her younger
sister, I suppose that will make us brothers-in-law in addition to
being cousins.”
“ Nothing is definite
yet.”
“ But aren’t you taking her
sister for a horseback ride at Hyde Park?”
“ Yes.”
“ Well, that’s a start! And
fortunately for you, I’ll be able to keep Lady Richfield company
while you entertain her sister.”
Perry stopped and turned to him. “I
invited Nate and Claire to come along so Lady Richfield had someone
to talk to.”
“ As it turns out, they won’t
be able to make it.”
“ That’s strange. I don’t
recall being notified of this, and considering we haven’t even had
breakfast, it’s too soon for you to receive any such
news.”
“ Yes, well, I had the
pleasure of talking to Claire at the ball, and she doesn’t like
horses. The whole thing upset her terribly, so I offered to take
her place.”
With a sigh, he shrugged. “All
right.”
“ All right?” Christopher
asked, not believing his guardian was so quick to accept
it.
“ It’s obvious to me you have
every intention of spending the day with Lady Richfield and will
probably do whatever it takes to make it happen. I could spend the
next three days fighting it or just accept it now and enjoy some
peace and quiet.”
“ Three days? That’s when
this outing will occur?” Perry nodded, and his grin grew wider.
“Splendid!” In three short days, he’d get to be with Lady
Richfield. He couldn’t wait!
“ Now, let’s enjoy some
breakfast.”
Chapter Seven
Three days later, Agatha’s hold on her
horse’s reins tightened when she realized Lord Clement brought
Mister Robinson with him. The two were still a ways off but even
so, she could feel the weight of Mister Robinson’s stare on her.
Was there nothing he wouldn’t do to be with her?
She glanced at Sophie who was fidgeting
in her saddle. “I know it’s been years since you’ve been on a
horse, but please act like it wasn’t that long ago. Lord Clement
loves horse riding. This will give you something in
common.”
Sophie grimaced. “I don’t enjoy riding
them as much as I used to. Walking is more convenient.”
“ Once you’re married, you
can make up excuses on why you’re unable to ride, but for now, you
have to grin and bear it.”
She settled into the saddle but sighed.
“I don’t want to marry him.”
“ Why not?”
“ I love to dance and he
can’t dance. Shouldn’t it be important that he shares some of my
interests?”
Agatha began to laugh but stopped when
she realized the gentlemen were almost in hearing distance. “No one
cares what the lady thinks, Sophie. It’s a gentleman’s world and
the sooner you come to grips with that, the better off you’ll
be.”
“ Lord Thomas liked to dance.
He danced very well, too.”
“ Lord Thomas lacks
intelligence. In addition to riding elephants and camels, he walks
on burning coal and puts fire in his mouth.” She shivered as she
recalled his ‘adventures’. “You’d be much better off with a
gentleman who doesn’t take undue risks.”
The gentlemen arrived and she turned
her gaze to Lord Clement. “We’re glad you could make it, my
lord.”
“ As we are that you two
ladies have made it, though I could have provided horses for you,”
Lord Clement replied. “I hope you didn’t go through too much
trouble.”
“ Of course not,” she assured
him with a smile. “I already had these two. There was no need to
let mine linger about in their stalls all day.”
“ Well, they’re fine
steeds.”
“ Thank you.”
“ I hope you don’t mind that
I brought my cousin and ward, Mister Robinson, with me. Lord and
Lady Roderick were unable to come.”
Agatha glanced from Mister Robinson to
Lord Clement. So there were related. Who was to know this little
inconvenience would pop up? But it explained why Mister Robinson
was able to work his way into today’s outing. Her smile strained,
she said, “It’s certainly a small world.”
“
sister, I suppose that will make us brothers-in-law in addition to
being cousins.”
“ Nothing is definite
yet.”
“ But aren’t you taking her
sister for a horseback ride at Hyde Park?”
“ Yes.”
“ Well, that’s a start! And
fortunately for you, I’ll be able to keep Lady Richfield company
while you entertain her sister.”
Perry stopped and turned to him. “I
invited Nate and Claire to come along so Lady Richfield had someone
to talk to.”
“ As it turns out, they won’t
be able to make it.”
“ That’s strange. I don’t
recall being notified of this, and considering we haven’t even had
breakfast, it’s too soon for you to receive any such
news.”
“ Yes, well, I had the
pleasure of talking to Claire at the ball, and she doesn’t like
horses. The whole thing upset her terribly, so I offered to take
her place.”
With a sigh, he shrugged. “All
right.”
“ All right?” Christopher
asked, not believing his guardian was so quick to accept
it.
“ It’s obvious to me you have
every intention of spending the day with Lady Richfield and will
probably do whatever it takes to make it happen. I could spend the
next three days fighting it or just accept it now and enjoy some
peace and quiet.”
“ Three days? That’s when
this outing will occur?” Perry nodded, and his grin grew wider.
“Splendid!” In three short days, he’d get to be with Lady
Richfield. He couldn’t wait!
“ Now, let’s enjoy some
breakfast.”
Chapter Seven
Three days later, Agatha’s hold on her
horse’s reins tightened when she realized Lord Clement brought
Mister Robinson with him. The two were still a ways off but even
so, she could feel the weight of Mister Robinson’s stare on her.
Was there nothing he wouldn’t do to be with her?
She glanced at Sophie who was fidgeting
in her saddle. “I know it’s been years since you’ve been on a
horse, but please act like it wasn’t that long ago. Lord Clement
loves horse riding. This will give you something in
common.”
Sophie grimaced. “I don’t enjoy riding
them as much as I used to. Walking is more convenient.”
“ Once you’re married, you
can make up excuses on why you’re unable to ride, but for now, you
have to grin and bear it.”
She settled into the saddle but sighed.
“I don’t want to marry him.”
“ Why not?”
“ I love to dance and he
can’t dance. Shouldn’t it be important that he shares some of my
interests?”
Agatha began to laugh but stopped when
she realized the gentlemen were almost in hearing distance. “No one
cares what the lady thinks, Sophie. It’s a gentleman’s world and
the sooner you come to grips with that, the better off you’ll
be.”
“ Lord Thomas liked to dance.
He danced very well, too.”
“ Lord Thomas lacks
intelligence. In addition to riding elephants and camels, he walks
on burning coal and puts fire in his mouth.” She shivered as she
recalled his ‘adventures’. “You’d be much better off with a
gentleman who doesn’t take undue risks.”
The gentlemen arrived and she turned
her gaze to Lord Clement. “We’re glad you could make it, my
lord.”
“ As we are that you two
ladies have made it, though I could have provided horses for you,”
Lord Clement replied. “I hope you didn’t go through too much
trouble.”
“ Of course not,” she assured
him with a smile. “I already had these two. There was no need to
let mine linger about in their stalls all day.”
“ Well, they’re fine
steeds.”
“ Thank you.”
“ I hope you don’t mind that
I brought my cousin and ward, Mister Robinson, with me. Lord and
Lady Roderick were unable to come.”
Agatha glanced from Mister Robinson to
Lord Clement. So there were related. Who was to know this little
inconvenience would pop up? But it explained why Mister Robinson
was able to work his way into today’s outing. Her smile strained,
she said, “It’s certainly a small world.”
“