particular stone, and we three hypocrites avert our eyes, talking of the weather with great interest in loud voices for the gentlemen’s benefit.
‘Mr Congrevance is a very pleasant gentleman,’ Philomena says when it is safe again. ‘He knows a lot about bonnets and Paris fashions.’
‘No, he doesn’t, dear heart,’ says Fanny. ‘He knows a lot about pretty women, which is why he talked to you in the first place.’
‘I was not flirting with him!’ Philomena takes an indignant swig from her bottle and chokes a little. ‘I am a married woman.’
‘You ke lirting,’ Fanny says, patting her hand. ‘It doesn’t matter. You’re allowed to flirt with a gentleman as handsome as Congrevance.’
Congrevance was flirting with her? After kissing me for fifteen minutes – that quarter-hour of vice – the night before? How dare he!
‘He flirted with me too, under the guise of sensible talk about the theatre,’ Fanny adds. ‘And helped me most gallantly with my shawl when it caught on a branch. Don’t you think he’s a dreadful flirt, Caroline?’
‘I—’ And at that moment, the gentleman in question steps from behind the willow and plunges into the water, allowing me to confirm once more the theory of matching large extremities. In addition, his skin has a faint golden hue, his chest sports a delightful dense curl of hair in the centre, and he has long shapely legs and is as lean and muscled all over as a greyhound. ‘Oh!’
‘We may possibly have a shower of rain in the next few days.’ Fanny almost chokes with laughter.
‘Avert your eyes, ladies,’ Linsley calls out with great good cheer. ‘We’re coming back.’
‘Indeed, this good weather cannot hold for much longer.’ Philomena dissolves into giggles. ‘What do you think, Caroline?’
‘Oh. I think – I think there will be big . . . big . . . clouds,’ I gasp, mortified, as I hear some male chuckles.
I may be overcome with hopeless lust, and half foxed on the fortified cider, but there is one thing I have noticed about Congrevance that has me puzzled – on the pale gold of his skin, the sunlight picked up the gleam of thin silver lines across his back. It’s something I should never expect to see on a gentleman, for such scars can only be from a flogging.
I am aware that Congrevance may not be all – or he may be more than – he has allowed. And I wish to find out more.
Mr Nicholas Congrevance
H aving been thoroughly ogled by the three ladies, we gentlemen return to civilised manners and our clothes, although the two little boys are allowed to run around naked, squealing and laughing. I must admit that I am surprised at how well the three women seem to get on together now – part of it must be attributed to the empty bottles, of course – and take the matter up with Linsley as we stroll back towards the house.
He is more discreet than I would have suspected. ‘Well, Fanny will like anyone who is kind to Will, for some look down on him because he’s a bastard. And Philomena is the sweetest woman in the world.’ He’s quite genuine in his expression, even though they have been married some years.
‘But why was Lady Caroline so coldly reced when she arrived?’
‘Some blame her for Elmhurst’s death, and she has a . . . certain reputation. Much of it is vicious gossip, for she has been wrongly accused of everything from murder to adultery—’
‘Murder?’
‘Good God, no. The circumstances of Elmhurst’s death were unfortunate, but Caro held no blame. However, now I think of it, I’m not too sure about the adultery, for she is of the ton , but . . .’ He stops and taps me on the shoulder in a friendly sort of way. ‘Listen, Congrevance. I’m fond of her in a way, although I found her a great deal of trouble during our liaison. I wouldn’t like to see her injured or slandered.’
‘Sir, am I to believe you are warning me to behave in an honourable fashion towards your former mistress?’
‘Precisely,
‘Mr Congrevance is a very pleasant gentleman,’ Philomena says when it is safe again. ‘He knows a lot about bonnets and Paris fashions.’
‘No, he doesn’t, dear heart,’ says Fanny. ‘He knows a lot about pretty women, which is why he talked to you in the first place.’
‘I was not flirting with him!’ Philomena takes an indignant swig from her bottle and chokes a little. ‘I am a married woman.’
‘You ke lirting,’ Fanny says, patting her hand. ‘It doesn’t matter. You’re allowed to flirt with a gentleman as handsome as Congrevance.’
Congrevance was flirting with her? After kissing me for fifteen minutes – that quarter-hour of vice – the night before? How dare he!
‘He flirted with me too, under the guise of sensible talk about the theatre,’ Fanny adds. ‘And helped me most gallantly with my shawl when it caught on a branch. Don’t you think he’s a dreadful flirt, Caroline?’
‘I—’ And at that moment, the gentleman in question steps from behind the willow and plunges into the water, allowing me to confirm once more the theory of matching large extremities. In addition, his skin has a faint golden hue, his chest sports a delightful dense curl of hair in the centre, and he has long shapely legs and is as lean and muscled all over as a greyhound. ‘Oh!’
‘We may possibly have a shower of rain in the next few days.’ Fanny almost chokes with laughter.
‘Avert your eyes, ladies,’ Linsley calls out with great good cheer. ‘We’re coming back.’
‘Indeed, this good weather cannot hold for much longer.’ Philomena dissolves into giggles. ‘What do you think, Caroline?’
‘Oh. I think – I think there will be big . . . big . . . clouds,’ I gasp, mortified, as I hear some male chuckles.
I may be overcome with hopeless lust, and half foxed on the fortified cider, but there is one thing I have noticed about Congrevance that has me puzzled – on the pale gold of his skin, the sunlight picked up the gleam of thin silver lines across his back. It’s something I should never expect to see on a gentleman, for such scars can only be from a flogging.
I am aware that Congrevance may not be all – or he may be more than – he has allowed. And I wish to find out more.
Mr Nicholas Congrevance
H aving been thoroughly ogled by the three ladies, we gentlemen return to civilised manners and our clothes, although the two little boys are allowed to run around naked, squealing and laughing. I must admit that I am surprised at how well the three women seem to get on together now – part of it must be attributed to the empty bottles, of course – and take the matter up with Linsley as we stroll back towards the house.
He is more discreet than I would have suspected. ‘Well, Fanny will like anyone who is kind to Will, for some look down on him because he’s a bastard. And Philomena is the sweetest woman in the world.’ He’s quite genuine in his expression, even though they have been married some years.
‘But why was Lady Caroline so coldly reced when she arrived?’
‘Some blame her for Elmhurst’s death, and she has a . . . certain reputation. Much of it is vicious gossip, for she has been wrongly accused of everything from murder to adultery—’
‘Murder?’
‘Good God, no. The circumstances of Elmhurst’s death were unfortunate, but Caro held no blame. However, now I think of it, I’m not too sure about the adultery, for she is of the ton , but . . .’ He stops and taps me on the shoulder in a friendly sort of way. ‘Listen, Congrevance. I’m fond of her in a way, although I found her a great deal of trouble during our liaison. I wouldn’t like to see her injured or slandered.’
‘Sir, am I to believe you are warning me to behave in an honourable fashion towards your former mistress?’
‘Precisely,
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