Splendid

by Julia Quinn

  Graves’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Unless my eyesight fails me, which, incidentally, it never does, there appear to be two people on the doorstep.”

  Belle’s chin rose slightly as she ground out, “This is my cousin, Miss Emma Dunster.”

  “Of course,” Graves said accommodatingly. “Allow me to show you to the yellow parlor.” He ushered them into one of Sophie’s sitting rooms, his feet moving silently across the Aubusson carpet.

  “Good Lord,” Belle muttered as soon as the butler was out of earshot. “I’m sure I’ve been here at least thirty times, and I still get grilled on the doorstep.”

  “He’s obviously very devoted to his employers. You should probably try to hire him yourself,” Emma laughed.

  “Are you joking? I’d probably have to get references just to get into my own home.”

  “Belle, darling!” shrilled Sophie, sailing into the room in a lovely bottle green morning dress that complimented her eyes. She seemed not to notice Emma standing quietly in the corner as she rushed to kiss Belle on the cheek. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it to your fete. I heard it was spectacular.”

  “Yes, it was,” Belle demurred.

  “My brother even went,” Sophie said incredulously. “That’s a first. Now where is your lovely cousin I’ve been hearing so much about?”

  “She’s right behind you.”

  Sophie whirled around. “I am so pleased to—oh, my God.”

  Emma smiled sheepishly. “I imagine you’re a little surprised.”

  Sophie opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again to say, “Oh, my God.”

  “Well, perhaps you’re a lot surprised,” Emma amended.

  “Oh, my God.”

  Belle moved to Emma’s side. “I didn’t think it was possible,” she whispered, “but Sophie really doesn’t know what to say.”

  “This is where you were supposed to jump in and smooth things over,” Emma reminded her.

  “I certainly don’t know what to say.” Belle grinned.

  Sophie took a step forward. “But—you—yesterday—”

  Emma took a deep breath. “I’m afraid I had borrowed my maid’s frock yesterday.”

  “Whatever for?” Sophie was slowly regaining the use of her rather extensive vocal prowess.

  “That’s actually something of a long story.”

  “It is?” Belle asked.

  Emma gave her cousin a cutting glare. “Well, if it isn’t exactly long, it’s kind of complicated.”

  “Oh?” asked Sophie, eyes wide with interest. “Then I definitely want to hear all about it.”

  “Actually, it isn’t even all that complicated,” Belle mused.

  Emma managed to poke her troublesome cousin in the side as she quickly explained how they were trying to avoid her aunt’s preparations for the party. “It was either the kitchens or flower arrangements,” she concluded.

  “A perfectly dreadful fate,” Sophie agreed. “However, I can’t imagine what Caroline had to say about your adventure.”

  “The thing is,” Emma said meaningfully, “I can’t imagine either.” She and Belle turned to Sophie with identical nervous smiles pasted to their faces.

  “Ohhhh,” Sophie breathed, nodding slowly. “I see. Well, you can certainly be assured of my silence. It’s the least I can do after you saved Charlie’s life. As I said, I’ll be forever in your debt.”

  Emma quickly produced Sophie’s stunning emerald and diamond earrings. “So you see,” she explained, “considering my true circumstances, I couldn’t possibly accept these earrings. Please take them back. They so suit your green eyes.”

  Sophie’s eyes welled with unshed tears. “But I would so like you to have them. They’re only trinkets compared with my son.”

  “I think Emma would feel uncomfortable,” Belle said softly.

  Sophie looked back and forth between the cousins, her gaze finally resting on Emma. “I do want to give you something in thanks.”

  “Your friendship will be more than enough.” Emma’s voice was quiet and deep with emotion, for she knew that Sophie would prove to be a true and loyal friend despite her rather unnerving brother.

  Sophie took both of Emma’s hands into her own “That you will have always.” And then, as if than wasn’t enough, she suddenly let go of Emma’s hands and embraced her in a warm hug. “Oh! Where are my manners?” Sophie suddenly exclaimed “Please sit down,” she said, motioning towards the golden-hued sofas. Emma and Belle smile as they made themselves comfortable. “Now, let’s get down to what’s really important,” Sophie said emphatically. “Gossip. I want to hear everything about last night.”

