looking at Eliza, his gaze raking over her. “It’s time we departed. Darling, you and Hollis will follow me in another coach so that I might escort the Weslorian princesses.” He kissed his daughter and handed her to Eliza with a warning that she not be late.
They said their goodbyes to Cecelia, and after Eliza reviewed a very long list of instructions for the baby’s nursemaid, the sisters made their way to the grand home on Upper Brook Street.
* * *
A LIGHT SNOW had begun to fall when Hollis and Eliza arrived at Beck’s. Because of the crush of carriages, they were made to wait a full quarter of an hour before they could enter. Light blazed through the windows facing the street, and they could make out the flickering flames of dozens of candles on what looked like an enormous tree.
Beck’s home was palatial, but Hollis guessed there had to be at least one hundred and fifty people present when they finally squeezed inside. There were far more souls than the two or three dozen people she’d suggested. The tree Beck had brought from the country was so large that it covered half the salon and was so tall that the tinsel star someone had set atop it scraped the ceiling.
“Where on earth did you get that tree?” Hollis asked as Beck came forward to greet them.
“How would I know?” Beck said with a shrug as he leaned down and kissed Hollis’s cheek. “I put Garrett on the task.”
Hollis hugged Beck tightly to her. “Thank you for this.”
“Oof,” Beck grunted when she squeezed him. “For heaven’s sake, Mrs. Honeycutt, there you go again, hugging as you please.” He pushed away from her grasp and tapped the tip of her nose with his knuckle.
“Your tree is too big, Beck! I had in mind something smaller. Something you could actually gather around. You can hardly see your guests around that thing.”
“I don’t need to see my guests as I’ve seen them all before. And if I may, I should like to point out that I was quite right about having a tree in one’s home—it’s ridiculous and fills the room and there are needles everywhere. By the by, you are a vision of loveliness this evening. The color suits you.”
“Doesn’t it?” Eliza said, as Hollis murmured a thank-you. Eliza leaned forward to accept Beck’s kiss. “Where is my husband?”
“Taking the princesses around to introduce them to all the dastardly gentlemen in the room. They are the star attraction this evening, and after I’ve gone to all the trouble to bring in that monstrous tree.”
“I’m so glad they’ve come. Can you imagine how dry and tedious the—” Hollis suddenly lost her train of thought because she happened to catch sight of Mr. Shoreham wandering by. She gasped. “Is that—” She jerked her gaze back to Beck.
He smiled like a cat.
“Did you—Beck, did you invite Shoreham?” she asked in a whispered shout. “That wretched excuse of a man?”
Beck’s smile broadened. “Quite obviously. He’s here, isn’t he?”
“But why?”
“Why not?” Beck asked gaily. “I like the man. He’s an interesting chap.” He leaned down to whisper in Hollis’s ear. “If you plan a party in a man’s house without his consent, you best be prepared for the man to invite a few people of his own choosing.” He patted her cheek. “Enjoy your evening, darling.”
And with that, he wandered off to greet his guests.
“Oh dear, there is Lord Russell,” Eliza muttered, nodding in the direction of the prime minister. “Sebastian doesn’t care for him. He says he won’t stop talking once he starts, and it’s impossible to get a single word in. I’m going to intercept him before he reaches Bas,” Eliza said, and before Hollis could respond, she was hurrying away, expertly dodging those who tried to stop her and speak to her.
And just like that, Hollis found herself standing alone in a crowded room. She found herself standing alone quite a lot these days. She looked around for the other person who stood so often alone, but Mr. Brendan was nowhere to be seen. Surely he was coming. Surely he would have sent word if he’d declined the invitation. Or would he have sent it to Beck, from whom the invitation had been issued? She should have sent Donovan to ask, but Donovan had been gone more than usual.
She rose up on her toes, trying to see over the heads of all the guests, scouring the corners of the room where Mr. Brendan