Chapter Three

L yric had enjoyed dinner and the musical evening last night. Though the house party was being held in her and Allegra's honor, they had spoken with Aunt Dinah and decided the first evening they would ask their guests to play. Both Miss Bancroft and Miss Markle played a few pieces at the pianoforte and possessed a decent if unremarkable talent. Lady Lida had played and sung. Her pianoforte skills were sorely lacking, but she made up for it with her lilting soprano.

The group had turned in shortly after that, many tired from their journeys to Shadowcrest, and knowing there were plenty of activities occurring tomorrow. While Lyric and Allegra had discussed their female guests at length while they readied themselves for bed, Allegra had grown uncharacteristically quiet when it came to talking about the gentlemen and had left their bedchamber, saying she wished to claim a book from the library.

Lyric had an idea why her twin had avoided the topic—and she was determined to find out this morning.

She dismissed the maid and went to stand by Allegra, who sat at the dressing table, resecuring an errant curl with a pin.

"What are thinking about?" she asked her twin.

Allegra shrugged.

"It is not like you to go quiet on me," she admonished. "I want to truly hear what you think about our guests, especially the gentlemen. I am curious if you are drawn to any of them. Perhaps Lord Carroll?"

Her sister's blush at the mention of the earl told Lyric she was right in suspecting Allegra had feelings for the dashing earl.

Instead of talking about Lord Carroll, however, Allegra said, "Lord Tillings is quite nice, even if he is a bit reticent. It is hard to believe that he is such good friends with Lord Lamkin, who is as gregarious as they come."

"I thought Lord Motley was interesting," Lyric interjected, deciding to ease into their discussion. "I think it speaks quite highly of him, that he wished to bring Viola to the house party."

Allegra nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, he is one gentleman who knows family is important. He told me that he often visits the nursery and his daughter would have been brokenhearted if he were gone for an extended period. He said if he tried to explain to her where he went, she would not understand at her tender age. Lord Motley said that he had a close relationship with both his parents growing up, and he wants the same between him and his own children."

"What did you think of Lord Blankenship?" Lyric asked, curious to see if Allegra had any interest in the viscount.

Allegra smiled. "He is one of the better-looking men present and most amiable. I rather enjoyed talking with him at Georgie's wedding. But do I feel any attraction to him? Not a bit."

Relief flooded her. "I see. And what of Lord Carroll? We have not spoken of him yet."

Allegra blushed again at the mention of Carroll. "I am not certain why Aunt Dinah invited him. He is much too handsome for his own good and knows it. When he flashes that smile..." Her voice trailed off.

"Your heart flutters when he does so?" prodded Lyric.

Her twin sighed. "I am ashamed to admit that it does. Oh, he is a charming rogue. Too arrogant for my tastes." She paused, tears suddenly swimming in her eyes.

Lyric took her sister's hands in hers. "Go on," she encouraged. "You know you can tell me anything."

"He . . . kissed me last night," Allegra confessed.

"He what ?"

Allegra nodded guiltily. "Worse, I liked it. More than I should have."

She knew her twin had never kissed anyone and said, "What was it like?"

A faraway look came into Allegra's eyes. "Quite dreamy, if I am to be honest. I experienced a rush of emotions, and my insides turned into jelly."

"You yourself have said he is a rogue, which means he has a good deal of experience in kissing."

Her twin nodded sadly. "I told him that I did not want to be one of his conquests. That he needed to keep his lips and hands to himself in the future."

Lyric's jaw dropped. "You said that to him?"

"I most certainly did. And yet, I did not mean it, Lyric. I want to kiss him again. Very badly. So much that I ache in a way I never have."

"You have always had a good head on your shoulders, Allegra," she told her twin. "If you have feelings for this gentleman, this house party will give you the opportunity to explore them. If you feel he is insincere, move on and get to know the other guests. In fact, that would be my advice to you now. Spend time with each of the other gentlemen first."

