Lord Winterly shifted a languorous glance towards Mr. Morris. “I imagine you have not read the famous works of Eliza Parsons, have you, Armi?”
Mr. Morris peered thoughtfully at Emma. “I regret that I have not.”
“Well, I myself took the trouble to do so,” Lord Winterly said, “for I was possessed of a keen desire to impress Miss Rose; I have discovered that she is most difficult to impress.”
“It is only wicked viscounts that do not impress me, my lord.”
Most of the dinner guests were glancing between them with knowing grins. Her uncle, however, had fixed her with a quelling glare. “Really, Emma, what is his lordship to make of such impertinence?”
Aunt Sophie was wide-eyed, and Mr. Black, and Mr. Gabriel watched on with wooden countenances.
“That I must try harder to impress your niece, Mr. Haywood.”
“Not a bit, sir!”
“You might try curing her of somnambulism,” said Milli. “I daresay that would be impressive!”
At that, their uncle groaned, poor man—to be saddled with two such unnatural nieces.
“Milli, I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Emma was too busy shooting her sister a tight smile to feel sympathy for her poor uncle. That Milli should think it appropriate to discuss such a private matter with perfect strangers… She promised herself she would ring Milli’s neck as soon as they were alone.
“But, Em—”
“How did you find the novel, Lord Winterly?”
It was evident, from the way his eyes flickered between Emma and her sister, that his lordship had found Milli’s comment intriguing. Fortunately, however, he seemed inclined to allow Emma to steer the conversation back on track. “I found that it has all my favorite motifs,” he said. “A virtuous heroine, a gloomy old castle, a lecherous old count, and a final glorious struggle between the forces of light and darkness.”
Here Victoria interjected. “Do not forget the part where the girl finds out all the dastardly family secrets.”
“I never forget that part, my dear.” And because his regard was still settled on Emma, she could not help but react to the small endearment he’d subjoined.
Emma shifted in her seat. “You gave me to understand you deplored my taste in literature.”
Uncle Haywood gave a sniff of disgust. “I would hardly call that horrid fustian literature, Emma.”
Ignoring her uncle, Lord Winterly replied, “On the contrary, I found it to be a comical distraction. But I had no idea haunted castles affected women so powerfully.” His eyes gleamed black in the muted candlelight. “Tell me, is it the habit of your sex to go about in such rapturous transports, swooning and whimpering as they evade the clutches of the wicked count?”
“I think you mean wicked viscount,” she said, “and I’m sure I wouldn’t know. You see, I have never been to a wicked viscount’s haunted castle.”
“Then we must remedy that.” His smile became positively wolf-like as he leaned back in his chair.
Chapter Twelve
Of Beasts and Venom
Milli’s glance flitted between Lord Winterly and her sister. He had remained silent and hawk-eyed throughout dinner, despite her numerous attempts to draw him into conversation. Emma had done nothing to incite his interest except brood over her dinnerware, and yet his interest had not wavered from her face for even a moment. It was really quite vexing because she did not see that Emma deserved the least of his attentions. Perhaps if she had worn the red dress, as Milli had enjoined her to do, and taken a little more effort with her hair, the overall effect might have warranted his interest.
To aggravate matters, Emma had earlier produced a pair of horrid spectacles, somehow purchased without Milli’s knowledge, and determined to wear them tonight. Of all the nights to be so perverse! No lady worth a pin owned eyesight poor enough to justify spectacles! Leastwise not at a dinner party such as this one was, surrounded by such high calibre marriage material. Only church mice and bluestockings were contrary and conceited enough to wear their glasses out into society. A woman’s triumph was her appearance!
And, furthermore, what did Emma mean by monopolizing the conversation like this! “Mr. Valko,” said Milli, recovering her handsome dinner partner’s attention, “have you been to Vauxhall yet?”
“I have not had that pleasure.”
“Nor I.” Milli bit her lip, hopeful of his using this opportunity as a segue to suggest they all go to the pleasure gardens together. He did not, so she pressed on after a moment. “I should dearly love to go, but my uncle is doing all in his power to avoid that scene.” She gave Mr. Valko an ‘I told you’ look when her uncle merely grunted over his food. “One ought to go at least once whilst in London, you know.”
Mr. Valko glanced down towards the silent end of the table and said, “What say you, Mr. Black? Shall we make an adventure of it?”
Mr. Black, in turn, glanced a question at Lord Winterly. “Never heard of the place.”
“I call it a delightful spectacle,” said Lord Winterly, still smirking at Emma. It was almost as though his lordship was talking about those wretched glasses on Emma’s face!
Delightful spectacles indeed. Milli rolled her eyes.
“If you are prepared to part with a crown at the door, you might indeed find it worth a sniff around,” said Dr. Payne, grinning from the other side of Lord Winterly. Dr. Payne who had not spared a single lenity for her poor, dull Aunt Sophie who was sitting next to the very formidable and silent head of the table, Mr. Grimm. That beastly man had not expiated those evil looks with a single cheerful word.
Eager to command the conversation again, Milli asked Dr. Wheatstone where it was that she had heard of his name, for it sounded very familiar.
But it was Emma that answered. “I believe you read it in a certain newspaper, my dear.”
Milli became thoughtful a moment, gratified to have the undivided attention of the two gentlemen either side of her, howsoever brief it might remain with her. “Ah, yes! The Times.” At this her uncle’s ears were seen to perk up. “Were you not the physician that performed the autopsy on those two unfortunate sisters?”
“Millicent!” Her uncle glowered at her, which was really quite effective for he sat directly opposite them, in front of Mr. Valko, which meant that she had an unobstructed view of his crossed brows. “That is hardly seemly dinner conversation.”
“But we’ve done eating dinner!” said Milli. How could he scold her like this in front of everyone? He was not nearly as deaf as Milli should have liked.
“It is really all right,” Dr. Wheatstone replied. Then he directed his answer to Milli. “You are correct, Miss Milli, I had that sad duty.”
Milli nodded, mollified. She wondered what Mr. Valko would think of her reading The Times. Heaven forfend that he should think she was aping a man by reading her uncle’s newspaper! She glanced at him and was chagrined to find him smiling, instead, at Emma. And why not? Emma’s conversation was far cleverer and more interesting than Milli’s (except tonight, of course, her sister was being very sullen). But women were taught not to be clever and yet Milli was beginning to think that men were confusing beasts. These gentleman in particular appeared rather to enjoy a clever comment from a pretty woman—Victoria was very quick-witted and vivacious, after all.