  “It was marvelous,” Belle exclaimed. “I tell you, if Mama wanted to show the ton that she considered Emma as dear as a daughter she surely succeeded. She introduced her to absolutely everyone.”

  “How exciting for you,” Sophie commented.

  Emma murmured her agreement.

  “But also how wearying,” Sophie added more sympathetically.

  “Oh yes.” Emma nodded.

  “And everyone was there, simply everyone,” Belle continued. “Except you, of course. As you know, even your brother made an appearance. Everyone was incredibly surprised. People couldn’t stop talking about it.”

  “Yes, I too was a bit surprised—” Sophie began. And then she suddenly remembered that her brother had been with her the day before, and, whipping her head around to face Emma, she exclaimed, “Oh my goodness! Whatever did you say? Whatever did he say?”

  “Actually, I think I said something along the lines of ‘How do you do? ’”

  “After he kissed her hand for twice as long as is proper,” Belle added excitedly. “Once people finally stopped talking about how shocked they were at his appearance, they couldn’t stop talking about the way he was pursuing Emma.”

  “Really, Belle,” Emma said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I think he was just poking fun at me. He seemed a little upset that he had been so surprised by my true identity. I imagine he likes to feel that he’s in command of every situation.”

  “That’s for certain,” Sophie grumbled. “Imagine being related to him.”

  Emma found that prospect rather unsettling. “Anyway, he really wasn’t paying me that much attention. I didn’t think he did anything untoward.”

  Belle snorted in a most unladylike manner. “Really, Emma, your face was the same color as your hair when you were dancing with him. You were either extremely embarrassed or extremely angry.”

  Emma shrugged her shoulders, preferring to let Sophie and Belle draw their own conclusions. “I’m sure that’s all over and done with. Pardon me for saying so, Sophie, but if your brother is anything like his reputation—which was described to me in excruciating detail—I don’t imagine I’ll be running into him at many more events.”

  “Pity,” Sophie said softly, the matchmaker’s gleam sparkling in her eyes.

  “What was that?”

  “Oh, nothing at all. Would you like some tea?” Sophie said quickly, ringing for a maid. She’d been nagging Alex to settle down for years now, and in Emma Dunster she’d found her most promising possibility for success. Emma was strikingly attractive, obviously intelligent, and a genuinely nice person. And most importantly for anyone who was about to get paired up with Alexander Ridgely, Duke of Ashbourne, she was very, very brave. Sophie decided she couldn’t have dreamed up a better sister-in-law. Emma’s sharp tongue would serve her well, too. Alex needed a woman who wouldn’t scurry to do his bidding every time he started acting in his domineering manner, which, Sophie had to admit, was most of the time.

  “Please do tell me more about your ball,” Sophie continued, eager to prolong the visit now that she’d decided she and Emma would soon be related. A servant brought in tea and biscuits, and Sophie quickly got to the job of serving.

  “I did get cornered by Lady Summerton,” Emma laughed.

  Belle joined in. “Lady Summerton is the only person I know who can corne
r five people at once.”

  “What a silly woman,” Sophie commented. “I think she means well, but she does prattle on.”

  Emma and Belle both shot Sophie looks of mock accusation. Sophie’s eyes opened wide and then she laughed. “Oh, I know that I go on almost as much as she does, but at least I’m usually interesting!” With that all three women dissolved into spasms of laughter.

  As their laughter began to die down, their cozy threesome was interrupted by a very loud and very angry male voice. “For Christ’s sake, Graves, I swear to God I am going to hang you on that coat rack if you don’t let me through.”

  “Oh dear,” Sophie murmured. “I really must scold Graves, but I just haven’t the heart. He so loves to interrogate.”

  “No, I will not give my calling card to a butler who has received me at least five hundred times!” Emma didn’t think it was possible, but Alex’s voice had actually grown louder.

  Sophie looked a little sheepish. “I suppose I ought to go out there, but I do so enjoy it when Alex gets annoyed.”

