The Unlikely Lady (Playful Brides #3)(6)

Lucy pulled up her skirts, and rushed to greet her cousin. “Garrett, I’m so glad you’re here. I worried you wouldn’t get away in time for the house party.”

Garrett greeted Daphne before he replied to his cousin. “I rearranged some things on my schedule.”

“Ah, a wonder. Who knew drinking and gambling were so easily rearranged?” Jane gave him a tight smile. She caught Daphne’s gaze and rolled her eyes. Daphne giggled.

“It’s nice to see you, too, Miss Lowndes,” Garrett replied. “I’ll forgo standing in as your target, as tempting as that offer is. I see you have your ever-present book.”

Jane squinted at the spot on the grass where she’d placed her book. “I’m surprised you recognized it, Upton, you not being a reader.”

Daphne stepped closer to Jane and took the bow from her hands while Jane made her way over and scooped up her book.

“Reading is quite overrated if you ask me, Miss Lowndes. Besides, you do enough reading for both of us,” Upton replied. “What is it you’re reading this time?”

Jane gripped the book. “It’s Montague’s Treatise on the History of Handwriting and Graphology, if you must know.”

“Good God, that sounds every bit as dull as I expected,” Upton shot back.

Hands on her hips, Lucy glanced between the two of them. “You two, don’t start. We’re here for Cass and Julian’s wedding, I’ll have you remember, and we have a sennight to get along and enjoy ourselves before the festivities. Let’s start off on a good foot, shall we?”

Upton turned to Jane. “That is entirely up to Miss Lowndes and whether she chooses to employ her razor-sharp tongue. Seems I’ve already become her target without the benefit of the bow and arrow.” He gave her a long-suffering look. “Shall we, Miss Lowndes?”

Daphne paused in pulling an arrow from the quiver to wait for Jane’s answer.

“Shall we what?” Jane asked.

Upton tilted his head to the side. “Shall we call a truce? For Cassandra’s sake? For the sennight?”

Jane shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve no desire to cause strife during Cass and Julian’s wedding. Though if I were you I’d stay out of my line of fire, Upton. I’m awfully good at shooting.” She turned back to Daphne, a small grin that Upton couldn’t see planted firmly on her lips.

Daphne smothered her smile behind her raised arm.

“That didn’t sound like a yes to me,” Upton replied.

Jane rolled her eyes where only Daphne could see. “That’s because it wasn’t a yes, Upton. Do try to keep up.”

Lucy shook her head. “Ignore her, Garrett.” Then she waved her hands in the air. “Please tell me Aunt Mary will be here.” She turned back to Daphne. “That’s Mr. Upton’s mother. You did know he and I are cousins?”

Daphne nodded.

“Yes, Mother is coming next week for the wedding,” Garrett replied.

Jane was truly glad to hear it. Garrett’s mother was a lovely woman whom Jane had had the pleasure of getting to know last summer when the friends spent time at Garrett’s summer house in Bath. A pity its owner had to be there. Garrett Upton was the unfortunate addendum to Jane’s friendship with Lucy. Jane had never taken to the man. In fact, the two had disliked each other nearly upon sight. They’d met at a performance of Much Ado About Nothing, after which the blowhard had eviscerated the play and the performance whilst Jane had defended it, and so it had been between them ever since. Attending the theater was one of her most treasured pastimes. She refused to allow some overly entertained reprobate to spout off on a subject he knew little about.

If the rumors about him were true, Upton was a rake, a gambler, and a general profligate, and Jane had little use for men who spent their time so frivolously. If those transgressions weren’t enough to condemn him in her eyes, he also seemed to enjoy nothing better than to tease her about her bluestocking tendencies and education, another unforgivable sin. Though Jane had little use for Garrett Upton, Lucy and Cass adored him, and so, suffer his company Jane must.

“Wonderful,” Lucy replied. “It will be so grand to see Aunt Mary.” Lucy tapped a finger to her lips. “I do hope Mother is civil to her. She and Father will be here next week, as well.”

Jane spied Upton out of one corner of her eye. A wide grin spread across his face. Also annoying, because Upton wasn’t entirely … unhandsome, especially when he smiled like that. The man was tall with dark, slightly curly hair, high cheekbones, a perfectly straight nose, and hazel eyes that turned a mossy green when he traded barbs with her.

“Don’t worry,” Upton replied. “Mother can defend herself. I’ve yet to see her in a situation she cannot handle.”

At least the ass had respect for his mother.

Daphne let her first arrow fly. It shot off in a wide arc, landing in the grass nowhere near the target. “Oh, Jane, you must show me how you do it.”

“Happy to,” Jane replied. She set her book back on the grass and strode toward Daphne.

“Allow me.” Upton made it to Daphne’s side before Jane.

Just like Upton, trying to show her up. Jane crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him through the narrow slits her eyes had become.

Upton slid another arrow from the quiver and put his arms around the diminutive Miss Swift. He helped her align the arrow and pull back the bow. “You must keep your eye on the target.”