Chapter 7
Alice’s first official event of this year’s house party included a day on the south lawn playing games.
It would give the guests a chance to mingle in a more relaxed manner while enjoying the weather that the island offered.
Her servants would bring out a small repast within the hour—not a full midday meal, but something to hold everyone over until luncheon.
Her eyes traveled over the groupings, noting smiles on faces.
Most everyone seemed to be having an agreeable time.
Except Lieutenant Shelbourne, who had his hat over his eyes as he leaned against a tree.
The man was very impressive when it came to his ability to doze off just about anywhere.
And, truly, he was probably enjoying his nap just as much as the others were enjoying their games.
Mrs. Trumble had thought something more formal would be a better first event, but Alice disagreed.
Thankfully, it seemed she was right this once.
She breathed a sigh of relief that stopped halfway as she realized that some of the party were missing. Notably, Sir Henry and his sister.
She turned around, looking up at the house and not seeing anyone. A frown formed on her face. It had hardly been a quarter of an hour; perhaps they were simply running late.
Mrs. Watts approached Alice where she stood, removed from the group. “Your party is going wonderfully, dear. Thank you for inviting my Sophia.”
“Your niece is a welcome addition,” Alice replied.
Her neighbor looked the part of a strict governess with her pinched features and tightly wound hair, but she was truly sweet as sugared plums. When she’d suggested Alice invite her niece for this year’s party, Alice had been happy to comply.
The older woman lived alone, and Alice always invited her, knowing she loved the camaraderie.
She also usually invited some unattached member of the Watts family.
Mrs. Watts leaned closer. “Just look at her. She has blossomed in only the day since arriving. I believe the island must be magical.” Her eyes twinkled as she watched the young lady interact with two of the gentlemen.
Perhaps “young lady” was not the best descriptor, though.
Miss Watts was far past the blush of youth, though not into spinsterhood.
According to her aunt, she did not present at her best in large social situations, so she’d thought one of Alice’s house parties might be ideal.
Only one or two events would include the greater part of their neighbors on the island and therefore would allow the invitees to get to know one another more intimately.
Alice voiced her agreement to Mrs. Watts, even while glancing over her shoulder. Where were they?
“I do believe Lord Danbury has taken a shine to my Sophia. But Mr. Warren—the older of the two, of course—would be a fine choice as well. Older does not always mean wiser, you know, but I think with Mr. Warren it does. He has a look, something about the eyebrows, I think, that claims him as a judicious man.”
“You are quite the matchmaker, Mrs. Watts,” Alice teased.
She preened, a pleased smile pulling at her mouth. “I am happy to be in such a role this summer. I have wished to have Sophia visit for some time, but it has been difficult with the war.”
“Indeed.” The Channel Islands had not been active in the fight against Napoléon, but they’d been greatly affected and had seen many men stationed here.
Several of the current island inhabitants had come because of the war, in fact.
Including Alice and her husband. He’d served as a commander and been stationed in Dunsmore a few months after they’d married, using her dowry to purchase the house she now resided in.
Perhaps it was prideful, but with all George had brought to the marriage, it was nice to know that she had put a roof over their heads.
Another glance over her shoulder was fruitless, and Alice could not hold off her concern any longer. “Excuse me, Mrs. Watts, I need to see that our missing guests are faring well.”
Mrs. Watts responded with eyes still on her niece. “Who are we missing?”
“The Ainsleys.”
The older woman’s demeanor changed slightly. A minor lift to her brows. A pinching of her lips. Alice waited a moment, certain that if she did not say anything, Mrs. Watts would speak her mind.
“The brother . . . ”
“Sir Henry?”
Her pursed lips returned as she nodded. “Yes. He has not the best of reputations in London.”
Alice frowned. Certainly, she’d been unimpressed with his interest in alcohol the night before, but it was not unusual for a gentleman to seek libation.
And regardless, she would never malign a guest. “We all know that the gossips form reputations, not always the person themselves. I have found both Sir Henry and Miss Ainsley to be delightful.”
Mrs. Watts clasped her hands together against her stomach. “You would know best, I am sure—oh, look. Now Sophia is speaking with Mr. Joseph Warren. A younger brother is certain to keep her on her toes. Oh, but this is just perfection.”
“Enjoy your matchmaking, Mrs. Watts.”
The woman responded with only a smile, any hint of hostility already forgotten. Hopefully she had taken Alice’s words seriously. Animosity between the guests would be the worst sort of addition to this party.
Alice lifted her skirts as she climbed the hill up to the house, the heat from the sun warming her back. Finding no one in the entry hall or drawing room, she made for the guest wing.
The door to Miss Ainsley’s room was ajar, and Alice could hear voices coming from within. Should she interrupt?
“Come now, Julia, you cannot mean to remain in your room for every event?” Alice recognized Sir Henry’s voice.
Miss Ainsley’s response was quieter and not easily made out.
Sir Henry laughed at whatever she’d said. “Well, at least come to keep me company.” He passed in front of the door, glancing to the side as he did. Then he pulled up short as he caught sight of Alice.
She felt very much like a child discovered stealing biscuits.
But his smile was broad as he walked closer and pulled the door wide.
Her heart hammered at having been caught eavesdropping. “I do apologize. I came to see if everything was well with you two. I noticed you had not come down to the party.”
“See, Julia? We were missed.”
Miss Ainsley came into view, her face pinched to the side in half amusement and half frustration. “I am sorry, Mrs. Seymour, I had not meant to cause you concern,” she said.
Alice looked between both of them. “Do not worry yourself on my behalf.”
A beat of silence pulsed, the siblings exchanging indecipherable glances. Alice took half a step backward, intent on leaving them now that she knew no one was in need of her assistance.
