welfare. He could spare five minutes now.
Luisa turned to the parlor door as it opened, a tinge of color now in her cheeks, her dark eyes bright as she prepared to do battle with Don Ashton.
Lionel smiled at the two women. “I give you good even, Dona Bernardina, Luisa. All is well, I trust. Have you passed a pleasant day?”
“A day of the utmost tedium,” Luisa declared firmly. “A day just like every other.”
“Oh, now,
querida,
” Bernardina protested. “How can you say such things. Don Ashton doesn't wish to hear such a complaining.”
“But he must hear it,” Luisa insisted. “Don Ashton, when will you take me to court?”
Lionel was somewhat taken aback. Luisa in general preserved the demeanor of a well-schooled Spanish maiden in his company. She had murmured once or twice about going to court but had seemed to accept with docility his explanation that he was too busy to arrange anything. He had had a niggling awareness that she had been promised more out of this journey than to be left isolated, however luxuriously, in a mansion on the river. But he had so much to concern him at present that finding companionship and entertainment for his ward was a very low priority.
In the face of this determined insistence he was at something of a loss. “I have to find a sponsor for you, some lady of the court who will take you under her wing,” he attempted in excuse. “There is so much you do not know about the ways of the English court. You would not wish to make mistakes and look foolish, I am sure.”
Luisa did not reply with the expected agreement. She tilted her chin in challenging fashion, saying, “There are Spanish ladies at the English court. The Duchess of Alva is there now. She would be honored to sponsor me? I am a Mendoza, Don Ashton.”
She was indeed, Lionel thought, half amused, half annoyed by this confrontation. He knew Luisa had a mind of her own, she had refused the marriage arranged for her after all, but he had not expected her to cause him any trouble during this sojourn on English soil. He'd known her since she was a child, but she had always been chaperoned, silent in the company of her elders, decorous and docile.
It seemed he had not
really
known her at all, Lionel reflected, regarding her set face and the haughty angle of her chin.
He caught that tilted chin on his forefinger, and looked down into her upturned face. He offered her a smile that was both rueful and cajoling. “
Hija,
be patient. As soon as I have time away from Philip's concerns I will do something for you. Until then, can you not enjoy the landscape . . . so different from Seville. And the river . . .”
He gestured towards the windows, open to the soft evening air, and the lawn that swept down to the Thames, aware as he did so that such assets were no substitute for the music, dancing, feasting in the company of other young people that Luisa was entitled to enjoy.
Luisa had half expected this and had a second string to her bow. “If I may not go to court, then may I have a boat to go on the river?” she asked. “How can I enjoy the river and the countryside from within the house and garden? If I have a boat for the river and a horse to ride in the parks and forests, then I will be able to enjoy these things.”
“Oh, but Luisa, child, I cannot bear to be on the water, and I cannot ride, you know I cannot,” bewailed Bernardina, who, as duenna, would be obliged to accompany her charge on her expeditions.
“You need not come,” Luisa declared. “I will have a boatman and a groom. And besides,” she added, “you are always saying that I need to be more in the air.”
She fixed her challenging gaze once more upon her guardian. “English ladies do not have duennas, they have boatmen and grooms. I know this for a fact. I would have the same.”
“And just how do you know this?” Lionel inquired, now definitely more amused than annoyed.
“I listen to the servants,” she told him. “I ask them
Luisa turned to the parlor door as it opened, a tinge of color now in her cheeks, her dark eyes bright as she prepared to do battle with Don Ashton.
Lionel smiled at the two women. “I give you good even, Dona Bernardina, Luisa. All is well, I trust. Have you passed a pleasant day?”
“A day of the utmost tedium,” Luisa declared firmly. “A day just like every other.”
“Oh, now,
querida,
” Bernardina protested. “How can you say such things. Don Ashton doesn't wish to hear such a complaining.”
“But he must hear it,” Luisa insisted. “Don Ashton, when will you take me to court?”
Lionel was somewhat taken aback. Luisa in general preserved the demeanor of a well-schooled Spanish maiden in his company. She had murmured once or twice about going to court but had seemed to accept with docility his explanation that he was too busy to arrange anything. He had had a niggling awareness that she had been promised more out of this journey than to be left isolated, however luxuriously, in a mansion on the river. But he had so much to concern him at present that finding companionship and entertainment for his ward was a very low priority.
In the face of this determined insistence he was at something of a loss. “I have to find a sponsor for you, some lady of the court who will take you under her wing,” he attempted in excuse. “There is so much you do not know about the ways of the English court. You would not wish to make mistakes and look foolish, I am sure.”
Luisa did not reply with the expected agreement. She tilted her chin in challenging fashion, saying, “There are Spanish ladies at the English court. The Duchess of Alva is there now. She would be honored to sponsor me? I am a Mendoza, Don Ashton.”
She was indeed, Lionel thought, half amused, half annoyed by this confrontation. He knew Luisa had a mind of her own, she had refused the marriage arranged for her after all, but he had not expected her to cause him any trouble during this sojourn on English soil. He'd known her since she was a child, but she had always been chaperoned, silent in the company of her elders, decorous and docile.
It seemed he had not
really
known her at all, Lionel reflected, regarding her set face and the haughty angle of her chin.
He caught that tilted chin on his forefinger, and looked down into her upturned face. He offered her a smile that was both rueful and cajoling. “
Hija,
be patient. As soon as I have time away from Philip's concerns I will do something for you. Until then, can you not enjoy the landscape . . . so different from Seville. And the river . . .”
He gestured towards the windows, open to the soft evening air, and the lawn that swept down to the Thames, aware as he did so that such assets were no substitute for the music, dancing, feasting in the company of other young people that Luisa was entitled to enjoy.
Luisa had half expected this and had a second string to her bow. “If I may not go to court, then may I have a boat to go on the river?” she asked. “How can I enjoy the river and the countryside from within the house and garden? If I have a boat for the river and a horse to ride in the parks and forests, then I will be able to enjoy these things.”
“Oh, but Luisa, child, I cannot bear to be on the water, and I cannot ride, you know I cannot,” bewailed Bernardina, who, as duenna, would be obliged to accompany her charge on her expeditions.
“You need not come,” Luisa declared. “I will have a boatman and a groom. And besides,” she added, “you are always saying that I need to be more in the air.”
She fixed her challenging gaze once more upon her guardian. “English ladies do not have duennas, they have boatmen and grooms. I know this for a fact. I would have the same.”
“And just how do you know this?” Lionel inquired, now definitely more amused than annoyed.
“I listen to the servants,” she told him. “I ask them
Similar Books
