Page 144 of A Foolish Flirtation

Atherton shuddered dramatically. “I was assured that the purchasing of a silver tankard for the christening covered the full extent of my duty.”

“Well, you were misinformed,” Emmie told him roundly. “If there is any danger of young Teddy persecuting maidens in the future, then we shall need all the help we can get keeping him in line.”

“You think I would be helpful in reining in his excesses?” Atherton asked with a lift of his eyebrows.

“Certainly, I do. I have already heard several times a firsthand account of the lesson you taught him not to be careless with his personal possessions.”

Atherton looked confused for a moment, then he groaned. “Not that wretched dip pen!” he exclaimed.

“The mother-of-pearl one he took to school.”

He shook his head. “He will never forgive me for that.”

“I am sure he would,” she said kindly, “if you were to replace it, say on his next birthday.”

Atherton spread his hands wide. “Alas, I am not even sure when that is!”

“Do you know,” Emmie said thoughtfully, “that is the first thing I have heard that makes me disapprove of you in the role of godfather.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “Oh, very well,” he said, sounding goaded. “I will find it out and henceforth celebrate the date with all attendant pomp.”

“Now that is a good deal more like it.”

He gave her a considering look. “I begin to see you are a woman to be reckoned with, Lady Faris.”

She smiled at him, reclaiming his arm. “I do my poor best.”

Jeremy appeared at this juncture, warmly welcomed his friend, and then bore off Emmie into the empty hallway which was now mercifully free of Good Works members. “You can hear the music from here,” he pointed out. “Let’s lurk about here for a while out of everyone’s earshot.”

“This is not very host-like of you,” she said with a smile as he took her into his arms and they started to waltz.

“It’s your fault, you put me quite out of patience with hosting after kissing me in that exciting fashion earlier.”

“I know,” she laughed, her eyes returning to the repaired fan which dangled from her wrist. A sudden frown marred her countenance.

“What is it?” he asked quickly.

“I hope Lord Atherton does not try to seduce poor Caroline Halperston.”

“I thought you said she needed some excitement in her life?”

“Well, yes, but not that kind of excitement!”

“Never mind about them. I fear Gervaise is a lost cause. Let us concentrate our efforts instead on raising Teddy as a responsible young man with proper feelings. A real Fernando.”

“Alas,” Emmie mocked, “Teddy is already a lost cause, for he is quite the biggest rogue in Penarth.” They glanced over to the drawing room, through which door they could plainly see Teddy coaxing Pinky into dancing with him in the center of the room.

He laughed. “Very well, then, imagine a daughter.”

“Whose daughter?”

“Ours.”

“You want a daughter?”

“I find I do, very much in fact.”

Emmie considered this. “I hope she would inherit your looks.”