was in all honesty that Garren discussed his overseas journeys with the two females flanking him, only they weren’t as recent as he led them to believe. He would have rather been sharing them with Thora who was sitting at the far end of the table and whom he’d been observing with lightening quick glances.
Nyle must be testing his reserve in placing him beside the woman, Garren thought as he answered the annoying female. “I missed England, especially at this time of year when the larkspur is in bloom.”
“Oh yes! I agree, my lord,” Lauryn rushed in before Cecilia’s mother resumed her domination of Lord Huntscliff’s attention. “Summer in England is lovely.”
Thora, who had been listening, turned her head toward Lord Huntscliff, only this time she was stunned to find his dark eyes locked on her with a nerve-shattering stare as he said, “Yes, lovely, very lovely.” There was no way of stopping the flush of red that crawled up her neck to settle in her cheeks. Not wanting anyone to notice, Thora quickly picked up her water glass and brought it to her lips, draining it slowly until the heat in her face cooled.
When dinner ended and the women left for the parlor to have tea, the men stayed behind for a glass of brandy. Abstaining from spirits, the vicar and Lord Langless chatted over coffee. The remaining male guests took their filled glasses and moved to the end of the table away from Lord Langless’s thunderous vocals.
“What say you, Huntscliff, are you joining tomorrow morning’s hunt?” Viscount Radley Simon-North asked, downing a second rather large glass of brandy. “If you’re interested you can join our wager. The man who bags the most birds wins a healthy purse.”
Nyle shot the viscount a look of pain. “Now you’ve done it, Simon-North! You might as well turn over the winnings to Huntscliff now. He has the sharpest eye of anyone I’ve ever gone up against.”
Viscount Simon-North raised one of his fair brows and smiled confidently. “He hasn’t won yet. I’m sure tomorrow will hold some surprises.” Casting an eye toward Sandler Leedworthy, he queried, “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to come out with us, Leedworthy. Your pallor is becoming as sallow as the pages of those old books you read.”
“I’d rather improve my mind than my aim, Simon-North. You should try it sometime,” Leedworthy snapped back.
“You’re starting to sound like my old nanny, Leedworthy. Can I help it if my hobbies require more, let’s say, active participation?” Viscount Simon-North said with a smirk.
“And what hobbies are those?” Garren questioned.
“Just the usual,” Lord Avery Flemington chimed. “Women, gambling, and spirits!”
Simon-North threw his golden head back and gave a hardy laugh, stretching his lips to show a set of perfect white teeth. “Yes, those are my hobbies and thank you, Flemington, for putting them in their proper order!”
Marquis Brightington placed a hand on Simon-North’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze as if to silence him. “Now that you’ve revealed your wayward side, Radley, which I must confess mirrors my own and that I’m sure of many a man, let’s hear from someone else. What are your pleasurable pursuits, Huntscliff?”
Garren looked directly into Brightington green eyes, eyes that appeared to be evaluating him. “I try to keep my pursuits balanced. Like Mr. Leedworthy, I do enjoy reading but I also like the outdoors, fishing and hunting, and, of course, I find a woman’s company most pleasurable,” Garren returned with a slight smile. Giving a slight groan, he added, “I do ride, but a recent injury has limited that pleasure to short jaunts for the time being.”
“Shame,” Marquis Brightington said, seeming to a certain degree satisfied with his assessment of his host’s old school chum. “Somerville has quite a fine stable which I intend to take advantage of during my stay, and hopefully, I can persuade one of the ladies to join
Nyle must be testing his reserve in placing him beside the woman, Garren thought as he answered the annoying female. “I missed England, especially at this time of year when the larkspur is in bloom.”
“Oh yes! I agree, my lord,” Lauryn rushed in before Cecilia’s mother resumed her domination of Lord Huntscliff’s attention. “Summer in England is lovely.”
Thora, who had been listening, turned her head toward Lord Huntscliff, only this time she was stunned to find his dark eyes locked on her with a nerve-shattering stare as he said, “Yes, lovely, very lovely.” There was no way of stopping the flush of red that crawled up her neck to settle in her cheeks. Not wanting anyone to notice, Thora quickly picked up her water glass and brought it to her lips, draining it slowly until the heat in her face cooled.
When dinner ended and the women left for the parlor to have tea, the men stayed behind for a glass of brandy. Abstaining from spirits, the vicar and Lord Langless chatted over coffee. The remaining male guests took their filled glasses and moved to the end of the table away from Lord Langless’s thunderous vocals.
“What say you, Huntscliff, are you joining tomorrow morning’s hunt?” Viscount Radley Simon-North asked, downing a second rather large glass of brandy. “If you’re interested you can join our wager. The man who bags the most birds wins a healthy purse.”
Nyle shot the viscount a look of pain. “Now you’ve done it, Simon-North! You might as well turn over the winnings to Huntscliff now. He has the sharpest eye of anyone I’ve ever gone up against.”
Viscount Simon-North raised one of his fair brows and smiled confidently. “He hasn’t won yet. I’m sure tomorrow will hold some surprises.” Casting an eye toward Sandler Leedworthy, he queried, “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to come out with us, Leedworthy. Your pallor is becoming as sallow as the pages of those old books you read.”
“I’d rather improve my mind than my aim, Simon-North. You should try it sometime,” Leedworthy snapped back.
“You’re starting to sound like my old nanny, Leedworthy. Can I help it if my hobbies require more, let’s say, active participation?” Viscount Simon-North said with a smirk.
“And what hobbies are those?” Garren questioned.
“Just the usual,” Lord Avery Flemington chimed. “Women, gambling, and spirits!”
Simon-North threw his golden head back and gave a hardy laugh, stretching his lips to show a set of perfect white teeth. “Yes, those are my hobbies and thank you, Flemington, for putting them in their proper order!”
Marquis Brightington placed a hand on Simon-North’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze as if to silence him. “Now that you’ve revealed your wayward side, Radley, which I must confess mirrors my own and that I’m sure of many a man, let’s hear from someone else. What are your pleasurable pursuits, Huntscliff?”
Garren looked directly into Brightington green eyes, eyes that appeared to be evaluating him. “I try to keep my pursuits balanced. Like Mr. Leedworthy, I do enjoy reading but I also like the outdoors, fishing and hunting, and, of course, I find a woman’s company most pleasurable,” Garren returned with a slight smile. Giving a slight groan, he added, “I do ride, but a recent injury has limited that pleasure to short jaunts for the time being.”
“Shame,” Marquis Brightington said, seeming to a certain degree satisfied with his assessment of his host’s old school chum. “Somerville has quite a fine stable which I intend to take advantage of during my stay, and hopefully, I can persuade one of the ladies to join
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