Sussex Summer by Lucy Muir Page A

making a slightly late entrance.
    The new Lord Staplefield was much younger than Jane had expected he would be, appearing to be only a little older than she, perhaps about four-and-twenty. The new earl was clearly fulfilling the terms of his great-uncle's will, for he was undoubtedly clad in the fashion of the year 1773. His semiformal suit of corded red silk had the deep velvet cuffs of that year, and he wore a powdered wig tied in the back with a black silk ribbon, striped silk stockings, and high-heeled shoes with elaborate silver buckles.
    Jane wondered a moment why Lord Staplefield looked so odd in his old-style clothes. It was not at all unusual to see older men who preferred the styles of their youth. That was it, she realised, it was his youth. One never saw a young man in the older styles, except at court, and then only in the very formal full evening dress.
    When it came turn for Jane and Fanny to be introduced, Jane thought she saw a spark of mischief in the earl's black eyes as he bowed over her hand and kissed it. She sensed he fully enjoyed his new role as the local eccentric and was playing it to the hilt. But as he turned to Fanny, and Jane saw the mischief in the earl’s eyes turn to admiration.
    Instead of kissing the back of Fanny's hand, Lord Staplefield gracefully raised her fingers to his lips and then extended his other arm down in an arc toward Fanny in an inexpressibly beautiful gesture. Fanny blushed and lowered her eyes, and Jane caught Jamie watching, clearly looking at Fanny with new respect and no little jealousy.
    Dinner was announced soon afterwards the guest of honour’s arrival, and the guests went through the double doors into the handsome dining room that adjoined the drawing room. The last rays of the late summer sun, softened by transparent ivory draperies, shone through the tall windows and warmed the pale blue room. The chairs surrounding the warmly glowing mahogany table were of a shield design, carved with the stylised feathers that symbolised of the Prince of Wales's Crest. A matching sideboard stood against the wall.
    Jane was pleased to be escorted in by Captain Tremaine, and she was seated between him and young Christopher Archer. Fanny sat across from Jane, between Lord Staplefield and Jamie. When they were all seated, the vicar was asked to say grace, and Jane began enjoying a delicious Madeira-flavoured mushroom soup.
    Conversation became general and, as sometimes happened at informal country parties, was not confined to the persons on either side of the diners, but went across and around the table. Perhaps because of the number of gentlemen present, the conversation began to centre on the conflict on the Continent, although ordinarily such subjects were left for after dinner when the gentlemen remained behind to enjoy their port and cigars. Baron Archer, a heavyset man of Lord Tremaine's age, began praising Wellesley, the young lieutenant-general who was beginning to make a name for himself on the Continent. Suddenly he addressed Edward.
    "Too bad you didn't have the opportunity to serve under Wellesley instead of Moore. Why, the reports coming back on Moore are quite shocking. It appears he wouldn't even let his troops stand and fight, but forced them to flee the French in disgrace." He shook his grey head in amazement and disgust.
    Jane saw Captain Tremaine stiffen beside her. After he had told her of his experiences on the Peninsula, she realised how much the baron's comment must have upset Edward, but he was bound by good manners not to disagree too strenuously with a guest in his father's house.
    "Read just the other day that he made a shambles of the whole campaign by not being able to control his troops," Squire Shirley chimed in. "Would have defeated Bonaparte already if it hadn't been for his bungling."
    Jane saw Edward's hand clench tightly on his knife as he cut the slice of mutton on his plate, but fortunately he was saved the necessity of an immediate reply by