  Emma was quick to agree.

  “Graves, if you value your life, you will get out of my way immediately!” Alex’s voice had suddenly taken on a dangerously low tone.

  Emma, Belle, and Sophie winced as they saw Graves practically fly by the doorway of the yellow salon in his eagerness to escape Alex’s wrath. When Alex walked in, he was looking over his shoulder at the fast-disappearing butler and didn’t even notice that Sophie had guests. “For God’s sake, Soph, I’m your brother. Don’t you think you can call off your attack dog?”

  “He’s a little overprotective now that Oliver is away, you know.”

  “I’ll say.” Alex finally turned around and noticed that there were three women in the room. He quickly swept his eyes over them, taking in their comfortable position. As his gaze settled on Emma, she lifted her teacup to her lips and took a sip. “My, my,” he drawled, “aren’t we the best of friends?”

  All three women shot him irritated glances. Alex looked a trifle disgruntled at their collective unfavorable response to his presence.

  “Don’t be tedious, Alex,” Sophie said flatly. “I’m entertaining guests. If you’re going to be insulting, you can come back later.”

  “What a welcome,” he grumbled as he flopped down inelegantly into a chair opposite Emma and Belle.

  “I stopped by to return your sister’s earrings, your grace,” Emma said.

  “I thought I told you to stop ‘your grace-ing’ me, Emma.” Both Belle and Sophie raised their eyebrows at his bold use of Emma’s first name.

  “Oh, very well,” Emma retorted. “I shan’t call you anything, then.”

  Sophie watched the telltale clench of her brother’s jaw and somehow managed to stifle what would have been a rather boisterous laugh. “Tea, Alex?” she said sweetly.

  “I don’t drink tea,” he responded sharply.

  “Right, of course. I forgot that men such as you don’t drink such a silly beverage as tea.”

  “I would love another cup,” Emma said with a smile.

  “I wouldn’t mind some more either,” Belle added.

  Alex wondered when the women of the world had united against him.

  “I suppose we’ll have to ring for another pot,” Sophie decided. “Would you like some coffee, Alex?”

  “I’d prefer whiskey.”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little early for that?”

  Alex looked from his sister to Emma to Belle. All three looked back at him with deceptively serene expressions. “Actually,” he commented, “I don’t think there has ever been a better time for whiskey.”

  “As you wish.”

  Alex rose and walked across the room to the cabinet where his sister stored liquor. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a large glass. “Sophie, I had come to inform you of the true identity of our mysterious ‘Meg’ but I see that she has already beaten me to the task.” He fixed his gaze on Emma. “What, I wonder, can your cousin think of your frolics?”

  “Her cousin was a part of her frolics,” Belle piped up.

  Alex turned to give Belle his fiercest scowl. Emma took advantage of his distraction to surreptitiously examine him. As he leaned lazily against the wall, swirling his whiskey, he seemed unusually large and unbearably masculine in Sophie’s delicately decorated parlor. His superbly tailored clothes barely contained the raw power of the man. How, she wondered, could one man simultaneously provoke such desire and antagonism in her? At least she assumed it was desire. She’d certainly never before felt anything like the strange fluttering in her abdomen and the wild beating of her heart. Yet even as his mere presence sent her traitorous body reeling into confused longing, his insolence and domineering attitude enraged her, and she ached to let him know just what she thought of him.

  Unfortunately, right then what she thought of him was that he was terribly good-looking. Emma grimaced and decided she’d better keep her eyes on Sophie and Belle. Her cousin was doing her best to ignore Alex’s scowl, turning to Sophie and asking, “Are you planning to hide yourself from the ton for the duration of your husband’s trip to the West Indies or will we see you tonight at the Southburys’ ball?”

  “I had been contemplating retiring to the country, but I find that I’ve changed my mind. Town life suddenly promises to be terribly interesting this season. Although I don’t imagine I’ll be able to go out in another few months.” Sophie smiled shyly.

  “Oh, Sophie! Are you—?” Belle seemed quite unable to utter the word “pregnant” in the company of a man. Sophie nodded vigorously, her face radiant with joy. “I am so happy for you!” Belle continued. “But how difficult for you with your husband gone.”

