Desperately Seeking Suzanna (28 page)

“Anything you wish, my lady.” Steelings grinned at his wife.

“Oh, Sue, you can’t possibly wish to go to such a damp and hostile environment,” the dowager duchess argued. “No offense, Steelings.”

“None taken, Your Grace.”

“I think it would be lovely. Sometimes the harshest environments inspire us, if only to simply enjoy the warmth of a fire. Don’t you think so?”

“But there’s nothing there, dear. Lord Amberstall, tell her the truth of Scotland. However did you fill your days? A year in such a place, I can’t imagine.”

“The rest was needed,” Andy answered as he stared into the depths of his soup.

“How much rest can one stand?”

“Mother,” Thornwood warned, causing a distinct silence around the table.

“I trust all was in order in Scotland, Amberstall?” Steelings asked, finally redirecting the conversation. “Were the sheep where I left them?”

Andy lifted his gaze to Steelings with a thoughtful frown. “There are a few more of them now.”

“Are there?”

“I’m sure your man of business will inform you of the details soon. I made quite a few improvements, offset by the increase in the numbers of your sheep, of course.”

“You grew that weary of the sights? You do know there’s a little inn nearby with decent lager and a brunette bar maid who will…” Steelings broke off with a sheepish look at his wife.

“Oh, don’t stop on my account. Please, continue your story.”

“She brings lager to your table and sings songs about the sanctity of marriage,” Steelings concluded with a smile.

“I don’t think you’re being entirely truthful, darling.”

“You’re right.” Steelings laughed, taking a sip of his wine.

“Really, Steelings,” the dowager duchess admonished as Thornwood chuckled from the head of the table.

At the older woman’s continued scowl, Katie thought a change of subject matter was in order. “Amberstall is quite good at overseeing improvements. He has already seen to several repairs at my stables.”

“That was nothing.” He shook his head. “You’re seeing to my horse. It’s the least I can do.”

“We heard of the difficulties you’ve had with your horse, Amberstall,” Lily said, looking down the table with a sympathetic smile.

“Yes, Shadow’s Light took quite the fall.”

Thornwood leaned forward, meeting Andy’s gaze. “If you need to continue your journey faster than Shadow’s Light can heal, you can use one from our stables.”

“No!” Katie and Andy said at the same time. They shared a guilt-ridden glance, then both turned their attention back to their food.

“That won’t be necessary,” Andy added after a moment. “Thank you for the offer though.”

Katie glanced up the table to where Thornwood sat looking terribly amused over something.

“Amberstall, now that you’ve returned to the country, will we see you in London?” the dowager duchess asked with a joyful gleam in her eye that Katie didn’t quite trust.

“Yes, I should have things sorted on my estate in time for the season.” He attempted a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He must be focused on management of his estate, not London life. She felt quite the same about London, which was a bit ironic.

“Perfect! And Katie, I assume you will be returning to town as well?” the dowager duchess asked.

The question caught her off guard. Was anyone expecting her to make another trip to London? Surely not now. Her place was on Ormesby lands, within her cottage. She had a limp. That was supposed to keep her safe from such things. “I hadn’t planned on it, Your Grace.”

“Don’t be silly, of course you’re coming to London. If your father doesn’t plan to attend, you can come with us. Roslyn will be home by then and I’m sure she will want to visit town.”

“I don’t think I should…”

“Of course you should, dear. And I’m sure Amberstall here will want to renew his acquaintance with you. Won’t you, Amberstall?”

“Of course.”

“Will you continue the tradition of the party at Amber Hollow?” Sue asked.

“I’m not sure I should, under the circumstances,” Andy hedged.

Lily coughed, choking on the sip of soup she’d just taken.

“What a shame. Lord Steelings and I have fond memories of the last gathering there.”

“Oh, come now, Lord Amberstall, the party always proves entertaining,” the dowager duchess said, glancing over to Lily, who was still trying to recover from the soup. “And clearly Her Grace agrees with me.”

“Oh, indeed,” Lily managed to say.

“The degree of entertainment is what concerns me.”

“I found it quite entertaining,” Sue mused, clearly misunderstanding Andy’s meaning.

