How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back (3 page)

“Emily, please do try to make an effort this evening. At least for my sake, and for Claire’s. I do not wish for you to cause a scene simply because you’ve suddenly decided to thwart the rules of society.”

Emily sighed deeply as she regarded her sisters thoughtfully. “Very well,” she finally said. “I shall call him Lord Dunhurst for your sakes alone, but I shall do it very begrudgingly.” She added the last part with a sulky expression that instantly lightened the mood.

“Whatever the case,” Mrs. Hughes now told them. “It does appear that he is a very eligible gentleman indeed. Perhaps you might consider this, should he invite you to dance with him this evening.”

Beatrice and Claire both chuckled, reddening with embarrassment, while Emily groaned at the prospect of having Lord Riley as her brother-in-law for all eternity.

C
HAPTER
T
HREE

T
he night was warm, the air filled with the scent of honeysuckle, as the sisters walked down their garden path to the carriage that awaited them. In the distance came the sound of frogs croaking—a sound to which Emily had a sentimental attachment. It reminded her of the rare summer evenings when, as a child, her father would take her and her sisters outside to stargaze. She smiled at the memory. Those had been happy days for all of them.

The carriage rolled along at a steady pace, lurching only slightly whenever it hit a bump in the road. Claire’s eyes sparkled with joy at the experience. It had been a very long time indeed since they had had the pleasure of enjoying a carriage ride.

“So far this has been a wonderful evening,” she exclaimed to her sisters, who returned her enthusiasm with warm smiles. “I do wish that we could do this more often.”

The driveway’s gravel crunched beneath the horse’s hooves as they drove up to the front door. A smartly dressed footman set down the steps, then helped each of the sisters alight. They then made their way up the stone steps toward the grand foyer of Coldwell Manor.

“Beatrice, Emily, Claire! How good of you to come,” a gentle voice exclaimed, the minute they made their entrance.

They all turned toward the tall, slender figure that approached them—beautifully dressed in a richly embroidered gown trimmed with lace and ribbons.

“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Thank you so much for inviting us, Lady Carroway,” Emily smiled. “We’ve been looking forward to this evening ever since we received the invitation.”

“You look lovely, all three of you. I hope you shall enjoy a few dances before the night is over. There are a number of gentlemen who are very eager to make your acquaintances. I hope you do not mind my introducing them to you?” she asked, looking suddenly worried that she might have done something inappropriate. Taking Beatrice’s arm, she steered the three sisters toward the ballroom.

“Not at all,” Beatrice grinned. “We shall welcome all gentlemen who wish to speak with us. How else are we to find suitable husbands?”

Although Beatrice had said it jokingly, Claire still managed a faint groan at her sister’s remark. Was it really necessary to be so frank about the fact that they were actively looking? It made them seem nothing short of desperate, a view that deeply colored her cheeks from sheer embarrassment as she looked about to ensure that no one else had heard.

Picking up on her mortification, Lady Carroway made a quick attempt to soothe her. “It’s quite all right, Claire—your secret’s safe with me.”

Obviously it had the opposite effect and did nothing but deepen the color in her cheeks. What a horrific moment this was turning out to be.

“Well,” Lady Carroway continued. “I was wondering if you would mind it if I took a quick turn about the room with your sister. She and I have much to discuss,” she said pointedly as she turned her gaze on Emily.

“Not at all,” Beatrice remarked.

“Then let us go before Claire dies of embarrassment, which she seems just about ready to do at any moment.” Lady Carroway gave a small chuckle as she took hold of Emily’s arm and guided her away from her sisters.

Light, wispy notes of music began to rise from the orchestra, signaling that the first dance was about to commence. When Emily craned her neck to ensure that her sisters were all right, she saw that they were already deeply immersed in conversation with a number of old acquaintances. She therefore allowed herself to give Lady Carroway her full attention.

