Page 30 of Vying for a Viscount
“I’m sure they are. Ahh, the dinner bell.” He held out his hand again. “Shall we?”
She placed her hand in his. “We shall.”
Since Greyson didn’t feel comfortable at the head of the table while his father was still alive, he and Letitia sat on one side of the table, side by side. Warren, Aurora, Hunter, and Anastasia sat across from them. In his opinion, it was a nice, cozy, and intimate dinner party. The perfect prelude to Hunter’s marriage proposal to his sister. And perhaps he could steal those kisses he daydreamed about from Letitia.
The first course was served. It was a squash soup with just the right amount of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cream. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and carrots followed. Then came fruit, nuts, and dishes of blood pudding.
Greyson didn’t think he could move by the time all the dishes were removed. He didn’t believe he had overindulged, but his stomach felt as if he had. “Shall we retire to the drawing room? I had the pianoforte brought in. Perhaps Aurora would grace us with some music?” He could have predicted Aurora’s groan at his request. She was quite good at playing, but she preferred to play for herself when no one was around to hear her.
“Must I, brother?” Aurora said, and he heard the frustration in her voice.
“Oh, Lady Aurora,” Warren said, looking at her with a wide smile, “I would love to hear you play. Perhaps we could play a duet.”
Her face softened, and she smiled at Warren. “I didn’t know you played.”
“Yes, quite proficiently, I might add.” How strange. When some gentlemen said such a thing, they would come across as boasting, but not Warren.
“Well, then, I would love to play a duet with you.”
“It’s settled then,” Greyson said as he stood, slid Letitia’s chair back, and held out his hand. She took it as she stood. “We shall go to the drawing room and be entertained by Aurora and Lord Warren.”
Everyone stood and made their way back into the room they hadoccupied earlier, and Greyson was thrilled to see the pianoforte already in place.
Chapter Ten
During the carriageride to Danbury Hall, Letitia fidgeted with her gloves, repeatedly taking them off and putting them back on. For some reason, she was most anxious to see Greyson again, even though she’d ridden with him in Hyde Park only hours earlier. When she arrived, the butler escorted her into a lovely navy-and-cream drawing room, where she was pleasantly surprised to find Lord Warren, and Mr. Hunter in attendance as well. Her anxiety from the ride over subsided immediately, and the pain in her stomach eased.
The thought of having dinner with Greyson excited her when he’d asked. As she prepared for the evening, panic had settled in, but now she was elated to find she wasn’t the only non-family member at the table. The conversation was easy, the food abundant, and the idea of Aurora and Warren entertaining them at the pianoforte was perfect. She loved to play, but she would not share that knowledge tonight. Being a spectator and enjoying the music was something she hadn’t had when married to Rutherford. Whenever he was home for dinner, she played for him.
She found herself seated on a navy velvet settee beside Greyson. Warren and Anastasia sat on an identical settee, facing them, with a low round table between them, while Warren and Aurora played a lovely sonata by Ignaz Pleyel.
“Having Aurora play was a wonderful idea,” she whisperedbetween songs.
“Thank you. And Warren asking to play was like a fireworks display.”
“Yes. He is quite good. They both are.” She sighed and let herself rest against the back of the settee. Her eyes closed, and she hummed along to another arrangement, which she knew well. It was one of her favorite arrangements by Handel.
The settee dipped as Greyson moved closer to her and murmured into her ear. “You seem to know this song well. Do you play an instrument?”
Her body tensed, but she forced it to relax. “I play the pianoforte, but don’t ask me to play tonight. It is Aurora’s and Warren’s night to shine. They are perfect for each other and sound lovely. I hope he proposes soon. If he does, you can have a double wedding for the twins.”
He chuckled softly. “Indeed. Wouldn’t that be the wedding of the Season?”
For the following arrangements by several different composers, they listened in silence, holding hands, much as Anastasia and Hunter were doing.
When Aurora expressed her exhaustion from playing, Hunter and Anastasia rose. Hunter said, “With your permission, Greyson, I would like to take a stroll in the gardens with Anastasia.”
“You may,” Greyson replied.
Once they left, Warren and Aurora sat on the settee they had just vacated.
“You both play beautifully,” Letitia said, smiling and at ease.
“Thank you,” Aurora said. “I can’t believe Warren plays. And can play as well as I can—even better, actually. I’ve never had so much enjoyment playing in front of people before.”
“It was my pleasure to play with you, Lady Aurora,” Warren said with a lovesick smile and puppy-dog eyes meant for Aurora andAurora only.
“I second what you said. It’s good to play with an equally talented musician,” Aurora said, smiling.