Andy’s grip on his wine glass threatened to shatter the crystal, but when he glanced up it was with a pleasant smile. “Are you expecting a harsh winter here on the moors?”

The dowager duchess pursed her lips and studied Andy over the rim of her wine glass as she took a drink. She may allow the subject of the party to die for now, but it was far from over. Katie’d seen that look in the woman’s eyes before and it never boded well for the recipient.

“I do hope not,” Lily replied. “I’m already looking forward to working in the rose gardens when the weather warms.”

As the footmen came around to retrieve the soup course, Katie leaned back to give him room to lift her bowl from the table. But when she moved, the lace trim across the back of her neck scratched across her skin, making her squirm within her gown. This would be the last time she would ever let Mrs. Happstings choose a dinner dress for her. She arched her back in an attempt to find comfort within her clothing, bumping the footman’s arm with her head in the process.

She gasped and looked up, hoping the dregs of her soup would not find their way into her hair. The young man was fumbling to regain control of the silver platter. But, just as he did, offering her a small nod, her spoon slipped from the edge of the platter.

There was a clatter of china on silver as the footman tried to grab the utensil before it fell. Her eyes closed in silent anguish as the pea soup covered spoon slid down her spine, trapped within her itchy dress.

The footman gasped and made to reach for it. His fingers were a breath away from reaching into the back of her dress when he must have thought better of it and pulled away.

“Is everything alright?” Lily asked from down the table.

“It’s fine.” Katie turned to look up at the footman. “It’s fine,” she repeated.

His face was bright red as he paused beside her, clearly not wanting to leave her side when she had a dirty spoon in her dress.

Her eyes flared on him in a silent plea that he leave before he finally fled the room with the platter in his hands.

Had anyone seen what had happened? Her gaze slid around the table. Only Andy was staring at her in wide-eyed horror. Of course. He would have to be the one to know she now sat with a dirty spoon down the back of her dress. She bit her lip and looked down at the table. She had done the proper thing, hadn’t she? She couldn’t very well strip down to remove a spoon from her dress in the middle of the Thornwood dining room.

The next course was served just as Sue leaned close to whisper, “You know you have a soup spoon in your dress, don’t you?”

“Do I?” Katie tossed an innocent smile at her.

“At least soup is warm,” she whispered. “I once spilled elderflower ice down my dress. I don’t recommend it—quite cold, you know.”

“Ice does tend to be cold.” Katie was having difficulty making idle chatter under the circumstances

“Perhaps I can help,” Sue offered.

“I know I loosened my dress in public before, but I’d really rather not…”

“Did you know,” Sue announced, gaining everyone’s attention, “that it is customary in France to stretch one’s legs between courses of a meal?”

“No it isn’t,” Thornwood argued.

“Oh yes, it is indeed. Steelings, tell them, darling.” She looked at her husband with an expectant smile.

Steelings studied his wife for a moment before saying, “The French stand between courses, just as my wife proclaims.”

“What?” Thornwood narrowed his eyes at his friend.

Sue cleared her throat and stood. “So, in honor of our recent return from France, I think we should all stand. I feel refreshed and ready for the next course already.”

With a screech of chairs sliding away from the table, everyone stood. Only the spoon was still lodged in Katie’s stays against her back.

“The French have such interesting ideas.” The dowager duchess chuckled as she stood, looking up and down the table at everyone. “Standing…it’s so foreign!”

“Where did you eat in France where they did this?” Thornwood asked Steelings, finally rising to his feet.

“The question is where did you eat where they did not?” Steelings shot a questioning glance at his wife, but supported her lie all the same.

“It’s not working,” Katie whispered to Sue with an extra wiggle.

Sue pursed her lips for a moment before announcing, “In France, when having a truly abundant feast with beloved friends, they also hop…to show their gratitude for the hospitality. I’m grateful for the company this evening.” She bounced on her feet. “Aren’t you pleased with the food tonight?” She looked at Katie.

Katie hopped on her feet, trying to dislodge the spoon. “I’m quite grateful for the hospitality, as you can see.” Her eyes flared as she looked across the table to Andy for support.

He gave her a tiny shake of his head before finally rolling his eyes and bouncing once on his toes. “I too am pleased to be here.”

