Chapter 20
“If he was not my brother, I would be sick with envy,” Lizzy cooed as Selina returned to the ladies. “Goodness, was it fun? Are you dizzy? I would be dizzy.”
Selina fanned herself, smiling so widely that her cheeks ached. “I am out of breath but surprisingly not dizzy. All of our practicing was worth something, it seems.”
“Practicing?” Her mother seemed horrified.
“Oh yes,” Lizzy interjected. “The three of us like to practice the newest dances whenever we can.”
Her mother furrowed her brow. “I did not realize the two of you were so well acquainted. Didn’t you only just meet when the engagement was agreed upon?”
“It is a long story, Mama.” Selina took her arm. “I shall tell you all about it another time. Right now, however, I am in need of further amusement.”
“A game!” Melody chirped. “Let us play a game outside while it is still light enough. I have been desperate to play that ring game.”
Grinning, Selina nodded. “Then let us play it.”
The group of ladies headed out onto the terrace and down the steps to the stretch of lawn where games had been prepared: pall mall, ring toss, races for the gentlemen, among others. To Selina’s delight, many guests were playing too.
They approached the ring toss and waited for the trio of ladies ahead of them to finish their game, offering cheers of enthusiasm from the periphery.
Then, it was their turn.
“Come, Mama, you must join us,” Selina urged, seeing her mother’s hesitation. “You too, Your Grace.” She cast a pointed look at the Dowager Duchess.
“Oh, mercy, no,” the Dowager Duchess protested, settling down in a lawn chair. “I shall be quite happy just to watch. I do not have the vigor for such games anymore, but I have vigor aplenty to cheer you all on.”
Her mother glanced at the chair beside the Dowager Duchess, then back at the ring toss game. A glint of something like determination flickered in her eyes, and, with a nod to herself, she said, “I shall play just one game and see how I fare.”
“That is the spirit, Mama!” Selina crowed, overjoyed.
It was turning out to be a rather exceptional evening, which was a relief after the days of fretting and planning and listening to everyone throwing ideas around. She had been worried that an actual elephant might somehow turn up.
“I shall go first,” Lizzy declared, picking up a collection of yellow-wrapped wooden rings.
There were stakes embedded in the ground. The person who had the most of their color on the stakes when all of the rings ran out was the victor. It was not a game that Selina had played often, but how hard could it be?
Lizzy lurched forward and let the ring loose. It sailed straight past the stakes and skidded across the grass, coming to a halt almost at the beginning of the pall mall lawn.
“A little too enthusiastic, Lizzy,” Melody remarked.
“Yes, well, that was just a trial,” Lizzy replied, pouting. “I think we should all be allowed one throw that does not count.”
Selina had to laugh. If there was one thing Lizzy hated most in the world, it was losing.
“Very well, we shan’t count the first throws,” Selina said. “Now, Mama, why don’t you try?”
Her mother chewed her lower lip, clearly anxious. With a deep breath, she gathered up some green rings and approached the throwing line. Tension held her posture rigid.
Selina couldn’t have been prouder to see her mother trying to enjoy herself, even though her father was around somewhere.
Her mother let out a quiet huff of effort as she let her ring fly. Meanwhile, Selina held her breath, watching with hope as the ring arced… and landed cleanly on one of the stakes.
“A win!” she cried out. “A win!”
“But I thought—” Lizzy began to say, until Melody clamped a hand over her mouth.
Her mother whirled around, her face bright with a youthful, giddy excitement that Selina had not seen in a very long time.
“I did it!” she said, breathless. “Goodness, I did it!”
“You did, Mama,” Selina gushed. “An excellent throw, indeed!”
Her mother beamed, such joy in her eyes that Selina wondered if she would fare better here at Ashbrook. Of course, her father would never permit it, not in the long term, but it was a nice idea.
“Your turn, my dear,” her mother urged.
With a determined breath, Selina gathered the red rings and moved into position. She swayed back and forth, judging the distance between her hand and the stakes, feeling a rush of competitiveness.
She let go of the ring and watched as it fell just short of the stakes.
“Blast it!” she cried out, laughing. “So close, and yet so far! Mama, you made it look easy.”
Her mother chuckled. “It must have been beginner’s luck.”
“Nonsense. You just have a natural talent that I have failed to inherit.” Selina grinned as Melody stepped up to play with an armful of blue rings.
Yes, this ball was turning out to be a lovely thing, indeed.
