Chapter 4 #2
It was nice to see a woman who was not cowed by that intense stare.
It reminded Alice that she did not need to be.
Three years ago, the first year she’d thrown this party without George, she’d been exempt from including these men, as they’d been stationed away from the island.
Last year, Carruthers had been gone, though Shelbourne had attended, mostly keeping to himself yet still making her self-conscious of her bumbling efforts at hosting.
But this year, with the war with France entirely concluded, she had no excuses. They got on well with the island natives, and she felt a debt to them, as they’d been her husband’s closest friends and had personally brought her news of his passing.
“Lieutenants,” she said, spreading her hands wide but sharply pulling them back when she could not control the returned tremble.
Her smile remained fixed. “Might I introduce the Ainsleys?” She performed the requisite introductions, and Shelbourne kept Miss Ainsley’s hand in his for a fraction of a second too long.
But then Alice’s butler entered to announce dinner.
Sir Henry looked between her and his sister, appearing torn.
“Might I escort you in, Miss Ainsley?” Shelbourne asked.
Miss Ainsley gave him rather a tight smile before shaking her head. “I apologize, but my brother has already secured my company.” The open expression she’d had was gone in the face of the gentlemen.
Carruthers took that moment to offer escort to Alice, who accepted, but laid a light hand on his arm, which was situated high enough to be uncomfortable—the man was so tall.
Sir Henry’s eyes found hers with an intent look in their depths.
Something about it caused warmth to snake through her.
Had she eaten something unsettling? Or was it a new product of her nerves?
They all proceeded into the room and settled into their chairs at one end of the table. After a few niceties about their accommodations, the Ainsleys’ journey, and the lieutenants’ connection to Alice, she moved into talking about her two newest guests.
“Tell us a bit about yourselves,” she asked the siblings, passing the attention and speaking requirements to the two of them while also hopefully giving her the chance to learn a bit about these guests.
It was not unusual for her to have party members she did not know well.
After all, her husband had managed the guest list up until his death, but she always came to know each individual quite well.
“Ah, we are rather boring, truth be told,” Sir Henry said with a grin to his sister. “I myself am nothing too special. Julia is possessed of a beautiful reading voice and paints quite well.”
“Oh? I should love to experience them both.” Alice took a small bite.
Miss Ainsley was watching her brother with narrowed eyes. “Henry goes too far in his praise. I have no remarkable talent in either.”
Alice did not know what to say to that, nor did Miss Ainsley seem to require a response. She still had her eyes on her brother, who matched her gaze with one of his own, brows slightly lifted. Alice had the distinct feeling that unspoken communication was passing across her table.
“Do you have any outings you’d like to ensure we take?” she asked the pair.
It was Miss Ainsley who answered, pulling her eyes from her brother. “What does the island offer? I do not think either of us has any idea what to expect.”
Here was a topic Alice could talk at length on, but she did not get the chance.
“A great deal of water,” Shelbourne put in.
Alice laughed lightly, as was expected, and Sir Henry offered somewhat of a pitying smile before turning to her with an expectant expression.
“Ah,” she said, “there are Roman ruins on the island, and caves that are enjoyable to explore when the tide is out, not to mention the beauty of the beaches, and the water Lieutenant Shelbourne mentioned. I’d recommend a visit to the cliffs—in fact we have a plan to picnic at them.
And the town of Dunsmore is quaint but enjoyable; since the end of the war their wares have been nearly up to date with London’s. ”
“Better, even, being so close to France,” Shelbourne said. The man ate like a wolf, head low to his plate and fork never lacking.
“It all sounds wonderful,” Miss Ainsley said, eyes on Alice, not the men.
“Indeed,” Sir Henry agreed, though his glance slid to Shelbourne for a moment. “Caves, you say?”
Alice answered again. She had particular skill in surface-level conversation at this point in her life. A talent her mother would be happy to learn she’d finally acquired. “There are many a fable told in connection with our caves.”
