"Indeed." Elizabeth frowned. "Well, there is much of that sort of gossip here in Ireland. They do make up the most fantastic stories about each other. Like Mrs. Lynch's newborn having a snout on her like a pig."
They all laughed heartily.
"And I dare say if they are inventive enough they can even come up with some terrible things to say about us, or Stewart and his family," Thomas said with a smile which did not reach his eyes. "Don't believe everything you hear is my motto, but pay attention to what is being said all the same."
Once again, Elizabeth got the sense that there was a lot more going on in the district than met the eye. She tried to shake off her uneasy feeling, and hurried back to Ellesmere Manor to get ready for the evening.
Chapter Thirteen
Having returned to Ellesmere Manor, they all went about their business.
Elizabeth had dealt with the menu that morning, but now had to warn Cook that there would be twice the number for dinner.
True to her word, Elizabeth did have business with the steward, learning all she could about the estate. She not come out of the study until quarter to four, and raced upstairs to give herself a cat lick, and brush out and re-style her hair.
She surveyed her gowns, and decided she did not want to appear too fine. Charlotte and Vanessa were good but not modish dressers, and she did not want to eclipse Vevina, who seemed to not worry very much what she wore so long as she was decently clad.
Not that there was anything wrong with her taste, but she was constantly romping with the children and seemed not to care in the least for jewels or her coiffure. But she was a most happy woman, with a surpassingly devoted partner.
Elizabeth knew there was more to life than clothes and baubles—just how much more she had had a taste of in the cave.
She blushed at her fevered recollections, and grabbed the first gown that came to hand, a shimmering dark blue silk with lace trim which set off her eyes, making them look twice as large, and her hair, a rich deep black with hidden highlights which were almost midnight blue in colour.
She took up her matching gloves and an embroidery hoop and her reticule, and went below. She passed the time stitching in the drawing room downstairs as the guest began to assemble.
The Fitzsimmons clan had already arrived by the time she went down. Fortunately Clifford was managing to keep Marcus busy with talk of hunting and fishing thereabouts, so she could further her acquaintance with his sisters.
She rather wished she had not, for they did nothing but quiz her about all the men of the party that day, what they had done and said. It was evident they were trying to decide who was the best one for each to set their cap at. Since they were so sharp-eyed, it was surprising that they were not both making a beeline for either Parks or Will.
Amelia pointed out, "La, a career soldier? Not for me. All that dirt and discomfort. And no chances at prize money or loot now that the war is over, so the pay will be mean enough."
Elizabeth stiffened. "I'm glad the war is over. It has meant far more than simply loot, which is nothing more than stealing, may I remind you. Why, my brother tells me Wellington was most severe upon that sort of thing—"
"Sheer hypocrisy," Mary interjected, licking her lips with relish. "You can't tell me any soldier in their right mind wouldn't pick up a souvenir or two if it were dangled in front of his nose."
"I'm sorry, but my brother and our cousin Stewart don't seem those kind of men. Nor were my brother's set."
"More fool them, then."
"Or Mr. Joyce, or Mr. Parks," she added.
"I don't know about Parks, but that there Will Joyce is rich as Croesus after the war. Not from looting, of course, you're correct," said Amelia, "but what he did is a far worse sin in our books, and we shan't have more to do with him than we have to."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to demand to know what she was talking about. Just then the subject of the discussion appeared, still clad in black, though it was now silk evening garb. She sat with her mouth open, hardly knowing what to say or think. What on earth had Amelia meant?
Her brother caught her eye, and he shook his head. He did a rather good if catty imitation of the two sisters behind their backs which Will and Parks caught, and all four of them smiled.
The sisters, who had just been so dismissive of the two young men a moment before, now pounced upon them as eagerly as if they were on the menu, and they hadn't eaten all day.
"Pray excuse me, Lady Elizabeth. I fear I must—" Will said, as he was dragged away to the opposite end of the table with Parks, leaving Fitzsimmons to escort her into dinner.