"I think that will only make Lord Carroll try to pursue me more," Allegra admitted, her lips trembling.

She squeezed her twin's hands. "Remember, Aunt Dinah invited all these men for a reason. Hopefully, we will want to make a match with one of them, and it might surprise us which one. I say stick to my advice and have conversations with all the men present. Your heart will tell you what you need to know. That is what Pippa and Georgie have told us."

"You are right," Allegra agreed, taking a handkerchief and dabbing her eyes. "Shall we go to breakfast?"

They went downstairs to the dining room since the breakfast room would not hold everyone. Aunt Dinah had informed their guests that breakfast would be served buffet style between nine and eleven each morning. They entered the room at half-past nine, finding it already three-quarters full.

Immediately, Lyric's eyes swept the room, finding Lord Blankenship chatting with Miss Markle, who sat across from him.

She and Allegra went to the buffet, selecting dishes for their morning meal. When she moved toward the table, a footman carrying her plate, her gaze locked with Lord Blankenship's.

"I have a seat next to me, Miss Lyric," he said.

Knowing she could not let her eagerness show, she calmly indicated for the footman to place her plate at the open spot on the viscount's left side. Blankenship himself stood and seated her.

"I was disappointed you and your sister did not play for us last night," he said. "I was looking forward to that."

"We wanted to give our guests a chance to shine."

"Then I hope one of you will play for Lady Lida the next time she sings," he said softly as he leaned toward her. "While she has an excellent voice, her playing is atrocious."

Lyric couldn't help but laugh. "We will definitely play sometime during the party," she assured her companion. "Will you be going riding this morning with the group?"

"I am happiest when I am in the saddle," he told her. "Riding has always been my favorite activity. What of you? I assume it would be gardening."

She nodded. "There is something about pushing my hands into the dirt that brings me such joy. I love to spend time with our gardeners. I have learned so much from them over the years. What plants are annuals and which are perennials. Which varieties are hardy and which are fragile. I know what season to plant which types of flower. Most of all, I enjoy walking through the gardens and seeing how they spring to life in different ways through the various seasons."

"I am only beginning to learn about gardening," he shared. "It was a passion for my uncle Oscar. I hope to follow in his footsteps and learn all I can about gardening, as well as crops."

"You lost him recently, didn't you?" she asked.

Lyric saw the shadow cross his face, and he said, "I did. Back in early February." He hesitated and then asked, "Would you care to show me the Shadowcrest gardens this morning before the group goes riding? We could do so once you finish your meal. I have heard we are not to ride until noon, so it would give us plenty of time for you to show them off and then change into your riding habit."

She wanted to be alone with him desperately, and yet she was afraid he might kiss her since he had already declared his interest in her. It was something she yearned for, but it terrified her at the same time. Lyric decided she must at least try a kiss with him, though, especially since she had never been kissed. She wanted to feel what Allegra had, and she most likely would discuss the kiss with her twin since they shared everything.

"I would be happy to show you our gardens, my lord." Her heart beat rapidly at the thought of them surrounded by the sweet-smelling blossoms, alone, no one present.

She turned to her left and asked Miss Bancroft a few questions, trying to get her emotions under control. She liked this friend of Georgie's, who was intelligent and kind.

"Are you enjoying the house party so far, Miss Bancroft?"

"Surprisingly, yes," the woman admitted. "For one, my aunt has not pestered me the entire time. Your aunt, Her Grace, and Lady Crowell have kept her occupied, so much that she has not berated me once since shortly after we arrived. That, in and of itself, is like a breath of fresh air. As for the company, I am finding it stimulating and enjoyable. Thank you for asking, Miss Lyric."

"I noticed you speaking with Lord Tillings at length after you played the pianoforte for us last night."

Color rose in Miss Bancroft's cheeks. "Yes, his lordship and I did have a rather pleasant conversation." She paused. "I have told you I am chief amongst the wallflowers at ton events, but I have felt so accepted here at Shadowcrest by all your guests."

