Page 59 of The Devil's Accidental Duchess
CHAPTER 20
“If he was not my brother, I would besickwith envy,” Lizzy cooed as Selina returned to the ladies. “Goodness, was it fun? Are you dizzy?Iwould be dizzy.”
Selina fanned herself, smiling so widely that her cheeks ached. “I am out of breath but surprisingly not dizzy. All of our practicing was worth something, it seems.”
“Practicing?” Her mother seemed horrified.
“Oh yes,” Lizzy interjected. “The three of us like to practice the newest dances whenever we can.”
Her mother furrowed her brow. “I did not realize the two of you were so well acquainted. Didn’t you only just meet when the engagement was agreed upon?”
“It is a long story, Mama.” Selina took her arm. “I shall tell you all about it another time. Right now, however, I am in need of further amusement.”
“A game!” Melody chirped. “Let us play a game outside while it is still light enough. I have been desperate to play that ring game.”
Grinning, Selina nodded. “Then let us play it.”
The group of ladies headed out onto the terrace and down the steps to the stretch of lawn where games had been prepared: pall mall, ring toss, races for the gentlemen, among others. To Selina’s delight, many guests were playing too.
They approached the ring toss and waited for the trio of ladies ahead of them to finish their game, offering cheers of enthusiasm from the periphery.
Then, it was their turn.
“Come, Mama, you must join us,” Selina urged, seeing her mother’s hesitation. “You too, Your Grace.” She cast a pointed look at the Dowager Duchess.
“Oh, mercy, no,” the Dowager Duchess protested, settling down in a lawn chair. “I shall be quite happy just to watch. I do not have the vigor for such games anymore, but I have vigor aplenty to cheer you all on.”
Her mother glanced at the chair beside the Dowager Duchess, then back at the ring toss game. A glint of something like determination flickered in her eyes, and, with a nod to herself, she said, “I shall play just one game and see how I fare.”
“That is the spirit, Mama!” Selina crowed, overjoyed.
It was turning out to be a rather exceptional evening, which was a relief after the days of fretting and planning and listening to everyone throwing ideas around. Shehadbeen worried that an actual elephant might somehow turn up.
“I shall go first,” Lizzy declared, picking up a collection of yellow-wrapped wooden rings.
There were stakes embedded in the ground. The person who had the most of their color on the stakes when all of the rings ran out was the victor. It was not a game that Selina had played often, but how hard could it be?
Lizzy lurched forward and let the ring loose. It sailed straight past the stakes and skidded across the grass, coming to a halt almost at the beginning of the pall mall lawn.
“A little too enthusiastic, Lizzy,” Melody remarked.
“Yes, well, that was just a trial,” Lizzy replied, pouting. “I think we should all be allowed one throw that does not count.”
Selina had to laugh. If there was one thing Lizzy hated most in the world, it was losing.
“Very well, we shan’t count the first throws,” Selina said. “Now, Mama, why don’t you try?”
Her mother chewed her lower lip, clearly anxious. With a deep breath, she gathered up some green rings and approached the throwing line. Tension held her posture rigid.
Selina couldn’t have been prouder to see her mother trying to enjoy herself, even though her father was around somewhere.
Her mother let out a quiet huff of effort as she let her ring fly. Meanwhile, Selina held her breath, watching with hope as the ring arced… and landed cleanly on one of the stakes.
“A win!” she cried out. “A win!”
“But I thought—” Lizzy began to say, until Melody clamped a hand over her mouth.
Her mother whirled around, her face bright with a youthful, giddy excitement that Selina had not seen in a very long time.