“Oh?” Sir Henry asked.
“Indeed. Lieutenant Carruthers always has a story to share about the many caves and coves.”
“I imagine you know them well, with your choice of career.” Sir Henry took a light drink, leaning back as he spoke to the men.
Carruthers dipped his head, his light hair appearing yellow in the candlelight. “I’ve explored several caves, and docked in many coves. I don’t boast an impressive storytelling ability as Alice claims, though.”
Alice grimaced at the use of her Christian name but quickly schooled her expression.
She could not allow her personal feelings to show.
Besides, the lieutenants were not all bad.
She simply felt lackluster in their presence, knowing they were comparing her to George.
And likely wondering why he’d ever married her.
“You have to avoid the smugglers, if you visit,” Shelbourne put in with a grin, immediately scooping another bite of food.
Lieutenant Carruthers stiffened. “How I detest smuggling. The navy should not be obliged to ferret out such lowlife criminals when there are more important things to be getting on with.”
“That is still an issue now, after the war?” Sir Henry asked.
“There will always be smuggling so long as there are taxes,” Shelbourne said.
“I suppose it makes sense,” Sir Henry said. “I have heard of men turning to piracy even, during the war. I am certain the two of you have dealt with that as well in your careers.”
Carruthers gave a sharp nod. “We’ve captured our share of the sort.”
“But ’tis no large issue after the war,” Shelbourne added. “Not compared to the smugglers.”
Sir Henry’s mouth turned down. It mimicked how Alice felt about the topic.
To quote Lieutenant Carruthers, she detested smuggling.
Outside of being morally against the activity, two years past several of their footmen had been tried and hung for the offense, and she had felt responsible for not having stopped her servants herself.
Sir Henry cast his eyes at her, and must have seen something there because he changed the subject. “And ruins? I would be interested in seeing those.”
“They are one of my favorite places on the island,” Alice said.
“You two will have to go together,” Miss Ainsley said, taking a minuscule bite.
Her brother met her eyes across the table, his full of meaning, though the interpretation was lost on Alice. “I am certain many members of the party would enjoy the outing. You will have to come as well,” he said.
Miss Ainsley waved an airy hand. “You know how I detest the sun.”
Sir Henry expelled a sigh. “The sun, Julia?”
She stirred her soup with a spoon, meeting her brother’s eye with a languid expression. “I am a delicate woman, Henry. The heat really does me in.”
Sir Henry gave his sister a long, wearisome stare, then straightened to look at Alice.
She had been watching them in a bewildered sort of way.
Some amount of tension was clear between the two, but Alice could not decipher how extreme it was.
Was this how most siblings interacted? Alice had never had any.
And George had been an only child himself.
“Forgive us,” Sir Henry said, his smile relaxing a little but the tightness around his eyes not relenting as he took in their small party. “I fear my sister is tired from the journey. After an early night tonight, she is sure to be recovered and ready to face the sun.”
Miss Ainsley snorted—or was it a cough? Then she delicately laid her napkin on the table. “I do believe I am as exhausted as Henry says. I will retire early.” She pushed from her seat. The lieutenants mirrored her action. Sir Henry came to his feet more slowly, and Alice rose with him.
“You are certain?” Anxiety trickled through Alice’s chest. Had she done something wrong? Dessert had not even been served, and here one of her first guests was already leaving.
“Very much so.” She yawned behind her hand. “Forgive me. I will see you all tomorrow.” She started for the door. “And please do not end the party on my behalf.” With another smile full of cryptic meaning shot to her brother, she slipped from the room.
Sir Henry stared after her, then blew a breath out slowly.
Worried that the other half of that family would escape now too and she would be left with only the lieutenants, Alice offered a wan smile. “My cook has prepared a delicious dessert . . . if you are not too tired to partake of it.”
“I hope it is the trifle,” Shelbourne stated, sitting to attack the remainder of his plate with vigor. Carruthers had finished and was watching his friend with a raised brow.