  “Yes, Oliver doesn’t even know he’s about to become a father again. I wrote him a letter as soon as I knew for certain, but I doubt that he’s received it yet.”

  “If you get lonely here by yourself, you must promise me that you and Charlie will come stay with us. We have plenty of room, and it might be terrible to be all alone when you’re expecting.”

  “In case you had forgotten, Lady Arabella, Sophie does have relatives who care about her,” Alex said imperiously. “If she moves in with anyone, she’ll move in with me.”

  Belle gulped. “Perhaps she will long for female companionship,” she said bravely.

  “I’m sure his grace can provide plenty of female companionship,” Emma muttered. Then to her complete mortification, she realized that her unpleasant thought had been spoken aloud.

  Alex was inordinately pleased at her obvious jealousy, but nonetheless asked sharply, “Would you care to elucidate that comment, Emma?”

  “Um, actually, I think I’d rather not,” she said weakly.

  Alex took pity on the shame and anguish he saw on Emma’s face and decided to let the matter rest. “If Sophie desires female companionship,” he declared, “she will move in with my mother.”

  Sophie was also delighted by Emma’s jealous comment, wondering blissfully what color dress she’d get to wear as an attendant at the wedding. She did not, however, want to make Emma feel uncomfortable, so she said brightly, “A visit with Mama would probably be just the thing to lift my spirits during the next few months. I imagine we’ll head out to the country. The clean air will do me a world of good, and Charlie loves it so. I swear, he turns into a positive heathen once we get him out of town. He’s constantly climbing trees and I’m always fearful for him, but Alex does say I must be careful not to coddle him. However—”

  “Sophie,” Alex said in an indulgent voice, “you’re rambling.”

  Sophie sighed. “So I am.”

  “But,” Emma put in gamely, “you were exceedingly interesting. I do so like trees.”

  The three women laughed at the reference to Sophie’s earlier remark about Lady Summerton while Alex grumbled about being left out of the joke.

  “Oh, Emma,” Sophie sighed with a smile, slowly regaining her composure. “I wasn’t the least b
it interesting, but it was kind of you to lie for me.”

  “It was no trouble at all, I assure you.”

  “Perhaps it will also be no trouble for you to tell us all about yourself, Emma,” Alex cut in.

  “Goodness, that would be tedious. I already know all about her,” Belle said archly.

  Emma wondered when her cousin had grown so daring. “I wouldn’t want to bore my cousin.”

  “I’m sure she won’t mind,” Alex ground out.

  “By all means,” Belle said graciously. “I shall chat with Sophie. You wanted to show me your new harpsichord, didn’t you, Sophie?”

  “I did? Oh, yes, of course, I did! Here, come with me, it’s in the blue salon upstairs.” Sophie quickly rose and headed for the door, Belle at her heels. “You two will entertain yourselves, won’t you?”

  Emma wasn’t quite angry enough to wish that looks could kill, but she found herself hoping that they could elicit brief but startling pain.

  “We’ll be just fine.” Alex was positively beaming.

  “Well done,” Sophie whispered to Belle.

  “I thought so,” Belle returned.

  “Come along,” Sophie said loudly. “I can’t wait to show it to you.” With that, the pair slipped out of the room and headed upstairs.

  “You must remind me to thank your cousin,” Alex drawled.

  “You must remind me to throttle her.”

  “Really, darling, is it so very difficult to be alone in the same room with me? You didn’t mind last night.” Alex strode across the parlor and settled himself right next to Emma on the sofa. Emma sighed in exasperation. Was there no situation in which he did not feel completely at ease? Here she was, her insides churning like an Atlantic crossing, and he was sitting next to her smiling as if he hadn’t a care in the world. It was his nearness, she decided. Strange things happened to her when he was close. It was time to get him to move.

  “Umm,” Emma began hesitatingly, all of her decisive thoughts flying out the window. “I don’t mean to sound like a complete prig—”

  “Then don’t sound like one.”

  “But I really don’t think you should be sitting so close to me.”