Page 25 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

“May I escort you to dinner, Miss Robbins?” His expression was very sober and grave.

I gave a small smile and a nod, then took his arm.

Lord Brookhaven sat at the head of the table, with Lady Rutledge seated to his right and Miss Rose Rutledge to his left. Lady Derringer sat at the opposite end, as the hostess, with Lord Markeley seated to her right and Lord Rutledge to her left.

I ended up seated at the middle of the table, in the least important place, between Mr. Percy Allen and Mr. Skidmore, who’d escorted his daughter, who sat across the table from me. Truly, I’d expected no less than to be seated in the middle, and I was too delighted to be there, and also with the deliciousness and variety of food, to think of where I was seated.

I made an effort to talk with Mr. Percy Allen, but he was not muchof a conversationalist. He was probably a bit older than I was, but he seemed younger, with very little to say.

I did my best to draw him out, asking what he enjoyed. Did he like to shoot pheasants? He did. Did he enjoy reading? He did not. Did he know any languages? Only English, as he had no great interest in foreign travel. I eventually gave up and just enjoyed the rest of the meal. I had to resort to only tasting the food, as there were so many courses and dishes, and I felt like a stuffed bird above Lord Brookhaven’s mantel well before the last course.

I couldn’t help overhearing bits of other conversations. Nor could I ignore Miss Rose Rutledge’s frequent laughter as she talked with Lord Brookhaven. He, on the other hand, sometimes looked a bit out of sorts, and more than once I caught him looking at me when I glanced his way. Another time I noticed Miss Rutledge staring at me with an unfriendly expression.

No doubt they were all wondering why the Earl of Brookhaven would invite his governess to sit at dinner with his guests.

After the final course had been served, the ladies retired to the drawing room and the men to Lord Brookhaven’s study, where they would smoke and drink port. But it was past my usual bedtime, and I could scarcely keep my eyes open. I turned to Millicent and said, “Forgive me, but I must retire to bed. No one wants to see me yawning.”

Millicent’s eyes went wide. “I wish you wouldn’t leave me.”

“You’ll be all right,” I whispered. “Don’t allow them to make you feel inferior. You have every right to be here. You were invited by the Earl of Brookhaven, after all.”

“Yes.” She nodded, pursing her lips. “Thank you, Miss Robbins.”

“Call me Charlotte.”

We parted and promised to see each other for our walk in the morning.

My morning was rather enjoyable, as Millicent and I talked of all the guests, the things we’d heard them say the evening before, andour admiration for the lovely dresses. Millicent had even been brave enough to talk with Thomas Merritt and the Viscount Markeley, who she said had been schoolfellows of Lord Brookhaven’s.

“And Lord Brookhaven talked very little to Rose Rutledge. He even deigned to speak to me, as he asked me where you had gone to, and I had to tell him you went to bed. He looked none too happy, but I suppose that’s how he always looks—grim and slightly angry.”

I almost said that he rarely looked that way, but I didn’t want her to think I was boasting about my relationship with Lord Brookhaven.

After a half hour of walking and talking, Millicent gave a small grimace and said haltingly, “Forgive me for what I’m about to say—and don’t mistake me, I am very glad Lord Brookhaven included you in our party—but...”

“You may say it. I’ll not be offended.”

“Some of the ladies—Miss Rutledge in particular—were talking when Lord Brookhaven excused himself briefly of why he would invite his governess to the party. The men, particularly Mr. Thomas Merritt, defended you and said you were very pretty and very genteel, and he even suggested that Miss Rutledge was jealous. Her face turned positively red, and she said she could never be jealous of anyone who was so beneath her. But just then Lord Brookhaven entered the room, and they stopped talking. It was quite amusing how quickly they endedthatconversation. The most amusing thing is that it does seem as if Miss Rutledge is jealous of you. Can you imagine? Is that not the most amusing thing?”

“Oh yes, quite diverting.” I did my best to laugh along with her, and I forced myself not to consider why I felt a pain in my chest and a sinking in my stomach. I’d ruminate about that later, when I was alone.

“But why do you think Lord Brookhaven invited you? I am sorry, I don’t mean to give offense, but you must admit it’s very unusual for an earl to invite a governess.”

“I am very aware of how it must seem. And I am at a loss, as much as anyone, as to how to explain it.”

I wanted to say that Lord Brookhaven enjoyed my company, that he wanted me there so he could engage in intelligent conversation with me, but that did not seem to be the case last evening, when he barely spoke to me at all.

With a perplexed expression, Millicent said, “Perhaps they needed another lady to make up for a gentleman they hadn’t expected.”

“Yes, perhaps. And perhaps I will beg off tonight,” I murmured.

“Oh, I wish you would not.” Millicent grabbed my arm. “You saw how I have not a single friend in the party. Besides you,” she added.

I didn’t want Millicent to be unhappy and alone, with no one to talk to, but I didn’t enjoy being exposed to the unkind remarks of his high-ranking guests.

“Lord Rutledge is a baron. Did you know?”

I shook my head.