unevenly distributed between the generations, neither of the elder ladies had anything to recommend her but her daughter. They were therefore of only minimal interest to the party, but of prime interest to each other, and vied endlessly for the upper hand in their dealings.
The Duke was obliged, because of precedence, to have the Marchioness on his right hand, for which he compensated by putting Lady Sara on his left. He had placed Ella beside Bippy Tredwell, as he was the only reason she was present. Since she didn't care two hoots for him, she was not at all shy to talk up to him and enjoyed a very pleasant repast. Her pleasure was somewhat mitigated to learn he would be singing after dinner, but she had some hopes of slipping off to the library and did not worry much about the concert.
“Any special song you would like to hear me sing?” he asked.
“I have no favorite,” she replied.
“Like Italian songs?” he asked.
“Yes, they are very nice."
“Could do ‘Tu Mi Chamas’ if you like,” he volunteered.
“That would be fine,” she agreed, without enthusiasm.
When the ladies had retired to the drawing room, Bippy said aside to Clare that Ella wanted to hear him sing ‘Tu Mi Chamas,’ and did he have the music to it. Clare was still surprised at the attraction between the two, but had observed Ella's relative liveliness during dinner, and took it for an accepted thing now.
“One of the ladies will have the music by heart. Since Byron set words to it, it is all the go."
After tea, the gentlemen joined the ladies and all migrated to the music room to be entertained, first by Belle, who displayed at length her talents in singing, dancing, reciting long stretches of Shakespeare's plays that she had by heart, playing the harp, and finally—there was no end to her skills—a pantomime. The silence of this last diversion proved soporific, and the audience was in some danger of falling off to sleep after their long day, but they were soon roused by Miss Sheridan, who sang two country songs very loudly, attempting to make up in volume of sound for the paucity of her accomplishments.
Bippy's superior voice was quite a relief, but when Clare chanced to glance in Miss Fairmont's direction, he saw her yawning into her fist. Having composed her column during the other diversions, she was having a hard time to keep her eyes open. Strange, he thought, that she never once glanced at the stage to admire her suitor's prowess.
The concert finally at an end, the guests were allowed to straggle up to their rooms, amidst a volley of compliments to each other by the performers, and a dull silence from the dazed audience.
Chapter Five
Half the party slept late next morning after the rigors of the journey, but neither Miss Sheridan nor Miss Prentiss had the slightest intention of letting the other get the jump on her, and they entered the breakfast room together, pale and heavy-lidded but meticulously gilded at 9:30. By 10:30 they had both eaten and drunk a good deal more than they wanted, and could find no excuse to linger till their host should arise from his bed and join them. When Miss Sheridan decided she would risk a stroll through the grounds, Miss Prentiss insisted on joining her, fearing she had somehow discovered where he was to be found. Sherry congratulated Miss Prentiss on her ‘interesting’ gown, while inwardly wondering why she should choose to make such a sight of herself in a skimpy little mulled muslin with no bows. Miss Prentiss said it was not nearly so fine as Miss Sheridan's, though she was afraid that white with a ruffled bottom would get horribly soiled romping through wet grass.
While they sauntered through the park, eyes and ears alert for a trace of the owner, Clare arose and made a leisurely toilette. At 11:00 he strolled into the breakfast parlor, outfitted in buckskins and hacking jacket, for a cup of coffee. He had breakfasted in his room and came to table only to say good morning to
The Duke was obliged, because of precedence, to have the Marchioness on his right hand, for which he compensated by putting Lady Sara on his left. He had placed Ella beside Bippy Tredwell, as he was the only reason she was present. Since she didn't care two hoots for him, she was not at all shy to talk up to him and enjoyed a very pleasant repast. Her pleasure was somewhat mitigated to learn he would be singing after dinner, but she had some hopes of slipping off to the library and did not worry much about the concert.
“Any special song you would like to hear me sing?” he asked.
“I have no favorite,” she replied.
“Like Italian songs?” he asked.
“Yes, they are very nice."
“Could do ‘Tu Mi Chamas’ if you like,” he volunteered.
“That would be fine,” she agreed, without enthusiasm.
When the ladies had retired to the drawing room, Bippy said aside to Clare that Ella wanted to hear him sing ‘Tu Mi Chamas,’ and did he have the music to it. Clare was still surprised at the attraction between the two, but had observed Ella's relative liveliness during dinner, and took it for an accepted thing now.
“One of the ladies will have the music by heart. Since Byron set words to it, it is all the go."
After tea, the gentlemen joined the ladies and all migrated to the music room to be entertained, first by Belle, who displayed at length her talents in singing, dancing, reciting long stretches of Shakespeare's plays that she had by heart, playing the harp, and finally—there was no end to her skills—a pantomime. The silence of this last diversion proved soporific, and the audience was in some danger of falling off to sleep after their long day, but they were soon roused by Miss Sheridan, who sang two country songs very loudly, attempting to make up in volume of sound for the paucity of her accomplishments.
Bippy's superior voice was quite a relief, but when Clare chanced to glance in Miss Fairmont's direction, he saw her yawning into her fist. Having composed her column during the other diversions, she was having a hard time to keep her eyes open. Strange, he thought, that she never once glanced at the stage to admire her suitor's prowess.
The concert finally at an end, the guests were allowed to straggle up to their rooms, amidst a volley of compliments to each other by the performers, and a dull silence from the dazed audience.
Chapter Five
Half the party slept late next morning after the rigors of the journey, but neither Miss Sheridan nor Miss Prentiss had the slightest intention of letting the other get the jump on her, and they entered the breakfast room together, pale and heavy-lidded but meticulously gilded at 9:30. By 10:30 they had both eaten and drunk a good deal more than they wanted, and could find no excuse to linger till their host should arise from his bed and join them. When Miss Sheridan decided she would risk a stroll through the grounds, Miss Prentiss insisted on joining her, fearing she had somehow discovered where he was to be found. Sherry congratulated Miss Prentiss on her ‘interesting’ gown, while inwardly wondering why she should choose to make such a sight of herself in a skimpy little mulled muslin with no bows. Miss Prentiss said it was not nearly so fine as Miss Sheridan's, though she was afraid that white with a ruffled bottom would get horribly soiled romping through wet grass.
While they sauntered through the park, eyes and ears alert for a trace of the owner, Clare arose and made a leisurely toilette. At 11:00 he strolled into the breakfast parlor, outfitted in buckskins and hacking jacket, for a cup of coffee. He had breakfasted in his room and came to table only to say good morning to
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