The ride to the Lockhart mansion was filled with Father’s chatter about the goings-on of Parliament, for which Lucy could not have possibly cared less, and therefore she stared out the window. And Anna was a bundle of nerves, having convinced herself that she could stop Drake from offering for Lucy, with just the right smile and the right amount of laughter. Exactly as Grif had said. Grif. An image of him popped into her mind, an image of him smiling that devilish smile as he spoke of purple moons. She smiled a little—she couldn’t help admiring him on a certain level, for it took a different sort of man to smile when his back was against the wall.
When they arrived at the Lockhart mansion, the family was in the grand salon, where a very elaborate tea service had been laid. They looked idyllic, the four of them, as if someone had arranged them for a portrait. Drake was standing at the mantel, looking majestic, his sister Barbara seated at a writing desk, laboring over some sort of missive, and his lordship and lady seated together on a settee.
“Ah, here they are!” the elderly Lockhart called out, waving a hand at a footman. “Now we might have a spot of whiskey, eh?” he exclaimed, and gestured to an underbutler to pour one.
Everyone exchanged the usual pleasantries— Mother and Lady Lockhart pairing off instantly, Father and Lord Lockhart each with a tot of whiskey. Drake came forward straightaway, all smiles. “Miss Lucy,” he said, beaming. “Miss Anna. How good of you to come.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Anna said, smiling brightly. Drake smiled warmly, and then turned to speak to Lucy.
“Aaaaaaaana!” Barbara trilled with delight, forcing Anna’s attention away from Drake. She leaned in, kissing the air near Anna’s cheek.
“Good afternoon, Barbara.”
“It looks as if we’ll be partners once again!” Barbara cried happily, and grabbed Anna’s elbow and turned her slightly, as she put her head next to Anna’s and whispered, “As those two shall undoubtedly be together, then so shall we!”
Anna’s heart sank; in the moment that she had turned to greet Barbara, Drake had taken Lucy by the arm to escort her to a seat, then, flipping out his coat, he took the seat next to her.
Barbara linked her arm through Anna’s and pulled her closely into her doughy side. “We’ve the most delightful biscuits today! I confess I sampled one when no one was looking.” She pulled Anna to the tea service, away from Drake, and Anna was forced to politely listen to Barbara babble on about Nigel’s stay in Bath until the tea was drunk, at which point, the Lockharts were keen to hear sweet Lucy play the pianoforte. They were not, notably, so keen to hear either Anna or Barbara play.
Anna was standing behind the settee where the Lockharts were seated, and as Lucy daintily took a seat at the pianoforte, Anna was delighted to see Drake moving casually toward her, smiling and nodding as Lucy began her performance. It was with even greater delight that Lucy peeked up just as Drake reached Anna’s side.
“Anna,” he whispered below the admittedly lovely chords of Lucy’s playing. “You look lovely.”
A rush of heat filled her instantly. “Thank you,” she whispered back.
“That gown makes you particularly…”
He paused; she glanced at him from the corner of her eye as he boldly let his gaze dip to her bodice.
“… radiant,” he said in a near growl.
Anna did what Grif had taught her and laughed softly. “It’s not the gown that has made me radiant, sir.”
Drake smiled and lifted a brow as he stole a glimpse of Lucy and the others. “Pray tell, then, what has?”
“A friendly smile,” she whispered coyly.
Drake chuckled appreciatively as a polite round of applause went up when Lucy ended her song. “I shall keep that in mind,” he said, and with a nod, he turned and walked around the couch, applauding louder than anyone.
Blast it! She’d had him here and had lost him, and now he was sitting next to her mother, laughing and holding court. Laughing and smiling were alluring, Grif had avowed! A hint of flesh was impossible to resist, he’d claimed! A more likely truth was that Lucy had not been lying when she said Drake had touched her breast. Perhaps he wanted to touch more of it. Well, then, perhaps Anna would redouble her considerable efforts.
The next afternoon, Anna was waiting for Grif, secreted away in the small drawing room when he came striding through the front door, hat in hand, on his way to make a call to Lucy.
As he followed the butler down the hall, Anna stepped out of the small parlor, clearly startling him, as he exclaimed his surprise in his native tongue, along with the butler, who was likewise startled.
“I beg your pardon, if I may, sir,” she said politely, “but if you’ve come to call on my sister, she is taking the sunshine in the garden. I’d be happy to walk you there.”
“I beg your pardon, miss, but Miss Lucy is—”
“Ah…” she said quickly, holding up a finger, “Actually no, Duckworth. She… moved.” This much she knew to be true, since she had sent a parlormaid to tell Lucy that Drake was in the gardens. She flashed a dazzling smile at Duckworth. “I’ll show Mr…. ah, Lord Ardencaple to the garden.”
Duckworth colored slightly, but had the good sense to click his heels and bow. “Of course, miss,” he said, and instantly turned and strode away.