for the disappearance of the paper?
What did she know of him, other than he had at first appeared to be a disagreeable kind of man? Yet he was a friend of Papa's, which must mean he was trustworthy, and as she saw more of him she had grown to dislike him less. In fact, at their recent encounters, she had found him to be perfectly amiable.
She said, in answer to Papa's question, "I rode a little way with Mr. Vere in the park this afternoon."
His eyebrows went up. "Mr. Vere, riding in the park? I would not have had thought he had time for such idle pursuits during the day."
"He holds a position in some government department, does he not? I did not think that such duties were onerous."
"He is a key official, a man with a great deal of responsibility, and these days most people who work for the Department that he does find they do not have enough hours in the day to attend to their duties."
"He only spent a little time with me, and then–"
Should she tell Papa what she had seen? It could be important.
"He only rode with me for a little while, and then he went and spoke to a man by a tree. An ordinary looking sort of man, not dressed like a gentleman. They must have had an appointment of some kind, for Mr. Vere gave him a paper and then rode directly away. I expect he was returning to his office after taking exercise, a man cannot be expected to sit all day at a desk."
Papa frowned. "You're sure he gave the man something?" And then, as though recollecting himself, he said, "Do not be telling this story to people. Mr. Vere is obliged by the nature of his duties to have sometimes to meet people in unusual situations."
After dinner, Anna and Mama were going on to a rout. Papa was going to his club, but he escorted them to Aubrey Square before going on to St James's.
Anna had no expectation of any pleasure; she went from duty and a sense of pride. People were not going to whisper that she was moping; that, lovelorn, she was going to fall into a decline like Amelia Norton.
As luck would have it, the first man she saw as she entered the crowded room was Mr. Standish, dancing attendance on Lady Flavia. Although, as if her eyes had indeed been opened, it did not seem to Anna that Lady Flavia was really responding to Mr. Standish's attentions. She winced at the gallantry and a flirtatiousness in his air, but she would not have said that Lady Flavia was showing any signs of an interest in Mr. Standish as a beau, as a potential suitor.
He finished talking to Lady Flavia, who turned away and went to speak to the Princess Lieven, who had drawn her usual court around her. Where was Mr. Standish going? He had a hurried air, there was a kind of excitement about him that aroused her curiosity. He had made his way round the edge of the room and was now sliding out of a door at the rear of the room. Watching his progress and exit, she hadn't noticed Lady Flavia coming across the room towards her.
Lady Flavia said with a polite but genuine smile, "You were enquiring the other day about Miss Harriet Fenton. As I said, I had no real recollection of her, but I mentioned her name to my father, saying that she was with Mrs.. Carteret, with whom he is acquainted, and he told me that Mrs. Carteret has decided to stay in Paris , despite the advice of our embassy for English people to leave the country. And so it is most likely that Miss Fenton remains there with her. Mrs. Carteret sent her manservant home, but my father made enquiries and told me this evening that no papers were issued for anyone else in her household. Mrs. Carteret has friends in France , he understands, and he does not think she will come to any harm or suffer anything worse than perhaps some embarrassment should hostilities resume."
Anna was surprised and grateful; so Lady Flavia was not as cold and off-putting as she seemed. Lady Flavia smiled, remarked how hot it was and didn't she find it a sad crush, then moved away.
This was good news, even if limited, and while
What did she know of him, other than he had at first appeared to be a disagreeable kind of man? Yet he was a friend of Papa's, which must mean he was trustworthy, and as she saw more of him she had grown to dislike him less. In fact, at their recent encounters, she had found him to be perfectly amiable.
She said, in answer to Papa's question, "I rode a little way with Mr. Vere in the park this afternoon."
His eyebrows went up. "Mr. Vere, riding in the park? I would not have had thought he had time for such idle pursuits during the day."
"He holds a position in some government department, does he not? I did not think that such duties were onerous."
"He is a key official, a man with a great deal of responsibility, and these days most people who work for the Department that he does find they do not have enough hours in the day to attend to their duties."
"He only spent a little time with me, and then–"
Should she tell Papa what she had seen? It could be important.
"He only rode with me for a little while, and then he went and spoke to a man by a tree. An ordinary looking sort of man, not dressed like a gentleman. They must have had an appointment of some kind, for Mr. Vere gave him a paper and then rode directly away. I expect he was returning to his office after taking exercise, a man cannot be expected to sit all day at a desk."
Papa frowned. "You're sure he gave the man something?" And then, as though recollecting himself, he said, "Do not be telling this story to people. Mr. Vere is obliged by the nature of his duties to have sometimes to meet people in unusual situations."
After dinner, Anna and Mama were going on to a rout. Papa was going to his club, but he escorted them to Aubrey Square before going on to St James's.
Anna had no expectation of any pleasure; she went from duty and a sense of pride. People were not going to whisper that she was moping; that, lovelorn, she was going to fall into a decline like Amelia Norton.
As luck would have it, the first man she saw as she entered the crowded room was Mr. Standish, dancing attendance on Lady Flavia. Although, as if her eyes had indeed been opened, it did not seem to Anna that Lady Flavia was really responding to Mr. Standish's attentions. She winced at the gallantry and a flirtatiousness in his air, but she would not have said that Lady Flavia was showing any signs of an interest in Mr. Standish as a beau, as a potential suitor.
He finished talking to Lady Flavia, who turned away and went to speak to the Princess Lieven, who had drawn her usual court around her. Where was Mr. Standish going? He had a hurried air, there was a kind of excitement about him that aroused her curiosity. He had made his way round the edge of the room and was now sliding out of a door at the rear of the room. Watching his progress and exit, she hadn't noticed Lady Flavia coming across the room towards her.
Lady Flavia said with a polite but genuine smile, "You were enquiring the other day about Miss Harriet Fenton. As I said, I had no real recollection of her, but I mentioned her name to my father, saying that she was with Mrs.. Carteret, with whom he is acquainted, and he told me that Mrs. Carteret has decided to stay in Paris , despite the advice of our embassy for English people to leave the country. And so it is most likely that Miss Fenton remains there with her. Mrs. Carteret sent her manservant home, but my father made enquiries and told me this evening that no papers were issued for anyone else in her household. Mrs. Carteret has friends in France , he understands, and he does not think she will come to any harm or suffer anything worse than perhaps some embarrassment should hostilities resume."
Anna was surprised and grateful; so Lady Flavia was not as cold and off-putting as she seemed. Lady Flavia smiled, remarked how hot it was and didn't she find it a sad crush, then moved away.
This was good news, even if limited, and while
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