Where Dreams Begin(30)

“You're very diplomatic,” Elizabeth said with a grin. “But I know very well that I have all the feminine grace of a soldier under the command of his drill sergeant. It will be a miracle if you can help me.”

They began the walk back to the mansion, and Holly hurried to keep up with Elizabeth's ground-covering strides. “For one thing,” she said breathlessly, “you might try slowing a bit.”

“Sorry.” Instantly Elizabeth checked her free pace. “I always seem to be in a hurry, even when there's nowhere for me to go.”

“My governess always taught me that gentlemen and ladies should never walk fast—it's a mark of vulgarity.”

“Why?”

“I don't know why.” Holly laughed ruefully. “In fact, I don't know the reasons for many of the things I plan to teach you…it's just the way things are done.”

They chatted amiably as they returned to the house, and Holly reflected that she hadn't expected to like Zachary Bronson's sister so much. Elizabeth was entirely worthy of being helped, and so deserving of love. But she needed a very particular sort of man to marry, one who was neither too weak nor too controlling. A strong man who would appreciate Elizabeth's lively spirit and not try to crush it. The girl's natural ebullience was part of what made her so attractive.

There ought to be someone, Holly mused, sorting through a list of her acquaintances. She would write a few letters this evening, to friends she hadn't communicated with in far too long. It was time to step back into the flow of society and renew old friendships, and become au courant with all the news and gossip. How strange, that after the past years of solitude, she was suddenly eager to rejoin the circles she had once belonged to. A sense of buoyant lightness filled her, and she was hopeful, excited, as she had not been since…

Since George had died. Suddenly uneasiness seeped through her, dispelling the warm anticipation. She felt guilty for enjoying herself. As if she had no right to happiness now that George was no longer with her. For the duration of her mourning, he had been in the forefront of her thoughts every minute of the day…until now. Now her mind was being filled with new thoughts and ambitions, and she was mingling with people he had never known.

I won't ever let go of you, dearest darling, she thought fiercely. I will never forget one moment of what we had. I just need a change of scene, that's all. But I'll spend the rest of my life waiting to be with you again—

“Lady Holland, are you all right?” Elizabeth had stopped near the entrance of the mansion, her glowing brown eyes filled with concern. “You've become so quiet, and you're flushed—oh, I was walking too fast again, wasn't I?” She hung her dark head contritely. “Forgive me. I'm going to hobble myself, see if I don't.”

“No, no…” Holly laughed self-consciously. “It's not you at all. It's difficult to explain. My life has moved at a very slow pace for the past three years. A very slow pace. Now everything seems to be changing very quickly, and it's a bit of a struggle for me to adjust.”

“Oh.” Elizabeth looked relieved. “Well, that's what my brother does to people. He meddles and fiddles with their lives, and turns everything upside down.”

“In this case, I'm glad he did. I'm happy to be here, and to be of use to someone other than my daughter.”

“No happier than we are, my lady. Praise heaven that someone will try to make this family a bit more presentable. The only thing I regret is that I won't be able to watch you teach Zach about etiquette. To my mind, that would be jolly good entertainment.”

“I wouldn't mind if you wished to join our lessons,” Holly said, taking to the idea instantly. She wasn't looking forward to being alone with Zachary Bronson, and having his sister accompany them might dispel the tension that seemed to shred the air whenever he was near.

“Zach would mind,” Elizabeth said dryly. “He made it clear that his sessions with you were to remain strictly private. He has a lot of pride, you know. He never allows his weaknesses to be exposed, and he doesn't want anyone, even me, to discover how little he knows about being a gentleman.”

“Being a gentleman is quite a bit more than a few lessons on manners,” Holly replied. “It is a condition of character…it means being noble, kind, modest, courageous, self-sacrificing and honest. Every minute of the day. Whether one is in the company of others or completely alone.”

There was a brief silence, and then Holly was surprised to hear Elizabeth snicker. “Well,” the girl said, “just do your best with him.”

The lessons with Elizabeth went very well, as Holly instructed her in the art of sitting in a chair or rising gracefully. The trick was to keep the body from inclining too far forward during either process, and managing one's skirts with one hand without exposing a provocative glimpse of ankle. Elizabeth's mother Paula came to watch the proceedings, sitting quietly in the corner of a plush settee. “Come practice with us, Mama,” Elizabeth urged, but the shy older woman declined with a smile.

There were several moments of hilarity, as Elizabeth resorted to antics that Holly suspected were designed to amuse her mother…walking and sitting with exaggerated stiffness, then swooping about theatrically, until all three of them were laughing. Toward the end of the morning, however, Elizabeth mastered every nuance of posture and movement, until Holly was more than satisfied.