“Where’s Lucy?” Jane asked as she turned to hear a ruckus behind her. Lucy brought up the rear, her handsome duke of a husband accompanying her.

“What took you so long, Lucy?” Cass asked.

Lucy shrugged. “I was just … planning a few things.”

Jane glimpsed Daphne Swift and Owen Monroe coming out of the house. They all followed Cass and Julian down the path.

Jane didn’t have time to wonder what her friends had been up to. She was far too preoccupied as she kept her eyes trained ahead for any sign of Upton. If the man doubled back, she might be forced to jump into the hedgerow and explain herself later. Thankfully, Upton remained far ahead during the entire stroll to the meadow.

Once they entered the field, Jane realized the picnic would not be quite as rustic as she’d envisioned. A team of servants bustled about half a dozen large tables with benches lining each one. White awnings were spread across their tops and each table had wide white linen cloths spread with decanters of wine and baskets holding loaves of bread, cheeses, grapes, strawberries, and an assortment of meat slices. “Thank goodness,” Jane breathed. “I’d thought I’d have to slap ants from my stockings.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Cass replied. “Who wants to sit in the grass?”

“Not I.” Jane stalled, wandering around in a useless little circle staring at the cloudless sky and trying to whistle, hoping Upton and Mrs. Langford would sit first and then she could choose a seat far away from them. She was thwarted when Lucy and Cass beckoned her to their table. “Come sit, Jane,” Lucy called.

Jane wrinkled her nose. Upton stood only a few paces away engaged in conversation with Mrs. Langford and another guest. It was too soon to tell where he would sit. All Jane could do was hope it was not at the same table.

“Garrett, we’ve saved you a seat,” Lucy called, waving to her cousin.

Blast. Jane cursed under her breath.

“What was that?” Cass asked, her forehead wrinkling into a frown.

“Nothing.” Jane shook her napkin into her lap with much more precision than she had heretofore ever given the task.

“Is there a seat for Mrs. Langford as well?” Garrett called back.

Jane lowered her eyes and kept her gaze trained on her napkin. Please don’t let there be a seat for Mrs. Langford. Please. She prayed to a God she wasn’t certain she believed in.

“Yes, of course. We’ll make room,” came Lucy’s cheerful reply.