“I, for one, plan to join the group,” Sir Henry declared, clapping his hands together. He glanced at his sister, then met Alice’s eyes. “I do believe I shall go down now, unless you require my escort?”
“No, please, join the fun,” Alice said. She nearly added a quip about staying far from sudden drops, but refrained. Her humor was not often appreciated, and this did not seem the time.
“I shall see you both soon.” He offered a significant glance to his sister.
And then he disappeared down the hall.
Well, she’d successfully returned one missing party member. Now for the other. She turned back to Miss Ainsley, who was shaking her head at the spot her brother had disappeared from. Was she anxious in the group? Did she truly detest the sun?
“Is everything well?” Alice asked, feeling as though she were crossing a room of broken glass and needed to tread carefully.
Miss Ainsley met her eyes. “You probably think me terribly inconsiderate. I promise I am not always this way.”
Alice shook her head. “I do not find you inconsiderate in the least.” She was too busy feeling inconsiderate herself to worry about anyone else at the moment. “I only wished to see that you were well. If you do not want to join the party, you absolutely do not need to.”
“It is not that. I simply left unfinished business in London. I was drafting a letter and lost track of time. I promise to be more aware in the future.”
“The events really are not mandatory, Miss Ainsley. I apologize if my tracking you down made you think they were. I only wanted to ensure all was well.”
Instead of looking reassured, the young woman glanced back to the writing desk with a grimace.
Alice stepped away. “Forgive me, I will leave you to it. Feel free to join us whenever you wish.”
The woman opened her mouth as if to speak, then clamped it shut, nodding. “Thank you, I will.”
Alice bid her farewell, then headed back in the direction of the lawn games. She never should have left. Why had it been so important to ensure a fraction of her guests were well at the expense of abandoning the rest? She hated how her hindsight always poked holes in past motivations.
She turned a corner at the end of the guest wing and nearly plowed into a waiting figure. She rocked back, hands half lifted to ward off the collision. “My apologies, Sir Henry, I did not see you there.”
His expression was rather bashful as he glanced over her shoulder, then met her eyes. “It is I who should apologize.” He paused. “Would you believe me if I said that I forgot something?”
“If you were to wipe that expression of guilt from your face, perhaps.”
Sir Henry gave a self-deprecating smile.
“I was waiting to see if you might have more success than I in convincing my sister to join us.” His mouth turned down.
“Which I realize now is terrible—to have expected you to do the work for me. I will go and collect her.” He began to step around her, but she put out a hand, grasping his wrist. They both looked at where they were connected for several heartbeats, before she pulled back suddenly, concealing her hand in her skirt.
“Do not force her to come, Sir Henry. She will join us when she is able.”
He pressed his lips together in thought. “If you are certain you do not mind.”
“Not in the least.”
“Very well. Might I escort you to the lawn then?” He held out his arm, and for a moment her mind flashed back to the night before.
When he’d been looking for alcohol in her home.
Gingerly, she placed her hand on his arm, worried she might again feel the swirling heat brought on by connection to him.
She was right to be concerned, as warmth bloomed through her hand.
She enjoyed the matchmaking part of her parties.
Enjoyed the mental puzzle of aligning just the right sort of people.
And she enjoyed acting as the lion-masked man had acted towards her at that fateful masquerade.
Had he not pulled her from the walls and given her a measure of confidence, she doubted Commander Seymour would have found much interest in her.
No one before had. That mysterious man had given her a bit of extra help to come out of her shell and find her own match.
But she’d already made that match. She did not want another. Yet the way every inch of her body seemed to attune itself to the gentleman beside her as they walked made the pain and guilt of a possible attraction surge just as it had the night before.
“You said your husband was a naval commander?” he asked.
“Indeed.”
“He must not have been home very often then.” The crowd on the lawn below came into view. The buzz of conversation drifted to them.
“He was gone often, yes, but had leave as well. And at times he was stationed in Dunsmore just to be available when needed.”
“Did much of his crew stay on the island after the war as he did?”
She tilted her head in thought. There were over a hundred men on the ship George had commanded.
Most, far enough below them in station that she’d not had the chance to know them.
“I imagine many returned home. George offered household positions to a few—some of the grooms and footmen. And some might have found work in Dunsmore.”
Sir Henry nodded. He kept stride with her, allowing her to set the pace of their movement. It was nice not to feel hurried. But she also wished the strange sensations gathering as a storm within her chest to be over with. She sped her steps, just marginally.
“Are there any other navy officers on the island?”
“The lieutenants, for the time being. I do believe Mr. Gregory served for a time. He retired some years ago though, and keeps mostly to himself. I was surprised I was able to tempt him to join our party. I think his wife must have played a role in their acceptance.”
He looked down at her, his steps not faltering over the uneven ground. “Which is he, if you do not mind pointing him out? I have a bit of a passing interest in boats, and wonder if he might share a detail or two with me.”
“I thought you disliked your trip over the water here?”
His mouth twitched down. “Oh, yes. I do not have an interest in being on them, you see, but rather in their function. My father spent time sailing, and I always enjoyed his stories.” There was a hint of tightness to his voice that did not fit his otherwise relaxed demeanor.
She might have asked him about his father, but they’d arrived at the group now, and she eagerly removed her hand from his arm, clasping her hands behind her back.
She nodded toward three gentlemen conversing further down the lawn, playing pall mall.
“Mr. Gregory is just down there. With the green coat, leaning on the mallet.”
He smiled at her. “Thank you, Mrs. Seymour. I have enjoyed your company.”
Alice could not stop a responding smile, but it fell the moment he turned. She pressed a hand to her midsection to stop the warmth still there.
She would do best to stay clear of Sir Henry.