"How did you know?"
"I have no idea," he said quite honestly, "except that it is such a charming image. It would have been a shame to have sullied it with a male. "
"Is your tongue always this silver, Captain Audley?"
He gave her one of his best half smiles. "Except when it's gold. "
"Amelia!"
They both turned. Grace had entered the room.
"And Mr. Audley," she said, looking surprised to see him there.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lady Amelia said, turning to him. "I thought it was Captain Audley. "
"It is," he said with a very slight shrug. "Depending upon my mood. " He turned to Grace and bowed. "It is indeed a privilege to see you again so soon, Miss Eversleigh. "
She blushed. He wondered if Lady Amelia noticed.
"I did not realize you were here," Grace said after bobbing a curtsy.
"There is no reason why you should have done. I was heading outside for a restorative walk when Lady Amelia intercepted me. "
"I thought he was Wyndham," Lady Amelia said. "Isn't that the oddest thing?"
"Indeed," Grace replied, looking acutely uncomfortable.
"Of course I was not paying much attention," Lady Amelia continued, "which I am sure explains it. I only caught sight of him out of the corner of my eye as he strode past the open doorway. "
Jack turned to Grace. "It makes so much sense when put that way, does it not?"
"So much sense," Grace echoed. She glanced over her shoulder.
"Are you waiting for someone, Miss Eversleigh?" Jack inquired.
"No, I was just thinking that his grace might like to join us. Er, since his fiancee is here, of course. "
"Is he returned, then?" Jack murmured. "I was not aware. "
"That is what I have been told," Grace said, and he was certain that she was lying, although he could not imagine why. "I have not seen him myself. "
"Alas," Jack said, "he has been absent for some time. "
Grace swallowed. "I think I should get him. "
"But you only just got here. "
"Nonetheless - "
"We shall ring for him," Jack said, since he wasn't going to allow her such an easy escape. Not to mention that he was rather looking forward to the duke discovering him here with both Grace and Lady Amelia. He crossed the room and gave the bellpull a yank. "There," he said. "It is done. "
Grace smiled uncomfortably and moved to the sofa. "I believe I will sit down. "
"I will join you," Lady Amelia said with alacrity. She hurried after Grace and took a seat right beside her.
Together they sat, stiff and awkward.
"What a fetching tableau the two of you make," he said, because really, how could he not tease them?
"And me, without my oils. "
"Do you paint, Mr. Audley?" Lady Amelia inquired.
"Alas, no. But I have been thinking I might take some lessons. It is a noble pursuit for a gentleman, wouldn't you say?"
"Oh, indeed. "
Silence, then Lady Amelia nudged Grace. "Mr. Audley is a great appreciator of art," Grace blurted out.
"You must be enjoying your stay at Belgrave, then," Lady Amelia said. Her face was the perfect picture of polite interest. He wondered how long it had taken her to hone the expression. As the daughter of an earl, she would have any number of social obligations. He imagined that the expression - placid and unmoving, yet not unfriendly - was quite useful.
"I look forward to touring the collections," Jack replied. "Miss Eversleigh has consented to show them to me. "
Lady Amelia turned to Grace as best she could, considering that they were wedged up against one another. "That was very kind of you, Grace. "
Grace grunted something that was probably meant to be a response.
"We plan to avoid cupids," Jack said.
"Cupids?" Lady Amelia echoed.
Grace looked the other way.
"I have discovered that I am not fond of them. "
Lady Amelia regarded him with a curious mixture of irritation and disbelief.
Jack glanced at Grace to gauge her reaction, then returned his attention to Lady Amelia. "I can see that you disagree, Lady Amelia. "
"What is there not to like about cupids?"
He perched himself on the arm of the opposite sofa. "You don't find them rather dangerous?"
"Chubby little babies?"
"Carrying deadly weapons," he reminded her.
"They are not real arrows. "
He made another attempt to draw Grace into the conversation. "What do you think, Miss Eversleigh?"
"I don't often think about cupids," she said tersely.
"And yet we have already discussed them twice, you and I. "
"Because you brought them up. "
Jack turned to Lady Amelia. "My dressing room is positively awash in them. "
Lady Amelia turned to Grace. "You were in his dressing room?"
"Not with him," Grace practically snapped. "But I have certainly seen it before. "
Jack smiled to himself, wondering what it said about him that he so liked making trouble.
"Pardon," Grace muttered, clearly embarrassed by her outburst.
"Mr. Audley," Lady Amelia said, turning to him with determination.
"Lady Amelia. "
"Would it be rude if Miss Eversleigh and I took a turn about the room?"
"Of course not," he said, even though he could see in her face that in fact she did think it was rude. But he did not mind. If the ladies wished to share confidences, he was not going to stand in their way.
Besides, he enjoyed watching Grace move.
"Thank you for your understanding," Lady Amelia said, linking her arm through Grace's and pulling them both to their feet. "I do feel the need to stretch my legs, and I fear that your stride would be far too brisk for a lady. "
How she uttered that without choking on her tongue, he did not know. But he merely smiled and watched them as they moved as one to the window, leaving him behind and out of ea
rshot.