The Virtuous Ward - By Karla Darcy Page 0,13
read, her conversation showing she was a gently reared young lady. He noted she entered the discussions with perhaps a dash too much enthusiasm but for the most part, Max was well pleased with the girl's manners and ease of speech.
Throughout the meal Max's eyes were drawn to the shining face of his ward. He was surprised at his own feeling of well being since he had originally resented the appearance of the girl in his bachelor life. There was something appealing about the girl as he watched her fiery curls nod at a question from Lady Grassmere. He had been worried about sponsoring the girl but considered now that it might not be such a regrettable experience. After her initial painful curtsy, he recalled as he rubbed his chin, she had at least not knocked anything over. If she could remain seated through her come out, he might fire her off with little damage to vases, porcelain figurines and other assorted bric-a-brac.
The dinner was a novelty to Amity, used to the plain, nourishing fare that had been served up at Beech House. At each remove she questioned the footman about each dish, tasting a little of everything until she thought she might burst. She answered Max's questions and entered into the conversation on books and history. It was at the end of the meal that the subject turned to a discussion between Lady Grassmere and her guardian over the latest opera fare. Amity was pleased to be excluded since it gave her the opportunity to study Lord Max.
She was pleased that her memory of him as a young man had not been faulty. He had been handsome then with his fine features and wavy brown hair, but now his face had more character, a pride in himself that had been absent in his youth. He was tall and lean without appearing effete. He wore the black satin jacket and pantaloons with an air of elegance that owed nothing to his tailor. His waistcoat and linen were blinding white. All his raiment was simple and without doubt expensive.
His eyes don't match, Amity thought to herself. Everything about him was extremely proper, almost arrogant. His words were sarcastic and at times carried a cutting sneer. It was only in his green eyes that Amity found a wariness, a hesitancy that surprised her. Although earlier she suspected that he might have found her amusing there had also been puzzlement. It was almost as if he were unused to laughter.
After dinner Lady Grassmere sank into a chair beside the fireplace and took out her needlework. While she stitched, Max explained some of the plans that he had developed to launch her in society. She would remain at Edgeworth for several weeks while Lady Grassmere smoothed out some of her deficiencies in the art of social graces. Then they would remove to Max's townhouse in London for the season. Amity listened with curiosity, interjecting an occasional excited question. She was pleased when he mentioned that his particular friend Honoria would stand as her friend.
"I will try very hard not to give her a disgust of me, milord" Amity said, her blue eyes serious for once.
"Just act natural, Endurance, and I am sure in a few days you will be bosom bows," Max answered. "Have you any questions?"
"At the moment, your lordship, my head is whirling with excitement," Amity admitted. "Although there is something that I would like to ask. Would you find it pushing of me if I changed my name?" At the surprised look on her guardian's face, she hurried into speech. "My second name is Amity and I much prefer it. Would it be quite honest if I used that name, your lordship?"
"Lord love you, child," Max said, chuckling at the request. "It shows you have much sense. Endurance, indeed. I will take great pleasure in erasing the name from my memory. And in turn you shall call me Max. Every time you say your lordship I feel weighted down by another twenty years."
Amity smiled at her guardian, liking him very much better than she had expected. A snore from the direction of the fireplace alerted her to the fact that her chaperone had nodded off over her stitchery. Her eyes twinkled up at Max and he responded in kind.
"Perhaps you would care to walk in the long gallery?" Max asked, extending his hand. "I find myself restless after dinner and have a need to stretch my legs."
She accepted his invitation and