Page 33 of A Foolish Flirtation

Large decorated platters of roasted fowl and garnished tongue were brought out and set alongside the salads. The guests started conversing among themselves and Jeremy urged Miss Pinson to sample the dishes widely, and not limit herself only to his son’s favorites.

Deducing Miss Pinson was not a lover of ginger beer, whatever his son might say, Jeremy set her untouched glass aside and called for another which he filled from his own pitcher of lemonade. Miss Pinson was pathetically grateful for the attention, and Jeremy turned back to his bride to hear Atherton explaining who Lady Wickford was.

“She lives in Grosvenor Square. Husband’s a Member of Parliament. He’s not here today though,” Atherton said, glancing around. “Probably couldn’t drag him away from London.”

“She’s by way of an aunt of mine. My father’s younger stepsister,” Jeremy said, interrupting their conversation. “Wickford’s damnably careful of his reputation so you probably won’t meet him until we’ve been married a decade, and any scandal died down.”

“Oh,” Emmie whispered.

“As for Aunt Louisa”—he pulled a face—“she made her feelings on the matter plain. A member of the family must be present to legitimize the union. She saw it,” he said grandly, “as a matter of duty.”

“Is she your only family?” Emmeline asked. “I’m afraid I have none to bring to the table myself, not even a long-lost cousin.”

“No,” he answered. “I have a sister, who I would far rather have here, but Mina has not long had a baby so she would not venture far from home at this time. She lives in Cornwall; you will meet her there.”

The lavish spread was partaken of, and Jeremy was pleased to see that Emmeline had a good meal, trying some of everything on offer and tucking in heartily to her plate. Dishes were replenished all around them and once the savories were done, they were replaced with sweets such as savoy cake, meringues, and cream trifle.

“I have a cousin now,” Teddy was telling Miss Pinson in his high, carrying voice. “His name is really Baby James, but my uncle Nye always calls him Jimmy.”

Miss Pinson nodded. “Just as your name is Edward, I suppose, but everyone calls you Teddy.”

“’Zackly,” Teddy agreed through a mouthful of Bavarian cream.

“I did not realize just how hungry I was,” Emmeline said at last, sitting back in her seat with a sigh.

“Will you have some cheese?” he asked, drawing her attention to a platter of various varieties surrounded by an arrangement of wafer biscuits. “I wish I had grapes for you, but it is too early. Still, we grow them in the hothouse at Vance Park so you will have them in late summer.”

“Grapes for me?” she asked, looking startled.

“Yes, for I remember you had a fondness for them.”

Emmeline blinked at him. “When did I—?”

“It was at some party.” He shrugged. “They had bunches of Black Hamburg, and you were excited to try them.”

She gave a short laugh. “No doubt displaying my gaucheness to one and all,” she said lightly.

“I did not find it gauche.”

“Yet you probably laughed at the time.”

“Probably,” he agreed after a pause, refilling her water glass, for she had not touched her champagne. “Are you sure I cannot tempt you to try some of this syllabub? Or some of this rhubarb compote? You have not yet sampled all the desserts on offer.”

“I do not think I could fit in any more,” she said regretfully. “You were right, you provided a veritable feast for your guests.”

He smiled at her. “And yet I thought only of you, Emmeline,” he admitted in a low voice, making her blush.

“Dear me,” drawled Atherton, “I suppose it must be about time for speeches.”

7

Emmie suffered agonies throughout the speeches. Despite the fact that both the groom’s and Lord Atherton’s groomsman’s speeches were nothing but highly complimentary toward her, she felt on tenterhooks the whole time, as though waiting for the axe to fall.

If their tone should turn mocking, she felt with increasing dread, it would destroy her. And then what should she do? She could hardly flee from the reception room, a stumbling, incoherent mess. She had not even done that ten years ago.

No, she had stood there, frozen with humiliation, her lips still swollen from his kisses as Jeremy Vance had announced his engagement to another woman. God, she could still remember now how utterly shattered she had felt. For a moment, it had been a close thing that she would not faint at the foot of Lady Hawford’s staircase. Her head had certainly swum, and her ears had rung. Wouldn’t that just have been the crowning indignity? Thank heaven she had managed to keep her head.

She would just have to do the same today, she told herself. Keep breathing and keep sane, even while he lifted his glass to her and pronounced himself proud to call her his wife. Proud. As if she could ever believe such a thing. How could she have put herself in such a situation again? she wondered with mounting panic as the toast was echoed by all and sundry. “To Emmeline.”