one would have thought Gwen had tossed a bucket of cold water over her friends’ heads given the disbelieving looks on their faces. Perhaps it was best to continue before either Effie or Poppy or both called for a carriage for the lengthy ride back to the nearest train station.
“However—”
“Oh, good, there’s a however,” Effie said wryly. “I was afraid there wouldn’t be.”
“Aside from ourselves and family members, there are no other guests staying here at the manor, which will make things much easier,” Gwen began.
“Will it?” Poppy asked faintly.
Gwen ignored her. “While the staff seems adequately trained, they appear to have taken a rather strong dislike to Miss Quince.”
Effie snorted.
“Only the earl and his brother, Henry, inhabit the house and then only when they’re not residing in London, which apparently they do most of the year,” Gwen said. ”This is a bachelor establishment, ladies. So it’s obvious why our help is so desperately needed.”
“To be expected really.” Poppy shook her head. “Men are helpless when it comes to the more practical aspects of life.”
“Hard to believe they can expertly undertake an expedition to the far corners of an unexplored jungle but they cannot manage to direct a cook to prepare toast for breakfast,” Effie added.
Gwen nodded. “There’s been no mistress at Danby since the earl’s mother died a few years ago and the staff might be a bit lax.”
“Then we had best get started.” Effie drew a bracing breath. “What exactly do you want us to do first?”
“You have both been traveling today and I know how wearing that is, so, for the moment, I want you to do nothing more than rest,” Gwen said firmly.
“To gather our strength, no doubt.” Effie’s brow furrowed. ”As we shall obviously need it.”
“I have made lists of all that must be accomplished as well as charts delegating who should do what on which day and so on and so forth. I shall distribute those at tea and we can discuss all the details then.”
“Will Miss Quince be assisting us?” Poppy asked.
“She has taken to her bed with a sick headache.” Gwen shook her head in a mournful manner and summoned up her most sympathetic expression. “Poor dear.”
“Poor dear, indeed.” Effie tried and failed to look appropriately concerned but then Effie, and Poppy as well, held Miss Quince only slightly less responsible for keeping Gwen from her niece than they did Celia’s father.
“One more thing.” Gwen hesitated. She wasn’t at all sure if she was right but something odd had struck her the first night at dinner and then again last night. It was subtle and she could very easily be wrong. “You are both intelligent women and have been known to be quite observant. Do let me know if you notice anything...unexpected.”
Once again her friends traded looks.
“What do you mean by ‘unexpected’?” Caution sounded in Effie’s voice.
“Goodness, Effie.” Gwen huffed. “If I could tell you that, it wouldn’t be at all unexpected but rather extremely expected. Don’t you think?”
Effie’s eyes narrowed.
“Besides, I want your unbiased, completely dispassionate opinion.” Gwen chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. “Suffice it to say, I’m not sure all is as it appears. Or perhaps as it should be. I might well be wrong. However, if I’m right...”
Effie grinned. “I do love your howevers.”
“If I’m right...” Gwen settled her gaze first on Poppy then shifted to Effie. “We shall have to take it upon ourselves to do something about it.”
“MRS. BLODGETT, Mrs. Higginbotham and Mrs. Fitzhew-Wellmore—” Edward, the Earl of Danby, stood at the head of the dinner table and raised his glass in a toast “—welcome to Danby Manor. I cannot remember the last time so many lovely guests were gathered around this table. Thank you for improving the conversation—” he grinned “—and the view.”
“Allow me to add my thanks, as well.” Henry Saunders favored the newcomers with a welcoming smile then retook his seat.
It was indeed unusual to have any guests at all at the country house and rarer still to have ladies in residence. But between Katherine, her sisters, Louise and Celia, Celia’s aunt and her aunt’s friends, the men in residence were outnumbered two to one. More, really, if one included Miss Quince, who was indisposed tonight and not at dinner. Apparently it took a flock of women to arrange a week of prenuptial events culminating in the extravaganza that would mark the joining in marriage of a man and a woman. Henry believed he might have heard doves mentioned but he preferred not to think about it. If he had his way, the ceremony would be simple and the celebration restrained.
His gaze caught his fiancée’s. Katherine was seated beside Edward at the head of the table; her sister Louise sat on his left, devoting all of her attention to Edward. Hoping to ensnare another Saunders brother, no doubt. Katherine cast him a brilliant, perfect smile and a wave of shame washed through him. Even if his thoughts about Louise were true, they were unkind. After all, she would be his sister-in-law when he married the incomparable Katherine.
Katherine Bromley might well have been the most beautiful woman Henry Saunders had ever seen. He was realistic enough about himself to understand that was why he was originally attracted to her. With her dark hair, vivid green eyes and delectable figure, she was the center of attention anywhere. When he met her, a scant three months ago, he had been most grateful none of the Bromley daughters had had an official season. Katherine would have been snatched up immediately, in spite of the family’s financial difficulties. As it was, she had reached the advanced age of twenty-four without having wed. Henry had fallen head over heels for her very nearly at first sight.
It was not at all like him. While Edward—Ned to his brother—was the older of the twin brothers, and as such the one who had inherited the title of Earl of Danby from their father, Henry was the more sensible and responsible of the two. Ned often said it was a pity he was born a few minutes sooner as Henry had the temperament and the nature to be an excellent earl. Admittedly, Ned had spent the first few years after Father’s death continuing his wild ways with little regard to the duties that had been thrust upon him, and Henry had been the one to make certain the needs of the estates and the family’s business interests were met. It wasn’t until their mother had died three years ago that Ned had finally accepted his fate. As if Mother’s death had brought home to him the full responsibilities of his position. It had come as a shock to Henry when he realized his devil-may-care brother had become—for lack of a better word—an adult. Now the brothers worked together in a congenial and productive manner that served them both well.
In spite of being twins, their appearance was as individual as their natures. In their youth, they had often bemoaned the unfairness of not being identical and able to pass for each other. While they shared similar dark hair and brown eyes, and did indeed look like brothers, Henry was a few inches taller than Ned with a slighter
