Her eldest sister pressed her lips together, as if wanting to argue, but then her expression softened. “You are right, of course. You must discover love on your own, Lily. So we won’t push you any further. But you do realize that Winifred is still set on matchmaking? She knows all about Claybourne’s courtship of you.”
Lily’s brow furrowed. “How did she find out?”
“I have no idea. Perhaps he told her.”
It would be just like him to secure Winifred as an ally, Lily thought in exasperation.
“Regardless of Winifred’s intentions,” Roslyn interrupted, “we should rejoin her party. You haven’t met Constance yet, Lily, or the children. You will love the children, I’m sure.”
From Roslyn’s letters, she had heard the remarkable story of how Winifred had taken in her late husband’s mistress and three illegitimate children. In fact, the garden party was being held in honor of Constance Baines, to introduce her to the local gentry. Reportedly Constance was almost completely recovered from the grave illness that had nearly taken her life.
“I very much want to meet them,” Lily said, linking arms with both her sisters. “And I brought the children presents, Rose, so I can spoil them as you suggested.”
Roslyn’s laughter was soft and tender. “They desperately need a bit of spoiling, they’ve had so little of it in their lives.”
Lily was more than happy to focus all of her attention on coming to know Constance and the children this afternoon, since it would give her an excuse to avoid a particular charming nobleman. But as soon as she stepped out on the terrace, she spied Heath with his two close friends, the Earl of Danvers and the Duke of Arden.
Like Heath, they were strikingly handsome aristocrats, with the virile look of avid sportsmen. The duke was darkly blond, his tall frame one of lithe elegance, while Marcus had ebony hair and a more powerful physique than Arden. But they each had eyes only for their ladies; it was clear they cherished Arabella and Roslyn dearly.
Heath, Lily noticed, was regarding her with a gleam of interest in his own eyes. Deplorably, her heart gave a leap of delight when she met his gaze, so she turned away quickly and detoured toward her friend Tess, who was talking and laughing with a small group of youngsters.
She would have to do much better, Lily scolded herself, if she hoped to get through the afternoon unscathed.
She did indeed relish meeting Constance and her three children.
Constance was a beautiful woman, although she still possessed the pallor of an invalid. And her two young daughters, Sarah and Daisy, showed signs of becoming just as lovely someday.
Her sixteen-year-old son, Benjamin, was less refined, with the strong, wiry build of a boy who’d been employed in menial labor for much of the past four years.
Ben pretended nonchalance at being in such illustrious company, but the little girls were dancing with excitement at attending their first party, anticipating the treats they’d been promised. Winifred had arranged for them to taste ices for the first time and to enjoy various entertainments and games. Later, they would take rowboats out on the ornamental lake under adult supervision.
Several other children had been invited to provide company for the Baines offspring, and Lily willingly volunteered to assist Tess in taking command of the infant troop.
Thus, for the first hour she managed to keep her distance from Heath while she played Pall Mall on the side lawn with Sarah and Daisy, showing them the art of hitting the wooden ball through a wicket with a mallet.
When they moved back to the gardens for a game of hide-and-seek, however, she couldn’t help but notice Heath. There was a genteel crowd of more than a hundred guests, and Lord Claybourne was clearly a favorite among them, with his charming manner and easy smile.
It surprised Lily immensely, then, when he left
his peers to join her and the children.
“Lady Freemantle has recruited me to organize the boating,” he informed her.
Lily cast her friend a narrow-eyed glance across the gardens before responding to Heath’s casual remark. “It is an obvious ploy to throw us together.”
“Naturally. She is well aware that you’ve been avoiding me ever since you arrived.”
“Well, you needn’t make such a sacrifice. Surely you cannot have any interest in taking children on boat rides.”
“Oh, but I can. Especially if it will allow me to share your enchanting company.”
Lily rolled her eyes, but Heath appeared to be entirely serious about his desire to entertain the children. He enlisted Benjamin Baines as his chief assistant and corralled the others to follow him through the gardens and across the elegant lawns down to the lake.
Several of the adults joined in the fun, so five boats were soon being filled with the assistance of several strapping Freemantle footmen. Lily stood on shore, helping the passengers settle into their seats, and then watched the ensuing laughter and gaiety as they ventured out onto the water.
It amazed her to observe Heath with the children. He was just as congenial and charming with the youngsters as he had been with her academy pupils. Sarah and Daisy in particular were spellbound by his presence as he rowed them back and forth across the lake and patiently showed them how to man the oars.
Winifred came up to Lily just then and wrapped her in a fond embrace before drawing back to scold her. “I have a serious bone to pick with you, my girl. What do you mean, haring off to London so that delightful marquess couldn’t find you? It was very bad of you to deceive us that way.”