Chapter 7 #2
His posture stiffened, as did his hold upon his fork. “Oh. Well.” He turned his full attention to her. “I beg your p-pardon, Lady Juniper. I have been an inattentive neighbor.” He winced. Cleared his throat softly. “What were you saying?”
He knew precisely what she had said, but he hoped she would turn the conversation to another matter.
“My sister-in-law,” she said, still soft enough that no one else would hear. “Is something amiss? Perhaps I am wrong, and you are more concerned with your brother?” The lift of her eyebrows combined with the crook of her mouth told him well enough she knew his stare had not centered on Roman.
Coming up with an answer that would satisfy her sisterly concern without causing alarm meant making several quick mental calculations. And forcing a calm smile while hoping his ears had not changed to red.
“You have c-caught me, Lady Juniper. I am aware, of course, th-that the Sterling family is still adjusting to their change in status. As I have great respect for th-them, I am anxious to see each member succeed. I am m-most impressed with Lady Emily’s composure.
One would think her b-born to her status. ”
Her eyebrows climbed higher as he spoke, and Lyness doubted it had anything to do with his stammer. She had weighed his words and seemingly did not believe them.
“You are admiring her, then?”
Sensing there was more to question than the innocent way she posed it, Lyness met her stare and said in as level a voice as possible, “Of c-course. As I would admire anyone in her situation.”
“Hm. How interesting. Why have you not engaged her in conversation?”
He gestured to the table. Wide, by town standards, full to bursting.
“I have no w-wish to raise my voice or draw attention.” It was habit, more than anything.
When he spoke without first arranging the words in his thoughts, when not completely comfortable in a situation, his stutter came out often.
His family had ever been forgiving of that, always showing forth patience, but his tutors had not.
School boys in his past had not. Until his older brother either boxed their ears or stared them down on Lyness’s behalf.
“That is unfortunate.” The lady’s gaze flickered from him to Lady Juniper.
“As I do believe your mother has rather hoped Emily would draw someone’s attention.
And I do not think she meant it to be Mr. Phineas Nelson’s.
” She tapped one finger on the table, then appeared ready to say more on the matter, when they heard instead that gentleman.
“I have not been in London this Season myself,” Phineas said, tone a trifle louder than before. “But I recall hearing of your family’s entrance into Society. We heard at least some of the news, even all the way in York.”
“All the way in York?” Roman repeated, brow drawn tight. “You speak as though we live in a backwater parish instead of one of the finest cities in our kingdom’s history.”
Lady Emily glanced between the two with wide eyes. “Yes. I suppose word of our family’s experience would travel. It is rather like a fairy story. Of course, London was where we went at first, to see the house there, and learn more of the inheritance. It seemed the right place to begin.”
“But why?” Phineas asked, now looking at Roman with a sly smile, more pleased at the idea of teasing a friend than making the lady between them comfortable.
Or so Lyness immediately thought and bristled.
“When York is so much more comfortable for that sort of thing. Smaller crowds. Less strict adherence to the social strictures of London.”
“I do not think London a poor choice,” Roman said, both hands on the table flexing, eyes on Phineas. “Though it likely proved more troublesome than a place such as Bath or Ipswich.”
Lady Emily’s cheeks had turned pink, and no one had noticed.
“The new earl’s family managed well enough, thanks to the help of friends,” Lady Juniper said, voice raised to carry gently across the table.
Mrs. Holly, on the other side of Phineas, said suddenly, “Oh, yes. I remember hearing something about that. Was there not some unpleasant rumor about your poor family, Mr. Sterling?” She leaned back slightly, the better to direct her question to Jack, who was at the opposite end of the table from his sister.
Lyness wanted to groan. As much as they liked Mr. Holly, his mother possessed a singular talent for asking inappropriate questions.
Usually, it was something that amused Roman, but Lyness always found himself wanting to offer correction.
But it was not his place, and rudeness ought not to begat rudeness.
Things were getting out of hand, and Lady Emily had turned from pink, to red, to a worrisome shade of white. And he could not stand to see her look as though she wished to disappear.
