Seated at the head of the table, Emilia, the Dowager Countess of Duncaster, glanced over the rim of her wine glass and studied each of her guests in turn. She’d been right to gather them all here for the holidays, though doing so had had nothing to do with loneliness, as she’d stated in the invitations she’d sent them. Sipping her claret, she considered the newly formed couples and smiled. Everything was moving along precisely according to plan, though she couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else was aware of the fact.

Amused, she set her glass down and dipped her spoon into the pudding Cook had prepared for desert. She’d always had a fondness for sweets, and her late husband, George, God bless him, had happily indulged her. She swallowed the painful reminder of her loss with a bit of custard, savoring the thick and creamy flavor of vanilla as it swirled around her mouth. Delicious.

“Lady Duncaster. Will you partner with me for a game of whist later?” Lady Oakland asked.

Setting her spoon down, Emilia answered the request with a smile. “Sounds delightful.” She considered those present. “Who are we playing against?”

“Rachel and Belgrave,” came the reply.

“Ho!” Leaning forward, Emilia speared the viscount with her eyes. “She’s a devil with numbers, that one.” She jutted her chin toward Rachel. “It’s a skill that favors her in card play, so I trust you’ll be able to keep up?”

“She and I have every intention of obliterating the two of you.” Belgrave spoke with a kind voice that only accentuated his challenge.

Emilia laughed. “I’m sure you do.” Picking her glass back up, she saluted him with a wink that made him chuckle. Oh yes, he’d do well with Rachel, Emilia decided. No doubt about that.

But there was more to discuss than their entertainment for the evening. “I’ve decided to host a ball this coming Saturday. Invitations will go out tomorrow to all the gentry within a two-hour ride.”

“That’s wonderful news,” Laura said, already smiling with expectation.

“We’ll have to go to town,” Emily told her mother with a pointed look in Rachel’s direction.

Rachel froze. “There’s really no—”

“Of course we shall, dear,” Marie, the Countess of Oakland, replied before her daughter could finish her protest. “We’ll go tomorrow right after breakfast.”

“Don’t you fear the roads will be difficult for people to travel?” Lord Oakland asked Emilia. “Hosting a ball this time of year doesn’t come without risk.”

“Are you worried no one will come?” she asked. Of course, she shared the concern, but if that were indeed to happen, there would still be the eleven of them as initially planned. No harm done.

“Not at all,” Lord Oakland told her. “What I worry about is your having to put up everyone who chooses to attend on account of the fact they might not be able to return home again.”

Very well. She hadn’t considered that. But she did so now, her eyes squinting at the painting that hung on the far wall while she pondered her options. Eventually, she said, “There is room enough for all if that were to happen. And think of the fun we shall have then!”

“I doubt the footmen who will have to chop firewood will agree with you on that point,” Lamont murmured.

“They might grumble a little at first, but I do make sure to pay them well, and I’ll simply have to add a few more pounds, if need be, to sweeten the deal.” Waving her hand, she dismissed all concern while saying jovially, “But why worry about the worst outcome before the need to do so arises? For all we know, we might have cloudless skies that evening.”

Agreeing with her point, her guests finished off their meal and their wine before filing out of the dining room and heading toward the library, where gaming tables had been set up. It had been agreed that the men would enjoy their after-dinner drinks while playing, in order for them to save time. Emilia ensured each received either brandy or port, depending on their preference, and that cheroots and cigars were made readily available as well.

“I’ll have one myself,” she said, when the cheroots were passed around. She’d never taken issue with smoking in public, even though some sticklers did frown upon it. They could all go hang as far as she was concerned – stuck-up mood killers that they were.

“Shall I deal?” Belgrave asked.

“Go ahead,” Marie told him. She’d always been a gentle lady with the sort of innate elegance many women would give a fortune to acquire. Emilia liked her a great deal although their personalities were vastly different and their ages at least two decades apart. And as far as her children were concerned…Well, Emilia had always thought of herself as their great-aunt, and with no children of her own to care for, she’d enjoyed watching them grow.

“You ought to try the sherry, Rachel,” she said as she gathered her cards up into her hand and proceeded to put them in order.

“Thank you, but I think I’d prefer a tea.”

Emilia chuckled. “Of course you would.” Emilia waited for Belgrave to play before adding her king of spades to the mix. Rachel took the trick with the ace. “I do believe I’m going to challenge your inner scientist, Rachel.” Emilia waved for a footman to approach the table. “Lady Rachel would like tea, please.” The footman disappeared, and the next card was put into play.

“What do you mean about challenging me?” Rachel asked.

“Simply that I would like you to sample my entire collection of liquor while you are still here. As an experiment.”

Belgrave raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Marie did not follow suit. “Are you trying to get my daughter foxed?” She pinned Emilia with her dazzling green eyes while responding to a three of hearts with a nine.

“Of course not.” Pressing her lips together, Emilia allowed a few more cards to be played before saying, “I only want her to have a bit of fun, that is all.”

“And you believe imbibing will be the answer?” Belgrave asked. “You assume Lady Rachel shares your opinion on what it means to enjoy life – that she feels unfulfilled in some way.” He played the next card, the three of clubs. “But she is not you, my lady. She is her own person, and from where I’m sitting, that is a rather wonderful thing.”

