side.
'And, of course, I was mistaken,' Pamela self- reprimanded with a jovial hand flap. 'La, I forgot to say that June is settled by soon marrying into our family... and very welcome...which just leaves Miss Rachel and little Miss Sylvie at home. And several years, I'd say, to that youngster's come-out by the look of her. Although, when last I saw her, I thought, My! isn't she growing tall! And so pretty! Quite a heart- breaker in the making, to be sure...' Aware that perhaps that was an unwise observation, taking into account Miss Rachel's history, she ceased her chatter and fiddled with her thin ringlets.
'I'm sure you're right, ma'am,' Rachel sighed, enjoying the woman's discomfit. 'And no remedy for it; I believe it's a family trait.'
Pamela stabbed a fierce look at her tormentor, then swivelled her eyes about, seeking an escape route. 'Why, June, I think I see your mother over there,'
she burst out. 'I must just go and speak with her over essentials... the wedding, you know...' With a meaning-, ful nod at Lady Winthrop, the two matrons were hurrying gladly away.
'I'd like to say she means nothing by it,' William offered quietly, 'but I'm not sure how honest a statement it would be.'
'Well, we must give her the benefit of the doubt,' June said gamely. 'I believe she sincerely finds Sylvie pretty.'
'And do you believe that she sincerely welcomes you to our family?' % June looked flustered, her eyelashes aflutter, as she strove for a diplomatic answer.
'You are sincerely welcomed by me, with all my heart, my love.'
'I know,' his fiancee whispered, her glistening hazel eyes clinging adoringly to his face.
'Well...' Rachel said, feeling exceedingly contented yet also intrusive, T
think I'll just go and seek out Lucinda and Paul. I know they arrived some while ago—before we did—I saw their carriage stopped at the curb as we drew up outside.' With a few backward steps she happily turned away. She knew that neither her sister nor William were really conscious of her poor excuse to discreetly depart. Their eyes, their thoughts, were with each other.
It was easy now to negotiate a path through the assembly: just a few groups of people, absorbed in their private conversations, were about the flagged hallway. Most of the guests had already moved to the music room bn the first floor, or were on the stairs, en route. Rachel scoured the colourful mass of bodies, garish as exotically plumed birds soaring beneath a glaring light.
Halfway up, on the left-hand side, she spied her parents, with their hostess.
The woman's turban was almost horizontal as she craned her neck to see past her father to talk to her mother. Inwardly Rachel smiled. Mrs Pemberton was apparently all amiability now she had takfen a set-down from her son.
William obviously knew how to deal with his mother. He was a fine gentleman... a wonderful gentleman. Rachel was once more pleased to acknowledge her sister's good fortune and accept praise for having a hand in it.
About to start up the stairs herself, for she could hear the fluting opening bars of a melody, she gave one last peer about the emptying vestibule for her friends. As a group of men moved away from where they had been lounging against the wall, she located Lucinda and Paul Saunders just behind. She ignored the dandies ogling her and, tilting her chin, set off to join them.
Before she was halfway there, her pace was faltering. On closer inspection, they, too, had the look of people who would prefer to be alone. Lucinda was coyly angling her dark eyes up to her husband's face with a very fond expression animating her countenance. Paul seemed oblivious to all but his wife's ardent attention. Slowly he raised a single finger to caress one of her flushed cheeks.
Rachel took two swift steps backwards, desperate not to be noticed by the couple. Swishing about, she diverted out of sight back to the stairs. She hesitated, a solitary figure on the bottom step, the melodic air drifting down
'And, of course, I was mistaken,' Pamela self- reprimanded with a jovial hand flap. 'La, I forgot to say that June is settled by soon marrying into our family... and very welcome...which just leaves Miss Rachel and little Miss Sylvie at home. And several years, I'd say, to that youngster's come-out by the look of her. Although, when last I saw her, I thought, My! isn't she growing tall! And so pretty! Quite a heart- breaker in the making, to be sure...' Aware that perhaps that was an unwise observation, taking into account Miss Rachel's history, she ceased her chatter and fiddled with her thin ringlets.
'I'm sure you're right, ma'am,' Rachel sighed, enjoying the woman's discomfit. 'And no remedy for it; I believe it's a family trait.'
Pamela stabbed a fierce look at her tormentor, then swivelled her eyes about, seeking an escape route. 'Why, June, I think I see your mother over there,'
she burst out. 'I must just go and speak with her over essentials... the wedding, you know...' With a meaning-, ful nod at Lady Winthrop, the two matrons were hurrying gladly away.
'I'd like to say she means nothing by it,' William offered quietly, 'but I'm not sure how honest a statement it would be.'
'Well, we must give her the benefit of the doubt,' June said gamely. 'I believe she sincerely finds Sylvie pretty.'
'And do you believe that she sincerely welcomes you to our family?' % June looked flustered, her eyelashes aflutter, as she strove for a diplomatic answer.
'You are sincerely welcomed by me, with all my heart, my love.'
'I know,' his fiancee whispered, her glistening hazel eyes clinging adoringly to his face.
'Well...' Rachel said, feeling exceedingly contented yet also intrusive, T
think I'll just go and seek out Lucinda and Paul. I know they arrived some while ago—before we did—I saw their carriage stopped at the curb as we drew up outside.' With a few backward steps she happily turned away. She knew that neither her sister nor William were really conscious of her poor excuse to discreetly depart. Their eyes, their thoughts, were with each other.
It was easy now to negotiate a path through the assembly: just a few groups of people, absorbed in their private conversations, were about the flagged hallway. Most of the guests had already moved to the music room bn the first floor, or were on the stairs, en route. Rachel scoured the colourful mass of bodies, garish as exotically plumed birds soaring beneath a glaring light.
Halfway up, on the left-hand side, she spied her parents, with their hostess.
The woman's turban was almost horizontal as she craned her neck to see past her father to talk to her mother. Inwardly Rachel smiled. Mrs Pemberton was apparently all amiability now she had takfen a set-down from her son.
William obviously knew how to deal with his mother. He was a fine gentleman... a wonderful gentleman. Rachel was once more pleased to acknowledge her sister's good fortune and accept praise for having a hand in it.
About to start up the stairs herself, for she could hear the fluting opening bars of a melody, she gave one last peer about the emptying vestibule for her friends. As a group of men moved away from where they had been lounging against the wall, she located Lucinda and Paul Saunders just behind. She ignored the dandies ogling her and, tilting her chin, set off to join them.
Before she was halfway there, her pace was faltering. On closer inspection, they, too, had the look of people who would prefer to be alone. Lucinda was coyly angling her dark eyes up to her husband's face with a very fond expression animating her countenance. Paul seemed oblivious to all but his wife's ardent attention. Slowly he raised a single finger to caress one of her flushed cheeks.
Rachel took two swift steps backwards, desperate not to be noticed by the couple. Swishing about, she diverted out of sight back to the stairs. She hesitated, a solitary figure on the bottom step, the melodic air drifting down
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