Lady Evan Wins the Day, The Cousins Book Two (Rough Draft)

Chapter Sixteen

Arm in arm, the couple returned to the Drawing Room. A card table had been set up and tea had already been brought in. "I'm afraid my brother was not able to remain," Evan announced, no doubt to stave off questions immediately.

"That is a shame," Mr. Williams said, though his tone held no real regret. "We were about to start a game of whist, West. Care to join us?"

Squeezing his wife's hand one last time, Evan went to join the gentlemen at the card table. Breathing out a sigh, Rosalind went to where the ladies were seated. Emily handed her a cup of tea, a questioning expression in her eyes. "Thank you, Em," Rosalind said as she accepted the cup. She forced a smile to reassure her cousin.

"I was just trying to convince Miss Cooper to remain with us until after our picnic in two days," Emily said, gesturing to the lady. "There really is no hurry to return to your great-aunt, is there?"

"I'm afraid there is," Miss Smith said firmly She was staring at Miss Cooper with narrowed eyes. "Miss Daly is an elderly woman, as we've told you. She expects Miss Cooper to return tomorrow and it would be unwise if we were to worry her over something trivial."

"Oh, but what about your gowns," Emily exclaimed. "Surely you cannot expect Mrs. Leigh to have them ready after one night."

"I wrote to Mrs. Leigh with my measurements last month," Miss Cooper said quietly. "She would have sent them to me, but I asked to pick them up." She glanced quickly at her companion. "Miss Smith and I will make any adjustments necessary once we have returned to Wallace House, but I am sure Mrs. Leigh did a marvelous job."

It was difficult not to express surprise at such an arrangement. Rosalind sipped her tea and held her tongue. It was not for her to judge how another person chose to arrange their affairs, after all. Perhaps it was the best way for the young lady to arrange the situation.

"What a shame," Mrs. Melbourne said, shaking her head. "Mrs. Williams has invited the entire neighborhood to the picnic. It sounds as though it will be great fun for all."

Miss Cooper made a sound that could have meant anything. "Rosalind, would you play for us?" Emily asked, changing the subject. "It's been so long since I've heard you."

"I would be delighted," Rosalind said in relief. Playing would give her hands something to do. She would be able to focus on something other than whether everyone in the room was curious about why Lord Emberdown had come.

****

Though rain poured down the next morning, Miss Cooper insisted she could put off her departure no longer. Nothing Emily said could sway her from the decision. A message was sent into Ambershire and the inn's coach hired. The lady and her companion took their leave mid-morning as much a mystery as when they'd arrived.

As the rain continued through the day, the men occupied themselves with billiards, leaving the ladies to write letters, read, or sew. Rosalind chose to read her father's journal, trusting the others would not question her about her reading material.

Sitting next to the window, Rosalind found her attention on the raindrops running down the glass instead of on her father's words. It was difficult to find pleasure in the company or to focus on what she was reading when concerns weighed on her mind. How were she and Evan to smooth things with his family without humiliating themselves? What could they do to put an end to the rumors?

She couldn't work out answers to her questions. Even when they were alone in their room, Evan refused to speak about the matter.

The Smithsons came to dinner that evening, and again Rosalind put on an impassive face for the company. She couldn't help but feel sorry that Lord Selkirk was faced with two evenings in a row with an unmarried young lady. Unlike Miss Cooper, Miss Smithson set out to be as agreeable and a flirtatious as she could with the earl.