“You know that I have always been very fond of you, Emily—
and
your sisters,” the viscountess was now saying. “I know that you have had a difficult number of years. Losing both of your parents at such a young age was very hard on you, I know.” She paused momentarily as she glanced out over the dance floor, her posture as regal as that of any queen.

“I have always considered you to be a part of this family, Emily, and have had the pleasure of watching you grow into the fine young woman that you are today—kind, nurturing, and full of joy.” She stopped as she pulled Emily to the side, where a large bay window overlooked the park-like grounds. She lowered her voice. “You have always been a loyal friend to Adrian. The way in which you look at him has not gone unnoticed, either. I know that you love him.”

“I . . .” Emily began, but Lady Carroway raised her hand to stop the explanation that she knew was coming.

“It’s quite all right, Emily. I am only too pleased that my son is fortunate enough to be loved by you. And I know that he loves you in return. That is what I wish to speak to you about,” she said with a brilliant gleam in her eyes. “Adrian has told us that he intends to marry. He would not elaborate on the matter, but I am certain that he intends to ask you.”

Emily could barely contain her excitement, and yet, she couldn’t help the growing sense of unease that was gradually taking hold of her. “You are sure of this?” she asked.

“I know that he adores you, Emily. I can’t think of anyone else that he might even consider. Can you?”

“I suppose not.”

“Then don’t worry. It will all be settled very soon.” Lady Carroway put her hand reassuringly on Emily’s arm. “You shall make him very happy indeed, Emily, and as for us . . . well . . . we shall soon have a daughter.”

Emotion flooded Emily’s body so rapidly at this final remark that she knew not whether to laugh or cry. As it turned out, she did both. How fortunate she was to be shown such love and acceptance from Adrian’s mother. On impulse she gave her future mother-in-law a hug, which was returned to her wholeheartedly.

“Emily!”

The familiar voice made her heart leap with joy as she pulled away from Lady Carroway’s embrace. Both women turned to find Adrian striding toward them with a radiant Kate on his arm. They made a handsome couple indeed, Emily thought. It made her feel all the more lucky that she had his love and friendship.

“Adrian,” she gasped with a smile, still taken aback by his strikingly handsome features, even after all these years. “It’s been a while since I last saw you.”

“Too long,” he agreed as he tilted his head to kiss her on the cheek. It was a familiar gesture that he had adopted when they were children, and although it was done in a brotherly fashion, it had always filled Emily with warmth.

“I see that you have wasted no time in attaching a beautiful lady to your arm,” Lady Carroway teased her son.

Kate blushed ever so slightly at the remark. She knew that Mother Nature had endowed her with looks that were easy on the eyes, yet she was always embarrassed whenever it was brought into conversation. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Carroway,” she said in a muted voice.

All Emily could think was how desperately she longed to drag her friend away to a private corner and insist she tell her everything about her trip to London and the gentleman who’d won her heart. But it would have to wait.

“I suppose you wish to steel Emily away from me, Adrian. The two of you probably have much to discuss,” Lady Carroway commented as she gave her son a knowing look.

“We do indeed, though I am afraid that it must wait, for I have just promised Kate that I would dance the next set with her.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” Kate managed, looking slightly flushed and embarrassed. “The truth of it is that Adrian has been quite the gentleman. He saw me standing alone after Papa and Mama had gone off to talk to their friends, and well . . .”

“I insisted that she accompany me until you arrived.”

“I hope you do not mind too much, Emily. In fact, I’ve been eagerly waiting for you myself. We really must finish the conversation that we were having earlier.”

“It’s quite all right,” Emily told her friend with a broad smile. “Why don’t the two of you go and enjoy yourselves. I can dance with Adrian afterward, and then you and I can have a little chat.”

“That’s what I love about you, Emily—you’re always so agreeable,” Adrian grinned. “Ah, I hear the music starting as we speak. Come on, Kate, let’s show them how it’s done.”