“I am cursed!” Selina cried, her hand to her stomach as she doubled over with laughter. “It is physically impossible to miss by the same distance every single time!”
Philip leaned against the terrace balustrade, watching her play with such enthusiasm. He had not been able to take his eyes off her, amused by her hopeless competitiveness. She certainly did not give up easily, which was probably a good trait in a wife.
“Have you tried just throwing it a little bit further?” Lizzy asked with a wicked smile, although her success hadn’t been much better.
Selina shot her a look. “Of course I have!”
“There is a theory,” Melody said, “that our muscles remember things. Maybe it has remembered the same distance, and it cannot be changed unless you teach it differently.”
“Or I am just terrible at this game.” Selina sighed, her laughter mingling with that of her friends.
Her mother was smiling too, as was the Dowager Duchess. It was a heartwarming sight.
Philip was tempted to intrude on it, to join in with the game and the laughter, but he held back. Selina seemed so happy, so at ease in the landscape of his house. Maybe it was better just to observe.
“You might have allowed me to win, seeing as I am the bride and all,” Selina complained playfully.
“Oh, my dear Selina, that is not how this works,” Lizzy replied, putting an arm around her. “We are ruthless.”
At that moment, Selina turned her head. She likely meant to look toward the Dowager Duchess. Instead, her gaze drifted up to Philip, and shielding her eyes from the sunset’s fierce glow, she smiled at him.
“I concede my defeat,” she said to her friends, though her eyes remained on him. “Let us return inside for refreshments.”
Murmurs of assent rippled through the small group as they began to make their way back to the terrace.
Lizzy rolled her eyes as she saw Philip standing there, and he thought he heard her whisper “traitor” to Selina, before flashing a smile and stepping into the manor.
“Do not keep her out here too long,” his grandmother remarked with a wink, passing him. “An engagement ball is for the guests, not for you. They will want to see the pair of you.”
“I shall only be a moment, Grandmother,” Philip promised.
Melody gave him a nod of acknowledgement, and the Duchess of Barlow patted him gently on the arm as she went by. Then, there was only Selina.
“Are we going to dance again?” she asked, leaning against the balustrade with him. “We shall have to discuss what is appropriate first, so I am not surprised when I am hoisted in the air.”
He smirked. “Come with me.”
“The dance floor is that way,” she said as she walked with him a short distance up the terrace, behind the potted laurel bushes that offered some privacy from the ballroom doors.
The moment she came around the edge of the bush, he grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall, his mouth on hers.
Surprise froze her mouth for a second, before she kissed him back, her hands sliding under his lapels, running over his chest.
He kissed her, hot and fierce and hard, giving in to the impulses he had been holding back while watching her from the terrace.
Seeing her shapely form twist and bend had stirred him, though it was the walled gardens beyond that had truly stoked his desires, not to mention that their interrupted moment in the gallery had left him somewhat frustrated.
She pulled him closer, the sound of her ragged breaths tipping him toward a sort of madness. The kind that would get them both in a lot of trouble if he couldn’t rein it in.
Panting, he broke their kiss, though he stayed close, leaning over her. “I am trying very hard to be respectful,” he growled, smiling. “The trouble is, I don’t know how much longer I will be able to control myself around you.”
She bit her lip, her eyes gleaming with desire. “That was controlling yourself?”
“You have no idea.” He brushed a lock of hair from her shoulder, his fingertips brushing her neck. “Perhaps we should get married sooner. Tonight, even.” He grinned at her.
“I doubt a priest could be fetched so quickly,” she replied, chuckling. “Nor do we have the license for it.”
“I will have arrangements made for the end of this week,” he said, suddenly serious. “I shall change the details of the license myself. To wait another week would be too much.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You mean it?”
“Why not? Your family and friends are already staying here. I doubt they would mind it taking place sooner, if you are not averse?”
“I am not,” she blurted out, her hands grasping his lapels.
He smiled. “Then you are in agreement?”
“I am,” she replied, laughing. “Certainly, I am.”
“Does this mean you believe that I want you?”
She nodded shyly. “I think it is getting harder to deny.” Her gaze flitted to the side. “That being said, I do not want us to get into any trouble before we can be married. The scandal sheets will have enough to say about that lift. I should… return inside before we are caught.”
“I wish they would all leave so I could have you to myself,” he murmured, stealing one more kiss.
“Well, blame your sister for that.”
Chuckling, Selina slipped past him and walked backward for a few moments with a smile on her face.
He was ever more grateful for the mysterious book club that had brought them together.