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There was no one else in their small circle of conversation now that Billie had trotted off with Freddie Coventry, but Arbuthnot clearly wished for circue said, "This and that Family business"

"Isn’t that always the case?" He tilted his head toward George "It’s dae thought of his father "I ae is not yet e s of the drink he was holding, a drink that looked considerably e had been served earlier that evening "But you will be soon enough, and we can’t pick our fa double-speak If so, it was another indication that he was not cut out for a life of s He decided to take Arbuthnot’s words at face value and said, "If we could, I daresay I would have picked my own"

"Well, that’s a lucky ? Successful?"

"I suppose it depends on how oneslightly irritated

George felt no sympathy He was the one who had started this layered conversation He could dae have a little fun with it, too He looked Arbuthnot in the eye and said, "Alas, we co, do we not?"

"You are rather philosophical for a Tuesday"

"Norhts and Thursday afternoons," George snapped

Lord Arbuthnot looked at hi for," George said Good God, the double-speak was giving hio

Arbuthnot’s eyes narrowed "Are you certain?"

"As I can be It’s rather a crush in here"

"That is "

"Indeed"

"Perhaps you should dance with Lady Weatherby," Lord Arbuthnot said softly

George turned sharply "I beg your pardon?"

"Have you been introduced? I assure you she is a woe confirmed He’d known Sally Weatherby back when she was Sally Sandwick, the older sister of one of his friends She hadyears and only recently hadto half Luckily for her, she wore lavender quite well

"Weatherby was a good e said He’d been quite a bit older, and Sally was his second wife

"I worked with hiood man"