Miss Armistead Makes Her Choice by Heidi Ashworth Page A

reason to wish any other gentleman in attendance save my betrothed, who will not as of yet have arrived from India.”
    Colin admired Miss Armistead’s address. He admired, also, her appearance but owned that her admonishment stung. “Analisa, as you can see, I have been appropriately upbraided. I daresay I shall regret the question based on your response the last time I posed it, but, pray tell, whom should it please you to invite to balance out the ladies?”
    “I shan’t mock you again on account of Sir Anthony, have no fears on that score,” Analisachirped. “Meanwhile, I do believe it far easier to call to mind the names of those I shan’t wish invited. Let’s see, I suppose we must ask four gentlemen to make the party even. We can’t ask Papa, as Mama will come along and then we shall be right back where we started.”
    “Shall I invite Lord Northrup just to tease you?”
    “Colin, no! If not for my comfort but for Miss Elizabeth’s. You mustn’t forget that now that I made it clear I shan’t have him, he shall be demanding her hand instead. I am persuaded she should find it not in the least pleasant or she would not have fobbed him off on me in the first place, is that not so Miss Armistead?”
    “Indeed, it is so,” she said, laughing, “but, pray, do not exclude him on my account.”
    “I believe Osterley and Plimpton should make excellent conversationalists,” Colin suggested. I plan to insist that the ladies from India share with us the stories of their adventures there, and the two gentlemen named should prove worthy foils in that endeavor.”
    In spite of the darkness, Colin knew Analisa wrinkled her nose in disdain. “Oh, pray, not those two! They battle between them as to who is to be allowed to speak most already as it is. Should you have hopes to allow anyone else the slightest moment to converse, they are quite, quite doomed. No, I believe you should ask Mountbank, Mr. Laraby and Billingham. I shall leave the fourth to you as long as it is not one of those two gossips.”
    Colin silently congratulated himself on his skill in bringing Analisa round to exactly the point he wished her to be. “Thank you, dearest. Now I know precisely whom I shall begin to consider as potential grooms for you.”
    “Oh, Colin, don’t be absurd! You know Mr. Laraby has been betrothed this age and Billingham is poised to offer for that Runyon girl.”
    “You are quite correct, Analisa, however, in spite of my respect for the vows of matrimony, a mere betrothal is no impediment should you desire to have him.”
    The silence that followed his remark was so thick he felt as if he might merely reach out and fillhis hand with it. “I must beg your pardon, Miss Armistead, for such a clumsy remark. In light of my recent broken betrothal, of which I doubt not you have heard tell, and the honor in which you hold your current betrothal, I cannot have failed to offend. Please do me the kindness of viewing it in the light it was offered; as adulation for my sister of whom I think most highly, love more dearly, and for whom I wish the best of all things.”
    “I find I cannot doubt your love for your sister, sir; she is all things admirable as well as amiable.”
    “As are you, my dear Miss Armistead,” Analisa was quick to proffer.
    However grateful Colin felt for Miss Armistead’s words, he could not help but note how they failed to absolve him. “Perhaps it is arrogant to suppose my motives for refusing to honor the promise I had made to Miss Ponsonby should be of the least interest to any of you. However, I find I wish to speak of it, with your permission.”
    “By all means, sir,” Mrs. Armistead cried, “you have my leave to speak.”
    Though he would have preferred to know her daughter’s opinion on the matter, he pressed on. “Thank you. In truth, I should never have cried off on my account alone in spite of my having every reason to do so. If Analisa had been safely married prior to now, I still might