"I am delighted to hear that, Miss Bancroft. Will you be riding today?"

"I most certainly will," her new friend replied, enthusiasm in her voice. "I ride often when I am in the country, but I have no one to do so with in town. I am eager to see the land around Shadowcrest. Kent is so beautiful. It is my first time here."

"I am looking forward to our ride, as well as tea on the terrace this afternoon," she said. "There is nothing like dining al fresco on a pleasant day."

Lyric finished her meal and saw that Lord Blankenship had done likewise. They excused themselves, and she led him to her aunt's sitting room, where they exited through the French doors.

"This is the quickest way to the gardens," she said.

"I must thank you for making the time to show them to me, Miss Lyric. You Strongs are generous with your time."

His comment puzzled her. "How so, my lord?"

"I was with your cousin Mr. Strong almost two hours this morning."

"What did you and Caleb talk about so long?" she asked, puzzled by his admission.

"As I mentioned before, I lost my uncle several months ago. Uncle Oscar was more like a father to me than uncle these past few years. My own parents were quite distant. To be honest, they completely ignored me my entire life. They spent the majority of their year in town, leaving me alone at Chase Oaks a good deal of the time."

The concept was so foreign to her because Aunt Dinah had always taken all the girls to town when the Season began. "I cannot imagine parents who would leave a child in such a manner."

"Yes, your upbringing was quite different than mine. You have a close, loving group of relatives here at Shadowcrest."

They entered the gardens and she said, "We have more in common than you might believe, my lord. My own father ignored Allegra and me from our birth. My mother died giving birth to us, and Papa saw no value in females. He finally handed us off to Aunt Dinah for good. She was both mother and father to us, and has always treated us more as daughters than her nieces. I suppose that is why I hold family so dear. Because Allegra and I could easily have been in your circumstances. Raised by servants and governesses. Instead, we were enfolded into a family and always felt we belonged and were loved."

"I will admit I am a bit jealous of your upbringing, Miss Lyric. When my parents died, I know it sounds coldhearted, but I felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'd had no relationship with them. They were, in effect, strangers to me."

She slipped her arm through his crook and said, "You do not have a heart of stone, Lord Blankenship. You seem to be a most kind, generous man."

"You are right about being raised by servants. My tutor. The few times I did run across my parents in the household, they looked startled by my presence. I am afraid since they never emphasized family, I never did myself."

He halted and turned, clasping her elbows, filling Lyric with a rush of warmth.

"It is no secret to anyone in Polite Society. I have sown quite a few wild oats, Miss Lyric. I think I have always been searching for something I never had. Something just outside my grasp. When my parents died, Uncle Oscar, who was a steward at another estate, came and took on that role at Chase Oaks since I was about to leave for my first year at university. I let him. I cared nothing for the estate I had inherited, nor thought about the responsibilities involved. I was all about seeking thrills, having a good time, gambling and drinking with my friends. I continued that life even after I left Cambridge, never giving a thought about tomorrow."

His grip tightened slightly. "Then I lost Uncle Oscar suddenly. It was the saddest time of my life, and yet it helped fill me with new resolve. I determined to be a better earl—and a better man."

The feelings rushing through her were new and exciting.

"I want to build a life with my viscountess. I wish to enjoy a friendship with her."

His gaze bore into her, and Lyric felt as if he saw her soul laid bare before him.

"I searched this past Season for a bride on the Marriage Mart and found no one to my liking. You interest me a great deal, Miss Lyric. I would not be so foolish as to offer for you right now because I believe we must get to know one another better." He smiled. "I would like to do that now by asking if I might kiss you?"

Lyric's breath hitched. She gazed into his eyes, dark as melted chocolate, knowing her reply might change the course of her life.

"Yes, Lord Blankenship. I think we should kiss."