It took some effort for Emilia not to beam in response to Belgrave’s declaration. “What a marvelous observation,” she managed to say with a bland expression.

“He meant no offense,” Rachel hastily added, this time leaping to his defense.

It was getting increasingly difficult for Emilia not to smile. Instead, she focused her attention on the last remaining cards in her hand and quietly muttered, “I think you’re mistaken, my dear, but since I’ve always admired a man with a backbone, I can hardly say I mind. Belgrave was right to put me in my place.”

“My lady,” Belgrave began.

She shot him a chastising look. “Don’t you dare ruin it with an apology.”

He sat back in his seat.

Marie chuckled. “It looks as though you still have it in you, Emilia.”

“What is that?”

“The ability to make a man squirm.”

“Nonsense.” Emilia played her last card, claiming the final trick. “Belgrave isn’t squirming. He’s counting his victory. Isn’t that right, my lord?”

Dipping his head, he allowed a broad smile. “To win against the formidable Lady Duncaster is indeed an accomplishment to be savored.”

She couldn’t help but laugh in response. Neither could Rachel or Marie. The tea arrived, and they played a few more hands before Emilia felt she was ready to retire for the evening. “I hope you’ll forgive me, but age demands I get some rest.”

“I’ll escort you up,” Marie said, excusing herself to the rest of the room. “Will you be up soon, Phillip?” she asked her husband, who was still in the middle of a game with Lamont, Emily, and Laura. Montsmouth, who’d pulled up a chair, was looking over Emily’s shoulder and offering occasional suggestions. Fiona and Chadwick, on the other hand, were nowhere in sight. They must have quit the room while she’d been distracted by the game.

“What do you think?” Marie asked as soon as the two of them were alone in the hallway.

Linking her arm with her friend’s, Emilia gave her honest opinion. “I believe there’s a good chance of success – more so than I would initially have imagined.”

“I had my greatest doubts about Emily and Montsmouth. It still astounds me how right you were on that score.”

“Let us hope so, Marie. Still, I would caution you not to get too excited. Nothing has been settled yet and…” She blew out her breath. “What on earth was your husband thinking when he chastised Chadwick?”

“You heard that, did you?”

“Considering the length of my ears, it was difficult for me not to since I was sitting the closest.”

They reached the end of the hallway and started in the direction of the grand staircase. “I think he was hoping to make Chadwick aware of his feelings, though I fear he might have managed to scare him off instead.”

“Frankly, I’m a bit disappointed in him and Fiona. Of all the matches we’re hoping to make, I was certain the two of them would be the first.” If only they’d be more aware of the other’s regard.

“They have to risk their friendship, Emilia. That’s no small thing.”

“Yes. I am aware.” She glanced at her friend. “It makes me want to interfere – shake some sense into them.”

“I know,” Marie said, “but when we decided on this course, we agreed all we would do was bring them together and give them the necessary opportunity for their affections to flourish. It has to come naturally or not at all.”

Emilia knew she was right. Any further manipulation on their part would be a mistake. “At least they’re looking for the treasure again. It’s good for them to have something to work on together, but with only one week left, I worry it won’t be enough.”

“There’s still the ball. I must say, that was a smart move on your part – an excuse for them to dance together and for him to see her at her best.”

Emilia nodded. “That was my intention, although I have to admit, the ball is mostly for Rachel’s benefit.” They reached the stairs and started their ascent at a moderate pace. “She needs a reason to dress up, not for Belgrave’s sake alone, but for hers as well. I want her to feel the thrill of being admired.”

“She certainly deserves to be.” Marie shook her head. “I cannot believe I was so unaware of her scientific accomplishments.”

“And Belgrave appreciates her worth. You can see it in his eyes whenever he looks at her, so I doubt it will be long now before he makes his intentions known to her.”

“Perhaps at the ball?”

“That is what I am hoping for.” They arrived at the top of the landing and began making their way down the hallway. “What about Montsmouth and Emily?”

Marie smiled. “He spoke to Philip earlier this evening. As did Lamont.”

“Indeed?” This was excellent news. “So two of the gentlemen have made their intentions known. I trust they were given permission to court Emily and Laura?”

“Of course.” Marie paused before saying, “As you know, we were a bit hesitant about Montsmouth. He’s always seemed a bit odd to us, but Emily says she has her heart set on him. To be honest, we couldn’t be happier for her or for Laura.”

They reached Marie’s bedchamber and stopped in front of the door. “If all goes according to plan,” Emilia said, “you’ll have all of your seven children settled in the space of a year. That’s quite an achievement, my dear. Some might say sensational.”

Marie smiled. “All I want is for them to be happy.”

They said good night and parted ways, with Emilia continuing toward her own apartment at the far end of the wing. She’d found love a lifetime ago, and she had cherished every moment of it for as long as it had lasted. Now, she would take pleasure in ensuring others were able to enjoy what she’d once had – to feel the excitement born from a lover’s kiss and the hope that bloomed with the knowledge of shared desires.