Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

H olly briefly toyed with the idea of pleading a headache and not going down to dinner—but that would cause her mother to make all sorts of pointed remarks about why she might be feeling poorly. From long experience, Holly knew that included things like calling into question her reading habits and harping upon her regrettable fondness for taking her tea black.

No matter how much she might want to avoid Lord Thornton, she wanted Mama’s meddling concern even less. Besides, she’d deflected the viscount easily enough. Though she had to admit to a lingering worry over why he’d sought her out, and what questions he was planning to put to her.

The solution, of course, was to keep out of his way as much as possible while still upholding the standards of polite behavior. Skills which, as an earl’s daughter, she had in abundance.

She and the viscount were seated across from one another at dinner, but with a series of discreet nudges Holly managed to maneuver the large silver candelabra so that it stood directly between them. Ash, who was next to her, watched with amusement while he spooned up his lobster bisque, but said nothing.

Rose, however, put an end to that strategy after the soup course by brazenly reaching over from her place beside Lord Thornton and moving the candlesticks several inches up the table.

“Whatever are you doing?” Mama asked, giving her a reproving look.

“I’m sorry,” Rose said sweetly. “The glare was making it difficult to see my food.”

Ash let out a snort, and the viscount’s brows rose, but, as usual, Rose managed to get away with behavior that would have earned anyone else a scolding.

“Next time, ask the servants,” their mother said, then let the matter go.

“Yes, Mama.” Rose smiled brightly at Holly. “I was just thinking of what fun we had last year at the Christmas Ball Lord Thornton’s sister hosted.”

“Ah yes, merriment indeed,” Ash said dryly. “Thorn—as I recall, wasn’t that meant to be a matchmaking event?”

“It was,” the viscount said gravely, though the corners of his lips twitched in amusement.

“Well, it succeeded,” their mother said. “Lady Viola found herself an excellent match. You ought to have put yourself forward more strongly, Ash. Lord Thornton’s sister would have made you a fine wife, had you only exerted yourself.”

“What a thought,” he replied, with a barely-perceptible shudder.

“Strange, though,” the earl said from his place at the head of the table.

They all glanced toward him, and when a long moment passed without further elaboration, his wife let out a long-suffering sigh.

“What’s strange, my dear?” she asked.

“I recall a plethora of young women in attendance. One would think Lady Viola would’ve wanted to keep the competition to a minimum.”

“Perhaps it wasn’t Lady Viola who was looking for a match,” Ash said, sending a pointed glance at their guest.

“Oh, she was,” Lord Thornton said, frowning back. “I assure you.”

Holly smiled, hearing what he’d left unsaid. Lady Viola had been searching for a match, but not necessarily for herself. Upon reflection, it was clear she’d been trying to find a suitable bride for her brother, and had accidentally stepped into a betrothal of her own.

“That may be,” Rose said. “But as I recall, Lord Thornton, you danced twice with Holly.”

“I danced twice with nearly everyone,” he said mildly. “This trout is excellent, Lord Hartley. Is it locally caught?”

The earl launched into a conversation about local game, to Rose’s relief. And, clearly, the viscount’s as well, given his obvious change of subject. As soon as Lord Thornton’s attention turned to the head of the table, Holly shot her sister a narrow-eyed glance.

Rose pretended not to see, though her further attempts throughout dinner to direct Lord Thornton’s attention toward Holly were a bit more subtle. Fortunately, that made them all the easier to ignore or brush aside. When the meal finished, Holly breathed a silent sigh of relief, especially when her brother proposed the gentlemen withdraw for a glass of port.

“A fine idea,” the earl said, and as soon as Lady Hartley rose, signifying they might all leave the table, the gentlemen dispersed.

“Stop it,” Holly said quietly as she and Rose followed their mother out of the dining room.

“I won’t,” Rose replied. “You and Lord Thornton would suit one another perfectly. He ought to have seen that last year at the Christmas Ball, instead of flirting with everyone and choosing no one.”

“I must disagree. We’ve very little in common, and I don’t believe our natures are complimentary in the least.”

“Pish,” Rose said, with an airy wave of her hand. “He’s a good friend of our brother’s, for one thing?—”

“Which, considering Ash’s reputation, should not recommend his friends.”

“—and for another,” Rose continued, ignoring Holly’s interjection, “you are both intelligent, with a quiet sense of irony.”

Holly raised her brows. “Is that so?”

“Absolutely.” Rose grinned at her. “I’ve spent enough time with you to recognize the same traits in others. In particular, Lord Thornton. Not to mention that you have similar stature within the ton . You’d make an excellent countess, Holly.”

“Nevertheless, I’m not in search of a husband.”

“So you say!” Rose shook her head. “Quite frankly, I think you’re deluding yourself.”

“You’re the one with delusions.” Holly paused as they reached the great hall. “You may join mother in the drawing room, if you like, but I’m retiring to my rooms for the evening.”

“Coward,” Rose said as Holly mounted the stairs. “There’s no harm in marrying well.”

Oh, but there was, if one were involved in certain causes. Holly swept up the stairs, determined to pay her sister’s words no mind. The idea of her and Lord Thornton making a match? The notion was simply preposterous.