“I think I shall retire early as well,” he said, tucking his napkin beside his plate and bowing to them both. “Shelbourne? I need your assistance for a moment.”
Shelbourne looked up with a thick crease between his brows. “All right, then.”
They both bowed, Shelbourne with less finesse, and exited.
Sir Henry shifted his gaze to hers. “Personally, I wouldn’t dream of skipping out before dessert. Forgive my sister.”
“There is nothing to forgive. I should not have planned this meal when you must both be so tired. I ought to have accounted for the exhaustion of travel. I will cancel tomorrow’s dinner and have trays delivered to everyone’s rooms. I should have thought of it beforehand.
” She’d not realized she was gripping her fork until the utensil began to hurt the palm of her hand.
With effort, she released it, bending over the table to set it gingerly beside her plate.
“Please do not make adjustments to your schedule based on my sister’s actions. She . . . that is . . . ” He heaved a sigh, seemingly reluctant to continue his train of thought.
She waved a hand to tell him it was not necessary that he finish. “I ought to have made the changes beforehand.”
He pressed his lips together, open hands on hips as his gaze darted back to the empty doorway.
They were still on their feet. Had been for some time now. “Shall we sit?” she suggested.
“Yes. Yes, of course.” His eyes cleared, and he gestured for her to precede him in returning to her seat. “The rest of the guests are to arrive tomorrow?”
“Most of them, yes. There are two families who will arrive the day after.”
“Wonderful. Are they all friends of your husband’s, as you indicated the lieutenants are?”
“No, we have a good mix of those living on the island and those from across the Channel.”
He nodded. “Are the lieutenants residents of the island? It seems a beautiful place for a naval man to go on half-pay.”
“No, they are both visiting for the duration of the party.”
“I see. Your husband was a lieutenant as well?”
“No, George was a commander.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” he said.
She dipped her head in acknowledgment of the words. It was a wonder that she had not better learned how to accept condolences. Some days, after how long it had been, she forgot she’d been married at all.
Which was ludicrous. She had loved George. He had swept her off her feet at a masquerade, courted her during his naval leave, and brought her to this beautiful island following their wedding. But he had been dead nearly four years now. And four years was a long time.
Sir Henry seemed lost to thought, and Shelbourne had not returned, which meant three out of four of her guests had retired early.
Marvelous. Had George been here, he would have kept every last guest entertained through the night.
Alice could not even keep them with the inducement of dessert.
Perhaps, if she were lucky, by day four, half of the guests would become so bored that they would return home early.
Her fingers tapped a silent staccato against her chair. That panicky feeling she so detested crawled up her throat. Her palms tingled with numbness.
“Mrs. Seymour?”
Alice met Sir Henry’s eyes. They were now entirely not distracted, and completely focused on her.
“Are you well?”
In through the nose, out through the mouth.
“Yes, I apologize, my mind was wandering. Did you say something?”
His gaze roved across her face. “No, it is only that you . . . well, never mind that.” He cleared his throat. “How large is the party to be?”
Alice took another steadying breath, this time because of the topic. “This summer we will have nigh on thirty guests.”
His brows rose. “I look forward to meeting them all. And what is this dessert I’ve been promised?”
The change of subject was abrupt. “Oh, trifle.” Poor Shelbourne would be sad to have missed it.
“It sounds delicious. As is this meal.”
She inclined her head. “I am glad it is to your liking.”
His eyes turned curious again as they perused her, but only for a moment. Then he picked up his fork. “Tell me more about these ruins. Roman, you say? Are they near the water?”
Her heart rate slowed as she explained the history surrounding the ancient ruins that stood on a clifftop.
By the time they bid one another good night, she felt far more settled.
She might have overlooked several things thus far in the planning of this party, but she could reevaluate.
She would give the guests a relaxing first couple of days during which she would re-plan their itinerary.
The first night was over, and having survived that always gave her a measure of extra confidence moving forward.
If she focused on the guests instead of herself, all would be well.