“That is the w-way of it in London,” Lyness said, voice carrying loudly enough that the others quieted to look at him, even those not yet involved in the conversation. All eyes were on him. Including Lady Emily’s.
“Whatever do you mean, Mr. Eastwood?” Mrs. Holly asked, voice warbling inconsiderately at that volume. Vaguely, Lyness sensed Mrs. Elgin, sitting next to him, shrink from her mother’s ill-mannered tone.
His heart sped up. He forced himself not to wince even as he felt his throat tightening.
He avoided this kind of notice on purpose.
And generally did not stutter as much when in his own home.
But he knew, even before opening his mouth, that this speech would be short and full of repeated consonants.
“London is f-f-full of b-bored people. They m-make much from a single word or detail. T-turning story into r-r-rumor, rumor into gossip, and g-gossip into the r-ruin of another’s reputation.
I sh-should not give heed to any r-rumors from London.
B-best to believe only what one can c-confirm for oneself. ”
It was a painfully long speech for him to make at one of his mother’s dinner parties. He dared not glance her way. Instead, he turned slightly to Lady Juniper.
“D-do you agree, my lady?”
Lady Juniper’s eyes had turned quite round as he spoke, but she hastily composed herself.
“Oh, yes. Precisely my thoughts on the matter. People in London grow bored with the truth and so invent fiction to entertain themselves, with little care for how it might impact the reputation of another person. I find the worst rumors are often started by rivals, anyway.” She turned a far-brighter-than-necessary expression to Mrs. Holly.
“I imagine you could tell us many a tale of your rivals, Mrs. Holly. Everyone knows you were quite the catch during your time as a single miss.”
That comment took the subject in an entirely different direction. Mrs. Holly had no qualms about speaking of her past as a sought-after beauty. Perhaps it was that long-ago status that made her behave as though she need not confine herself to the normal boundaries of conversation.
No one batted an eye in Lady Emily’s direction again.
Expect for Lyness. He met her gaze, saw the color return to her cheeks, and her smile reappear in a smaller, meeker form.
She mouthed the words thank you. Which, of course, left him elated.
Warmth flooded his chest, and he found he liked being her champion.
In that moment, had she needed an ogre slain or a dragon defeated, he would have asked only to be pointed in the right direction.
And, perhaps, armed himself with a sword.
He bowed his head subtly, hoping she would understand his thoughts. You are welcome. I am sorry for the need, but I would do it again.
He glanced at Roman to see what he had made of the near disaster to find his brother staring at him with a deep frown. Roman shook his head slightly, but whether it was a mark of disapproval for Lyness’s speaking up or confusion, Lyness couldn’t say.
Probably it was best to focus on the fact that he had saved Lady Emily from some mild discomfort and the possible re-ignition of London rumors.
Rumors that he had heard, too, after leaving London for York.
They were not flattering in any way, even if they had died down by the time Mr. Sterling arrived in York with his wife and sister in tow.
Reviving anything negative about Lady Emily while she was under her brother’s protection, away from the rest of her family, would not go well for her.
And Lyness had no intention of letting anyone within his hearing cast aspersions on her character or reputation.
Not when he knew her to be intelligent, witty, kind, charming… .
He had to stop adding to the list when his mother announced that the ladies would adjourn to the drawing room. She rose with her usual grace, and all the gentlemen rose, too.
“We will, of course, be pleased to play cards, or perhaps enjoy some music, after we are rejoined by the gentlemen,” she announced. “This evening is proving a delight, and I will not have it end too soon.”
Lady Hartwell’s entire being took on a brightness of expression, and she moved with a grace and energy Lyness had not seen in her for some time. She smiled pointedly at Roman, then briefly at Lyness, then led the women out of the room.
As Lady Emily left, she looked back over her shoulder once. Lyness caught her gaze—or rather, she caught him staring. As did her sister-in-law. Lady Juniper had turned, too.
It seemed he was terrible at subtlety.
And Lady Emily’s departure left him somewhat hollow.
He looked from the decanter brought forward by a servant to the door where the women had exited.
Would it be terrible of him to skip the private masculine conversation and go directly in to sit with the ladies?
Giving his attention to one lady in particular…