three blond men surrounding her, and felt certain that one of them had to be the faceless man in the cave. She scanned each one for a brief minute. All were tall, golden-haired, blue-eyed and broad-shouldered, but that was where the similarity ended.



Major Parks was about her own age, cultured, with only a touch of superiority, which would have only been natural given all he had achieved for a man of eighteen. He wore his medals proudly, and his uniform seemed to be a second skin. His blue eyes were like cornflowers, and always seemed to glow with amusement. His aquiline nose and elegant cheekbones suggested delicacy and refinement, as did his pale skin. In short, he was almost beautiful, with looks most women would have killed for.



Marcus Fitzsimmons was almost equally tall, the oldest of the three men at about thirty. His breadth seemed more a result of the enjoyment of good living than an active life. He was dressed modestly in a tweed coat made of the local oily wool, and a serge waistcoat.



His blue eyes were almost grey, flat like a pewter charger, expressionless even when he seemed to be laughing or talking animatedly. He had a broad forehead and a rather florid complexion which suggest he enjoyed the outdoors and his fair share of wine and whiskey. He was handsome in a rather rugged way. Elizabeth was sure many a woman would have found him a good catch provided his fortune were not too mean.



Wilfred Joyce was about twenty-six, and dressed head to toe in black apart from his snowy white linen. She noted his coat was of good quality, perfectly tailored for his broad shoulders, accented by a fine silk waistcoat and cravat. His chest was muscular, rippling with every movement of his magnificent physique. His eyes could only be described as aquamarine, constantly changing like the sea depending upon the light and his thoughts as he gazed upon various people and objects at the table.



His face looked as though it had once been exceptionally handsome indeed, but a hard life, with a broken nose and cheekbone, and a scar which extended down his left cheek to his chin, had rendered his face a much more rough and masculine version of his sister's.



His past life had also affected his posture, for he seemed to sit hunched as though on the edge of his seat all the time, as if any moment waiting to be attacked, or to attack.



She also noted that he ate his meal stiffly. She had watched him out of the corner of her eye as he'd cut up the entire plate of food in front of him into small bite-sized pieces, and exchanged with Mitchell. She smiled inwardly at his kindness to the one-armed man, and he rose in her estimation immediately.



Having made her survey of her three companions, she turned her attention back to the flamboyant young major. She couldn't help but stare at his beribboned chest until Parks laughed and said, "La, if you think these are impressive, you should see Stewart's. Not to mention Will's. They would put even Stewart's collection to shame."



Will fidgetted under the gaze of his companions, but Marcus said in an affected drawl, "Oh, please, it's too awful. No more war stories, I beg you."



"Personally, I'd be only too pleased to hear Will's adventures," Thomas said in a cool tone which surprised his sister.



"Of course," Fitzsimmons said, giving his most dazzling smile. "I just meant that often one is subjected to such lurid tales, which would not be fit for the ears of two such charming ladies."



Elizabeth looked at him narrowly,



Vevina rolled her eyes.



Parks guffawed outright.



"I will not claim to have more than a passing acquaintance with the charming Lady Elizabeth," Parks said with a gallant bow in her direction, "but Vevina does not need to be sheltered from distasteful subjects. She knows only too well what the war has wrought. She has nursed many a man back to health, including her own brother and husband. I will not even make her blush by recounting her legendary fighting in the thick of the battle at Cuidad Roderigo."