Regency: Mischief & Marriage: Secret Heiress / Bartered Bride. Anne Herries

I have had the honour of meeting Lady Sarah,’ Daniel replied. ‘However, I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Bancroft at my uncle’s estate a few weeks ago. I trust you are well, Miss Bancroft?’

      ‘Yes, thank you, my lord.’

      ‘Ah, yes, the dear earl.’ Lady Roberts moved smoothly on, obviously not impressed that he should acknowledge acquaintance with a mere companion. ‘I believe he was not well a few months back.’

      ‘My uncle still mourns the loss of his son,’ Daniel replied with a frown. ‘I think his health is well enough otherwise.’

      ‘Yes, such a sad occurrence.’ Lady Roberts looked at her daughter pointedly. ‘You are released, Susanne. Take our guests into the drawing room. I have only one more guest to greet and then I shall join you.’

      Susanne looked expectantly at Lord Seaton. He offered his arm and they moved forwards into the large drawing room, where Lord Roberts was entertaining three other guests and a footman was standing with a tray of champagne. Eliza followed with Lady Sarah. She was offered a glass of champagne by the footman, which she accepted, but made no attempt to drink. Lady Sarah led the way to a rather beautiful blonde lady dressed in grey silk, smiling and greeting her with pleasure.

      ‘Julia Henderson, I had no idea you would be here this evening. I am delighted to meet you again.’

      ‘Sarah dearest. We arrived in Bath only yesterday. How wonderful to find you here.’ The two ladies embraced and then Julia turned enquiring eyes on Eliza. ‘And this is…?’

      ‘My companion, Miss Eliza Bancroft,’ Lady Sarah said.

      ‘Your companion? For a moment I thought… How nice to meet you, Miss Bancroft,’ Julia Henderson said and extended her hand. ‘How long have you been with my dear friend Sarah?’

      ‘Just a few days, ma’am,’ Eliza said, seeing the warmth and affection for Lady Sarah in her eyes. ‘But they have been extremely pleasant ones.’

      ‘Well, I shall be calling on you both very soon and I shall look forward to a long chat. I want to hear all about you, Eliza—and you must call me Julia. I absolutely insist.’

      ‘Oh…’ Eliza blushed. ‘That is very kind of you, ma… Julia.’

      ‘You will soon get used to it,’ Julia said and laughed. ‘Now, you must meet my daughter Kate—Kate, this is Eliza. You two must absolutely be friends, because you are going to see a lot of one another. I shall want to spend time with Sarah and you two should be prepared to go off on your own somewhere.’

      ‘Mama!’ Kate was a younger image of her mother, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement as she came to Eliza. ‘You must forgive her, Miss Bancroft. She may command me, but not you, though I hope we shall be friends and you may call me Kate if you wish.’

      ‘Only if you call me Eliza.’ Eliza smiled because she liked both the mother and daughter. ‘I, too, hope we shall be friends. As yet I have very few acquaintances in Bath.’

      ‘I have loads of them,’ Kate said frankly. ‘However, only one or two I would actually call friends. I should like to get to know you—and that is not because Mama insists either.’ She threw a fond but exasperated look at her mother, who was talking animatedly with Lady Sarah. ‘Dear Mama is managing, but she means well.’

      ‘I am certain she does,’ Eliza agreed, thinking that she was fortunate to have met a girl she could truly think of as a friend.

      Most of the other young ladies she met exchanged pleasantries but did not seem interested enough to become her friend.

      Her thoughts were interrupted as the invitation to move into the dining room was given. After some shuffling and searching, everyone sat down and Eliza found herself seated between an elderly gentleman, who proved hard of hearing and Lord Roberts. Her host saw her seated with solicitous care and then proceeded to ignore her as he talked exclusively to the lady on his right.

      Obviously, a companion was not deemed worthy of a meaningful conversation. Eliza contented herself by looking about her. She caught snatches of other people’s conversation and smiled as she watched Miss Susanne Roberts making up to Lord Seaton. Susanne simpered, giggled and fluttered her lashes so often that Eliza would have asked if she had something in her eye had she been close enough.

      Now and then the deaf gentleman muttered something. Eliza nodded or asked if she could pass him a dish or the condiment set. She risked a few glances at Lord Seaton and discovered that he was looking at her and frowning. Once she thought he would address her across the table, but his companion claimed his attention and the moment passed.

      It might have been a long and tedious meal, but the food was actually delicious and Eliza enjoyed watching the company. She saw Kate flirting in an unexceptional way with an older gentleman, and Lady Sarah was clearly enjoying talking with friends.

      Eventually, Lady Roberts announced the move to the drawing room, leaving the gentlemen to their port and cigars. Kate immediately gravitated to her side.

      ‘Poor you,’ she exclaimed as she linked arms. ‘Mr Huddlestone is as deaf as a post and Lord Roberts was awfully rude. I do not think he addressed more than three words to you all evening.’

      ‘I did not remark it,’ Eliza assured her. ‘I dare say a dowager duchess is more important and entertaining than a companion.’

      ‘How calm you are and kind.’ Kate laughed. ‘In your position I should have been inclined to talk across the table, but Mama says it is rude to interrupt the conversation of others.’ She lowered her voice. ‘Besides, Miss Roberts was monopolising the only handsome man in the room—even if Lord Seaton was more interested in looking at you.’

      ‘No, I am certain he was not,’ Eliza denied immediately. ‘He seemed quite content with his companion.’

      ‘She threw herself at him in town, but he ignored her. Mama warned me that Seaton may be in financial difficulty, for his father was ill for a while before he died and may have neglected the estate. There was a rumour of it, but I do not know the whole. He may be looking to marry a fortune, though I shall think him a fool if he settles for a peagoose like Susanne.’

      ‘That is a little unkind,’ Eliza reproved, but could not resist a smile. Kate was certainly outspoken, but she could not help liking her.

      Lord Seaton was not a fool, but it was possible that he needed to marry money. Gentleman often did, for the upkeep of a country estate was expensive. She imagined that Lord Roberts was wealthy and would see his daughter well endowed. However, Eliza had no time to ponder the subject for she was summoned by Lady Roberts to help serve the tea.

      When she brought Lady Sarah her cup, her employer frowned. ‘This is unfair on you, Eliza, my love. You are here to enjoy yourself.’

      ‘I am enjoying myself very much, ma’am. Serving tea is no hardship for me.’

      ‘It is the manner…’ Lady Sarah shook her head. She clearly did not approve of the way Eliza had been commandeered by their hostess, but would not make a fuss in public.

      Once tea was served, Kate was called to the pianoforte and she asked Eliza to accompany her.

      ‘Do you know this one?’ she asked, playing a few bars of a popular ballad. She smiled when Eliza inclined her head. ‘Sing it with me?’

      Eliza stood at her shoulder and joined in the second verse. She had a sweet though untrained voice and their voices blended into a pleasant harmony. They had finished the ballad and were singing the words of ‘Green-sleeves’ when the gentleman returned, and were warmly applauded as they brought the old song to an end.

      ‘Well done, ladies. That was a perfect duet,’ Daniel Seaton told them, strolling towards the pianoforte. ‘May I join you in a verse or two?’

      ‘Of course,’ Kate agreed. ‘What shall we sing?’

      ‘I have been practising Mr Beethoven’s piano sonata,’ Susanne