An Affair Without End by Candace Camp Page A

join the other two women. “When it’s a matter of guns, I will rely on Camellia, but when it comes to frocks . . .”
    “If you rely on me, you’ll come to ruin,” Camellia finished for Vivian, grinning.
    “Exactly.”
    “Come, let’s go into the drawing room and catch up on everything. I’ll ring Hooper for tea and cakes.” Eve turned toward Stewkesbury, who had picked up the dog in one hand and was idly scratching him behind the ears with the other. “Would you care to join us, Oliver?”
    With a look that bordered comically on horror, the earl refused the invitation and retired to his study with Pirate. The ladies crossed the entryway and went into the drawing room.
    While Eve rang for the butler and ordered tea, the others clustered together on a sofa and nearby chairs. Lily immediately held out her left hand to Vivian, wiggling her fingers to make the diamond ring on her third finger flash in the sun.
    “Ooh, how lovely!” Vivian took Eve’s hand and drew it closer, bending over the ring.
    “Neville gave it to me last month when he came to visit.”
    “Visit!” Cam snorted. “The man has scarce been away from Willowmere!”
    Lily grimaced at her sister. “Just wait until you become engaged. You’ll see how long it seems when he’s away. It’s been a month now since I’ve seen Neville. And don’t tell me he writes me letters. They aren’t the same, and, besides, his hen-scratching is the very devil to read.”
    “I doubt I’ll ever get engaged,” Cam retorted.
    “Of course you will. That’s why we’re here for the Season—or you are, at least.” Lily grinned. “I am here to get married.”
    “When is that happy event?” Vivian asked.
    “The end of June. I told Cousin Oliver I didn’t care about a big wedding; I’d rather have a simple ceremony right now. But he’s most insistent on my waiting. He thinks I’m too young, but I ask you—how can you be too young when you know your own heart?”
    Vivian smiled at the rush of words, spoken with Lily’s usual drama. “How indeed?”
    Lily nodded. “I knew you’d understand.” Then she gave a light shrug. “But it won’t be so bad as long as Neville is here, too, and it will be rather fun to have a grand wedding. Besides, Eve said I must order a proper trousseau, and it will be wonderful to have a lovely wedding gown. And Lady Carr is insistent that she throw a grand ball to announce our engagement. She already has it planned.”
    “I suspect she has had the plans for years,” Eve added with a grin. “I’ve gotten reams of paper from her about the event. I’m sorry, Vivian, but I am afraid Lady Carr is most insistent on having the engagement party soon—before you even have a ball to introduce Lily and Camellia.”
    Vivian shrugged. “I will defer to the groom’s mother. I can hardly deny the poor woman the pleasure. She has been waiting years for Neville to settle down. But it is clear that we must get to the business of buying clothes immediately.”
    “Yes!” Lily cried with delight.
    “I don’t understand why we need more clothes,” Camellia said, holding out her skirt to the sides and looking at it. “We just bought these a few months ago, and we have so many of them.”
    “But they will never do for the Season,” Vivian told her. “Those were fine in the country—and they will do as day dresses here. But you must have many more gowns for all the parties—evening gowns, ball gowns, not to mention more walking dresses and day dresses and spencers and pelisses. Gloves for day and evening wear, fans, handkerchiefs, hats—and I really think a muff would be in order; it’s still cold enough.”
    Camellia stared at Vivian, slack-jawed. “That could take days.”
    “My, yes,” Vivian agreed, and glanced over at Eve. “That’s why we should start tomorrow.”
    Eve nodded. “I was just about to write you a note, Vivian, saying we had arrived and suggesting that very thing. But then you came in with