Amanda made it her priority for the rest of the
evening to stay out of trouble, thus she confined her
conversation to Serena and those of young Amanda s
friends who already knew of her mental fuzziness. She
circulated through the Marchfords public rooms, each
more crowded than the last, chatting with what she
hoped resembled a practiced ease. It was more than an
hour later that Ash approached her again.
The supper dance is upon us, he remarked lazily.
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It appears that the orchestra is settling into a
Boulanger. Shall we take a turn about the room?
Wordlessly, Amanda placed her hand on the arm he
proffered and, scooping up the train of her gown in a
careless gesture that had taken her some hours to
perfect, she walked at his side.
Just what is a supper dance? she asked at length.
It is the dance just before supper, of course.
Usually, a lady then goes to supper with the gentleman
who partners her for the supper dance. He slanted a
glance at Amanda. His eyes, thought Amanda, were
like a winter sea cold, yet changeable and sometimes
touched with sunlight. You truly have no memory at
all of the infinite social minutiae so critical to what we
call civilization.
Amanda laughed. That s one of those sentences
that my stu she gulped that require dissecting
before one can answer. Good Lord, she d almost
blurted out that she was a teacher in her real life.
But was it her real life anymore? Every rational fiber of
her being screamed that she could not possibly have
traveled through time to take up residence in a Mayfair
town house in what was really the last gasp of the
eighteenth century, but the alternative options seemed
to be dwindling.
She shook herself and replied calmly, But you are
right, my lord. I truly have forgotten everything that
makes Amanda Bridge who she is. I seem, she added
cautiously, to be another person altogether.
Since her words coincided so precisely with the
earl s reflections on the subject, he paused in their
peregrinations to look directly at her, startled. She
found it hard to meet his gaze and was relieved when a
plump heavily jeweled matron strode up to greet the
earl.
Lady Chuffing, how are you this evening? he
responded courteously. He turned to Amanda. Do you
not remember, Miss Bridge, we spoke just a few
moments ago of Lady Chuffing s delightful garden
party last week. You were saying she served the most
marvelous pastries.
Oh yes! cried Amanda, taking her cue. I m afraid I
made a dreadful spectacle of myself, devouring so
many.
Why thank you, my dear, replied her ladyship,
condescending so far as to offer her gloved hand to
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Amanda. You looked lovely that afternoon, as you do
this evening. She leaned forward confidentially. I
suppose I should not mention it her cheeks creased
in a coquettish smile but your mama told me we
may look for an interesting announcement soon. Her
eyes darted questioningly from the earl to Amanda.
Oh dear, said Amanda. I
As to that, my lady, interrupted Ash smoothly, I m
sure Mrs. Bridge did not wish to imply something that
would contribute to the rise of gossip which I know
you abhor.
Lady Chuffing pursed her small mouth in
disappointment, but accepted defeat with good grace.
After another few moments of chatter, she continued
on her way, bestowing a significant smile on the pair
as she turned away.
My, breathed Amanda, I m impressed. You
skewered her right through the gizzard and she never
knew it.
An acquired skill, he murmured. Would you care
to step outside? It s very warm tonight, so I think you
will not need a shawl.
Indeed, the evening was almost sultry, and several
of the ladies, also promenading with their partners on
the small terrace that led from the back of the house,
plied their fans vigorously. The scent of spring flowers
was heavy in the air, and Amanda exclaimed in
delight, One of the things I love about England are the
gardens. Even here in the city, flowers can be seen
around almost every home.
It s our country roots, I expect. Many of those who
dwell in Mayfair grew up on rural estates. At Ashindon
House, in Bruton Street well, it s someone else s
house, now but the garden was kept meticulously.
Amanda glanced up at him, but his face was closed.
Really, she thought, he had the most unrevealing
features of any man she d ever met. He d make a great
poker player. She turned away and moved down the
stairs. The gravel on the path bit through her thin
slippers and she stepped onto the grass.
Mmm. She bent to sniff at a small bush covered
with tiny, fragrant blossoms. She turned to face the
earl, only to find that he had been following her so
closely that her nose bumped against the diamond
stickpin in his neckcloth. She drew back hastily. Tell
me about your rural estate, my lord. Ashindon Park, is
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it?
Ash smiled down at her. He was still rather too close
for her peace of mind, she thought, but when she tried
to move away, she found she was backed up against
the little bush. His nearness was having a most
peculiar and not altogether welcome effect on her.
As I think you know, the Park is in Wiltshire. It was
built in the time of Queen Elizabeth by Henry, the fifth
Baron Grantham, later the first earl of Ashindon. It
was erected in a plain square, but over the years it has
sprawled out in all directions, so that it is more or less
a hodgepodge of various styles. I have always thought
it beautiful, and it holds many fond memories for me.
Perhaps, he concluded unencouragingly, you would
like to visit the Park after our betrothal is
announced. The place is not livable at present, but the
dower house is still in reasonably good repair. I leased
it to the vicar s cousin last year, but the family will be
leaving within a month or two.
I d like that, murmured Amanda. Would she still
be here in a month or two? She was surprised at the
stab of disappointment that shot through her at the
thought she might not be. And Lady Ashindon? she
asked. She did not really want to talk about Lianne,
but something about Ash s reaction to the presence of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]