Free Winterset by Candace Camp Page A

formality here,” Kyria assured her, ignoring her own elegant black off-the-shoulder gown and the glitter of a diamond necklace and earrings. “Our family is shockingly careless about such things, as anyone will be happy to tell you.”
    “You might as well give in, Miss Holcomb,” Rafe McIntyre told her, coming up beside them. His eyes rested lovingly on his wife’s face. “I can assure you that for every objection you bring up, Kyria will have a dozen reasons to override them. Once she sets her mind to something, I’ve learned, you might as well give in.”
    Kyria favored her husband with a dazzling smile, then turned it back to Anna. “There, you see? It’s all settled. Do come in and meet our houseguest, Miss Farrington.”
    She led Anna down the hall into the drawing room, managing at the same time to signal to one of the footmen to inform the kitchen that they were ready and also to send another one for paper for Anna to write a note to her brother, as well as pay attention to her younger brothers, who had launched into an account of their afternoon.
    A dainty blond woman was sitting in the drawing room, and she rose at their entrance, smiling.
    “Rosemary!” Kyria said, pulling Anna forward. “I want you to meet our neighbor, Miss Anna Holcomb. Her brother is that handsome young man who called on us, Sir Christopher.”
    Introductions were quickly made, and before she knew it, Anna found herself ensconced in a chair, pen and paper in hand, jotting a note to her brother, while Con and Alex described to their sister the torn and mangled dog they had discovered. Kyria responded with appropriate horror, though she did notice that her guest, Miss Farrington, was turning a pale shade of green, and she suggested that the boys not inform them of the wounds in quite such detail.
    Before supper was served, Kyria whisked Anna upstairs, where she could clean up a little, and even insisted on lending her one of her own dresses, which, while too long for Anna, was such an improvement over Anna’s own bedraggled frock that she was quite grateful to wear it.
    At the meal, Anna found herself seated at Reed’s left hand, with Lady Kyria across the table from her and Rafe on her other side. It was fortunate, she thought, that Kyria and her husband seemed well able to carry the conversation by themselves, as neither Anna nor Reed contributed much. The boys, after their afternoon’s adventure, had been shuttled off to their rooms for baths and a quick meal before going to bed, and Miss Farrington was apparently a rather quiet woman.
    Anna knew that she should contribute more to the conversation, and she was normally able to make polite chitchat, but she found Reed’s presence beside her too unnerving for her to think of much to say. She wished that she had more poise. She wished that she did not want to know so badly what Reed thought of her in this much-more-attractive blue dress, with her hair brushed and pinned into subjugation.
    She realized suddenly that everyone was looking at her expectantly and that she had let her mind wander, losing the thread of the conversation. “What? I am sorry. I’m afraid I was woolgathering,” she said, coloring in embarrassment.
    Kyria smiled. “I was just saying that I am planning to have a small gathering Friday evening—nothing grand, just a small party to thank everyone for welcoming us so graciously to Lower Fenley. I am hoping that you and your brother will be able to attend.”
    “This Friday?” Anna cast about frantically for some excuse not to attend, but none came to her. It would be absurd to say that they had other plans, for if Lady Kyria was throwing a party, it was certain that everyone around here would be attending it. And, besides, she was certain that Kit would like to go, and she could scarcely refuse her brother the chance to attend. “Yes, of course. That sounds lovely. We would very much like to come.”
    She would simply have to come down with a headache or