Johanna Lindsay - The Heir

It was Ophelia's impatience that did finally give Sabrina an opportunity to at least warn her aunts, when the coach arrived at Summers Glade and the London girl was the first to jump out. Sabrina caught Hilary's arm and whispered quickly, "We shouldn't be here. Duncan didn't invite her."

Hilary merely patted her arm without the least little concern and replied, "He must have changed his mind then, because the driver informed us that he was to escort us all, including any guests we might have."

That, of course, left Sabrina sitting in the coach with her mouth hanging open, so she was the last to enter the house. She didn't know what to think at that point. She would like to think that Duncan had compromised again, as he'd done yesterday, just so she would come to the party. But she had to be realistic. She didn't know what had happened at that meeting at the inn yesterday. Duncan could be wanting Ophelia back now, but didn't want Ophelia to know it yet. In that case, Sabrina had given him a perfect excuse to at least get the London girl near to hand again.

It certainly didn't take long for Ophelia to desert them. She had already disappeared when Sabrina came inside, gone off to find her London friends to let them know she was back in circulation. She was accustomed to being the center of attention, no matter where she was. And the very fact that she was here, at her ex-fiancé’s party, would totally reverse the gossip about her.

She had gotten just what she wanted. And she was back in her element, among the London ton. It was no wonder she was shining with an exquisite beauty today that put Sabrina, even in her best lilac morning dress, to shame.

Well, there was nothing for it but to accept it and get on with enjoying herself as best she could. Not that she would now. Today was not going to be like last night, with Duncan in constant attendance on her. It

couldn't be, not with Ophelia there.

They had arrived in time for breakfast. Hilary and Alice had already eaten, but Sabrina hadn't, and so she meandered into the breakfast room where food was being served, if not eaten. A few other guests had apparently arisen late too, or were just late eaters. Raphael Locke and his sister Amanda were among those few at the buffet tables getting their plates filled before going off in search of a chair somewhere.

"Alone at last," he said to Sabrina when he noticed her and moved to her side. "At last?"

"Well, I was trying to figure out all last evening how I was going to get you out of the barbarian's clutches, and here you are without him in tow."

She blushed, but not on her own account. "I wish you wouldn't call him that. He's not, you know." Raphael chuckled. "Course I know, but I have to have something to ride him about, don't I?" "Why?" she asked baldly.

"Well, one, because he's so amusing when he gets annoyed with me. And two, because I like him. And three, because someone has to teach him how to roll with the punches, as it were, and I've elected myself to educate him on the intricacies of English humor."

"Goodness, and here I thought you were just being facetious," she replied, tongue in cheek.

He burst out laughing, which drew every eye in the room to them and brought his sister over as well. "And what, pray tell, can you possibly find amusing this early in the morning?" Amanda asked, smothering a yawn as she did.

"That you were apparently so tired when you dressed this morning that you forgot to have your maid button up those last few—"

The poor girl shrieked and looked mortified and immediately gave him her back with the order, "Don't just stand there, fix it!"

Raphael was silently laughing and appeared to have the intention of letting his sister stand there forever waiting to be buttoned up. Sabrina took pity on the girl and leaned forward to whisper to her, "He was joking. You are fully dressed and look lovely."

Mandy turned back around to glare at her brother and give him a heartfelt, "You wretch," before flouncing away.

Sabrina shook her head at the man. He was very handsome—both the Locke siblings were exceptional in that regard—but he was obviously an incorrigible tease as well. Not that that was a bad thing. She did her fair share of teasing too, though with a major difference. Her teasing was done to amuse people, not to irritate them.

"What?" he complained with a smile when he saw her shaking her head at him.

"That was too bad of you," she replied.

"Perhaps," he agreed. "But it woke her up, didn't it? Can't have the girl looking like a slugabed when she's supposed to be catching a husband. Sooner she does so, the sooner I can retire from this chaperoning business."

"Ah, so it was to her benefit to get her riled?" Sabrina said.

"Course it was," he replied. "Gads, don't tell me you were thinking I'm mean-spirited. It would break my heart, it surely would."

Sabrina took a bite of her sausage wrapped in a biscuit before she pointed the remainder of it at a nearby table. "Heart and kidney is being served over there, I believe, if you're in need of replacements."

"Ouch," he said, but he was grinning at her. "Lucky for you, m'dear, I'm not so easily discouraged. So it might take me a few extra days to convince you to marry me." He shrugged nonchalantly. "When you realize how ideally suited we are, you'll give in."

She chuckled over his new line of teasing. "We aren't the least bit suited, and well you know it."

"Course we are," he insisted. "We both come from a line of dukes."

"Ah, but my line has scandal attached to it," she reminded him.

"Ah, but my line eats scandal for breakfast," he countered cheerily.

"And which table are they serving that at this morning?" she asked him.

He laughed, loud enough to again draw eyes their way. Sabrina was starting to enjoy herself, but she was also starting to wonder why he was paying her such attention. It was going to cause gossip, she was sure, if he didn't move along soon. He was too well known for it not to.

But in the end she decided he was just bored and passing the time. And anyone who would actually try to link her name with his would have to be an utter idiot, so she wasn't going to worry about it.

"I heard it from his own sister," Edith Ward said. "He likes to champion the underdog. Who better would fit that description than Sabrina?"

"I wouldn't mind being an underdog, if it would get his attention," Jane remarked.

"You can't just be an underdog because you want to, dear," Edith told her. "You're too pretty."

Jane blushed, but was obviously disappointed, though at any other time she would have been thrilled by the compliment. But keeping in mind their purpose, she added, "Not that it will matter, once he notices Ophelia."

Both girls had been trying to soothe Ophelia's jealous nature, which they knew had been pricked when they had all spotted Sabrina leaving the breakfast room with the very handsome Raphael Locke by her side. The mere look of incredulity that appeared on Ophelia's face was enough to predict what would occur.

Mavis, on the other hand, was delighted by this turn of events. Actually, she had felt her world was finally righting itself when Ophelia's scheme to get rid of her fiancé had turned on her and the gossip had turned against her. She had never before witnessed such just deserts as that. So she had been utterly disappointed to see Ophelia show up at Summers Glade this morning, apparently invited, which she knew, just as the others did, would put Ophelia right back into the position of reigning queen of the Season.

The only good thing about her appearance, as far as Mavis was concerned, was that she would now be around to witness Sabrina's success, and that her campaign to ruin Sabrina's debut hadn't worked completely, at least not where MacTavish and Locke were concerned, apparently.