Lady Grandville looked subtly beautiful in a gown of shimmering olive satin, which contrasted richly with her butter-and-cream hair and picked up flecks of moss green and sunlight gold in her eyes. The gown had a square neckline that sat well on her gently rounded shoulders and fitted her handsome figure surely. She seemed like such a warm, good-hearted woman, and Anna really wanted to believe that she was different now from the person Lord Grandville had described. They took their seats at the long, richly appointed table, the viscount indicating that Anna should sit next to him while Lizzie sat across from him and Lady Grandville across from Anna, as far away from himself as he could arrange, she guessed. Servants entered to begin serving dinner and filled their wineglasses. Anna noticed Lizzie taking several large swigs of wine with the air of someone consuming medicine. Next to Anna, Lord Grandville’s arm rested on the table in its green superfine sleeve, and she felt a strong urge to touch it, as if they might be of comfort to each other in their trials.
