Page 47 of Adeline

Not a thing about her comment struck Jasper as comical.

As they arrived at the gathering of women, he saw that each wore their skirts as Adeline did, and there were quivers filled with arrows leaning against a nearby tree. Two targets were set up at a distance, and from his vantage point, Jasper could see that the women must have been practicing for some time already because the bullseyes and inner rings of each target were shot clean through in several spots.

No footmen or chaperones lingered within sight.

The foursome was all but alone in the park.

Lady Melton sent a smile his way, and Jasper nodded in greeting. Another dark-haired woman kept her stare trained on the ground as she slipped behind Lady Melton. The fourth woman, blond-haired with an upturned nose, inspected him from head to toe and back again. With a sniff, she seemed to accept what she saw.

“Lord Ailesbury,” Adeline said, her tone bouncing with merriment. “Allow me to introduce my dear sister by marriage, Lady Theodora Melton, whom you met yesterday. And the Ladies Georgina and Josephine.” She indicated each woman in turn. “Ladies, please welcome Lord Ailesbury to our morning archery practice.”

“It is lovely to see you again, my lord,” Lady Melton said, inclining her head.

“We have heard much about you,” the blond woman, Lady Georgina, all but purred.

“I certainly hope they were all positive things,” he replied.

The woman who cowered behind Lady Melton squeaked, and her eyes lifted, showing her wide stare.

Jasper cleared his throat, nervous that he’d made an unfavorable first impression. “It is a pleasure to meet you all. Adeline—errr, Miss Adeline—spoke highly of you all during her time at Faversham Abbey.”

At his side, Adeline’s stare dipped to the ground, and her cheeks blossomed with heat.

Had he caused her embarrassment?

“Adeline spoke of your skill with a bow, though, I must confess, hunting is not the same as target practice or competing before large crowds of spectators.” It was Lady Melton who spoke.

“My lady—“

“Please, call me Theo,” she said. “It is preferable among friends.”

With a bit of shock, Jasper realized this doubled his number of friends in London. “Theo, I can assure you, finding myself the center of attention is not so far out of a normal occurrence for me.” It had been the way of things every time he departed the Abbey and journeyed to the plant or into town. London was to be no different. He reached up and adjusted the collar of his jacket where it did an admirable job of hiding his scars. “While I have never plied my talents to target practice, I can assure you my people have never suffered a single day of hunger.”

“Hunting?” Lady Josephine clutched her neck as the color drained from her face. “I could never bring myself to harm a poor, defenseless animal.”

“If it meant you’d never enjoy duck soup or roasted pheasant again, I am certain you’d find a way to do away with your delicate sensibilities,” Lady Georgina retorted with a chuckle.

“Perhaps I will adjust well to eating solely from my family’s gardens.”

“And perhaps you will find you enjoy walking on all fours and nibbling at grass,” Adeline added at his side.

Lady Melton sucked in a breath and glared at Adeline as the young woman, Lady Josie, appeared to shrink into herself as her shoulders caved and she returned her stare to the ground, her hands clutched at her chest.

“My apologies, Josie, I did not mean…”

“There is no need, Adeline,” the woman mumbled. “I know you think I should be more daring; though I am uncertain that trait lies within me.”

“My words were still uncalled for,” Adeline said. “And I apologize.”

Lady Josie’s gaze snapped from the ground to Adeline, narrowing as if securitizing the sincerity behind her apology.

Glancing about, Jasper was confused to see Lady Melton and Lady Georgina doing the same. Certainly, Adeline hadn’t meant to be harsh and unkind to her friend. She’d never appeared such while at the Abbey.

“Ah, well, with the party fast approaching, I believe I was invited to see you all ply your skills at archery,” Jasper said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Adeline turned to him with a thankful smile. “I am much looking forward to your displays of marksmen—er, markswomanship.”

Finally, the peculiar cloud that had settled over them lifted when Lady Melton laughed at his word choice, Lady Georgina following suit as they collected their bows.

“We line up here,” Lady Melton said over her shoulder as Lady Georgina and Josie took their places and set their stances.