“And I’m the one they call mad…” Thornwood mused from the head of the table. “The French do not bounce, hop, or in any way jump between courses.”

Lily leaned toward her husband. “If our guests say this is French custom, then so it is.”

“If Steelings told you the sea spilled into a great teacup on the horizon, would you believe him?” Thornwood grumbled in response.

“It doesn’t, just so you know,” Steelings cut in. “That teacup business was nonsense, but bouncing in France is fact.”

“Thank you for your honesty,” Lily replied with her eyes narrowed on her husband.

Katie was still bouncing and squirming at her place at the table. The damned spoon! With a final shake of her bodice while arching back over her chair, the spoon fell to the floor with a loud clatter. She smiled at Sue. “I believe we can sit now.”

“Yes, let’s sit. We wouldn’t want our food to get cold.”

“Oh, that was fun. I should to travel to France—such a festive people,” the dowager duchess said with a smile as she sat down.

Andy was studying the food on his plate, refusing to meet Katie’s eyes, although his shoulders shook with silent laughter. Well, at least her discomfort was serving some purpose this evening. She sighed and took a bite of her food.

“I’m so pleased we met again,” Sue offered with a chuckle.

“I still find it hard to believe that you remember me.”

“Some people are unforgettable.”

“I agree,” Andy added with a smile.

Steelings lifted his glass to his lips with a frown as he looked down the table at her. “I believe we met once in London as well. Your family’s home in town is across the street from Rutledge House, is it not?”

“It is.” Katie tilted her head, studying Steeling’s face. He did look vaguely familiar—tall, thin, but not overly so, with dark green eyes. She had seen him somewhere before. “Did we meet there?”

“You actually beat me soundly in an impromptu horse race down the street.”

Thornwood let out a great round of laughter from down the table.

“She what?” Andy asked, leveling her with a glare across the table. “You raced through the streets of London?”

“Yes.” She looked down at her plate. “That was before…”

“She beat you, Steelings?” Thornwood was still laughing.

“Go on and laugh. Miss Moore is a talented rider.”

“Was,” she corrected, lifting the glass of wine to her lips with a shaking hand.

“And will be again one day,” Andy added. He was watching her in that intense manner he had that made her squirm more than any itchy lace could accomplish.

She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t argue with him with this many neighbors and guests watching them. She could feel heat rising in her cheeks, and everyone’s eyes on her, assessing her injury, assessing her. She looked down at the food on her plate and did the only thing she could think to do. Taking a large bite of beef covered in a rich butter sauce, she exclaimed, “Mmm…this is delicious!”

“It’s my favorite as well,” Lily replied with a smile.

“I could help you ride again, you know, if you wish,” Andy stated, clearly not deterred by her change of subject.

“I don’t wish.” She met his gaze across the table in silent challenge. Her heart was racing. There seemed to be something akin to hope in his gaze, but she’d given up on such fruitless emotions long ago.

His jaw tightened as he said, “The food is quite good, Thornwood. I’m glad I was able to attend this evening. Perhaps there is reason to our paths in life, a reason why Shadow’s Light was injured here of all places.” He raised an eyebrow at her.

Was he implying that he was here to teach her to once again ride a horse? What arrogant rubbish! “Or perhaps your visit is pure coincidence. You could have just as easily been tossed from Shadow’s back at the next town over where you would be dining with the local gentry there.” Katie raised her glass to him and drained the last of her wine.

“Either way, we are glad to have you in the neighborhood for a time. Although, I think you’re better off here than with the Dunley family down the road a stretch—insufferable people,” Thornwood said without his usual irreverent tone.

Andy nodded to Thornwood with a grim smile before turning back to Katie. He seemed to be daring her to make a move, as if this was a game of chess.

Damn, that was something else she would have to put on her list to learn—chess. Not that it would help in this circumstance. Still, there had to be something she could do. Lifting her knife to her lips, she stuck out her tongue and took a giant lick. “Delicious,” she stated, licking the buttery sauce from the corner of her mouth.

With a satisfied smile, she watched Andy’s face contort in shock mixed with some other emotion she didn’t recognize. All she knew was that look in his eyes seeped heat through her body and into her bones. Just when she was sure she’d won, she had the oddest notion that in truth, she’d lost.