As Adrian hurried away, pulling a stumbling Kate after him, Emily watched them go. Something about it didn’t sit well with her, though she couldn’t quite figure out what it was. She shook away her misgivings.

It’s just a dance.

When she turned, she spotted a momentary look of regret upon Lady Carroway’s face, and then it was gone.

“Come, my dear.” Lady Carroway pulled her along but said nothing more. It was clear that her thoughts were on something else entirely.

When they joined her sisters again, Claire could barely contain her curiosity. “Why is Adrian dancing with Kate instead of with you?” she whispered.

“I wasn’t here when he asked her,” Emily explained. “Adrian had already offered to dance with Kate before I arrived, and it really would have been badly done if he didn’t honor his prior engagement.” It was a simple explanation, yet something about the whole exchange still bothered her.

“He should have waited.” Lady Carroway’s voice was filled with irritation. “He should have waited and danced with you first. I’m sorry about this, Emily; it’s terribly rude of him.”

Emily wasn’t one to get too caught up in etiquette. She merely shrugged. Why did it matter whom Adrian danced with? They were all friends after all, and Kate had known him just as long as she had. Emily had never been the jealous type, and she was determined not to start now. On the contrary, it pleased her to know that her two dearest friends could get along.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

Her thoughts came tumbling to the ground when she felt a sharp nudge in her ribs. It was Claire. “Emily,” she whispered. “Lord Dunhurst is asking you if you would like to dance the next set with him. He is still waiting for your reply.”

It was all too familiar to her. She had always had a tendency to daydream. As a child, her tutors had sometimes had to tap her shoulder with a ruler to bring her back to reality. At such moments it always seemed as if she had been absent for far longer than was probably the case. She now looked flustered as she noticed Francis standing before her, an eyebrow raised as he awaited her answer.

“Please excuse me,” she told him with a faint smile. “But I must regretfully decline as I shall be dancing the next set with Mr. Fairchild.”

She couldn’t help but notice a brief flicker of annoyance pass behind his eyes. It did nothing but aggravate her.

“In that case, I shall disturb you no longer,” he said as he took his leave and walked away, his eyes dark and his jaw clenched tightly shut.

Emily followed him with her eyes as she let out a deep sigh of relief. Why did he always have this effect on her? She wondered. There was just something about him that she found to be rather unpleasant. She turned toward her sisters. “He makes me feel most uncomfortable,” she noted.

“You were rather cold toward him, Emily,” Beatrice told her. “In fact, I daresay you were quite rude.”

“
I
with
him
? Is he not the one who never manages to smile? And how rude of him not to invite one of you to dance after I informed him that I’d be dancing with Adrian.”

“Honestly, Emily, he was really quite polite in asking you. Perhaps he noticed the look of disappointment on your face when Adrian chose to dance with Kate instead. There’s no need denying it—you did look rather put-out, though you made a brave attempt not to. So if you ask me, I think Francis was rather thoughtful and kind when he asked you. Naturally he would not ask anyone else once you had so flatly refused him.”

Emily had seen no such thing. Was Beatrice right? But why would Francis ask her to dance anyway? It was no secret that he disliked her company. Perhaps Beatrice was right. Perhaps he’d merely been trying to help. Emily sighed once again. She suddenly felt as if she had wronged him in some way.

Perhaps she ought to apologize.

But the next thing she knew, Kate and Adrian had returned, both talking amidst bursts of laughter as they walked up to her.

“You appear to have been enjoying yourselves immensely,” Lady Carroway observed with a strained smile.

Kate looked suddenly flushed. There was that embarrassment again.

“We have been, indeed,” Adrian said. “Now, dear Emily, I do believe that it is your turn.”

Emily couldn’t conceal her happiness as he took her by the arm and led her toward the dance floor. From behind her, she could hear Claire making a quiet remark, which was swiftly followed by a string of giggles. She was confident that a joke had just been made at her expense, but all she could do was smile at it. This truly was the best night ever.