10

Miles Endicott, having no knowledge of this latest development, was determined to make good his promise to drop Lord Lovebourne—lock, stock, and barrel—at Elinor’s feet. To that end, he appeared at the Selby house on Christmas Day at midmorning. He had no plan, other than to point out to Julian—with what he hoped would be a sufficient degree of subtlety to seem not to be doing so—the obvious superiority of Elinor Selby’s character and person over those of that silly chit, Felicia Fordyce.

He’d made up his mind to accomplish his objective before they all sat down to Christmas dinner. Thus he wasted no time in bibble-babble with his hostess or the other guests but set about at once to find his quarry. He searched the breakfast room, the front and rear sitting rooms, and the drawing room before coming upon Lord Lovebourne in the deserted library. His lordship, dressed in riding clothes, was standing before the fireplace, his elbow resting on the mantel and his head lowered. He was staring down at the flames and absentmindedly hitting at the fender with his riding crop. From the condition of his mud-spattered breeches and boots, it was clear that he had just returned from a bruising ride. “Good morning, Lovebourne,” Miles said from the doorway.

Julian glanced over his shoulder at him. “Oh, it’s you, Endicott,” he said sourly. “You’re not looking for me, are you?”

“I was, but you don’t seem in the mood for company,” Miles answered, deciding the time was not propitious. “I’ll see you later, after you’ve imbibed more of the Christmas spirit.”

“You may as well come in now,” his lordship muttered. “I’ve no indication that the Christmas spirit will visit me at all this year.” He turned and beckoned Miles to a chair. “I’m not as fortunate as you, you know.”

Miles stepped over the threshold. “Fortunate as I?” he asked curiously. “In what way?”

“In your marital prospects, of course. You are a lucky dog, Endicott. Your Elinor is a pearl beyond price.”

Miles kept a puzzled eye on Julian as he sank down on a chair. “Yes, she is. But I was given to understand that you had your eye on another pearl.”

“More fool, I,” Julian muttered, turning back to stare at the fire. “I was blinded by the glow of youth.”

“Were you, indeed?” Miles, unable quite to believe that his task had, by some miraculous chance, already been accomplished, leaned forward in his chair and peered at Lovebourne intently. “But Felicia does have a glow,” he pointed out cautiously. “It hasn’t worn off overnight, has it?”

“Miss Felicia Fordyce’s glow has worn off for me. I was forced to spend two hours in her sole company last night, and it took no more than the first fifteen minutes to discover that the chit is a complete bore.”

“You don’t say.”

“Talking about nothing but gowns and dancing shoes and the trouble her hairdresser has taken with her coiffure. Then she went on and on about her success at her come-out ball. A bit too taken with herself, Miss Fordyce is.”

“Is she, indeed?” Miles murmured, thinking that the same criticism could be made of Lovebourne as well.

“I tell you the chit’s a glib-tongued pittle-pattle!” Julian declared firmly, turning from the fire to face his listener. “Finally, in desperation, I directed the conversation to myself. I must have been as great a bore as she, going on as I did about my courtship with Elinor. I tell you, Endicott, it was an unbearable two hours. I’ve been asking myself ever since how I could have been so besotted as to believe I preferred her company to Elinor’s. Why, comparing Elinor to Felicia is like … like …”

“Like comparing a Mozart concerto to a dance tune?” Miles offered.

“Yes!” Julian nodded in heartfelt agreement. “Exactly so!” He crossed the room and sank into a chair. “What a muddle I’ve made of my life, Endicott,” he groaned, dropping his head in his hands. “What a deuced muddle!”

“Not necessarily,” Miles suggested carefully. “All may not be lost.”

Julian’s head came up abruptly. “What do you mean? Aren’t you and Elinor—?”

“We are not. Perhaps the time has come for complete honesty, old fellow. But first, there is something I must know. If your feeling for Elinor true and sincere, or are you the sort to lose your heart to every pretty female who comes into your line of vision?”

Julian, his brows knit, stared at Miles intently. “I’ve loved Elinor for more than five years, without once being tempted to infidelity. Except for this one stupid mistake.” He rose slowly from his chair. “What is it you’re trying to tell me, Endicott?”

“Elinor lied to you. It’s you she loves, not I.”

Julian stood for a moment transfixed. “She doesn’t love you?” he asked suspiciously. “Is that really true?”

“I promised you complete frankness, didn’t I?”

Julian blinked down at him, afraid to believe what he’d heard. “But … I don’t understand. Elinor is not the sort to tell falsehoods. Why did she lie to me?”

“To free you,” Miles responded. “To free you to court Felicia without guilt.” He rose and strode to the door. “That’s the sort of selfless generosity she is capable of.”

Julian ran after him. It took three quick strides to catch Miles and grasp his arm. Julian’s eyes glowed with hope. “Do you mean Elinor would really consider renewing our betrothal? That she would forgive me?”

“Just ask her.” Miles shook off Julian’s hold and went quickly to the door. But at the threshold, he paused, turned, and glowered at the other man. “But I warn you, Lovebourne, that if at any time in the future you play her false, you’ll have to answer to me.”

Julian took no notice of Miles’s sudden glower. He was too elated to pay mind to anything but the delightful news he’d just been brought. His prospects were suddenly bright, and so was his mood. The Christmas spirit had overtaken him at last.

The fact that the Christmas spirit had completely disappeared from Miles’s heart troubled his lordship not at all.