years. Since school. The coves there saddled him with it because—"
"It hardly matters," the earl interrupted. "As you see, Miss Langley, my cousin has arrived. Your housekeeper was kind enough to lay out a n early luncheon for him since he didn't bother to eat along the way."
"It was too nice a day to waste time in a dreary inn somewhere eating bad food. Besides, I couldn't wait to meet... that is, to see my dear old cousin again. He's been so busy working over his ledgers and rolling up his sleeves at that pile of stone there in Surrey that I haven't seen him gallivanting around Town in ages."
"Dovington Downs has needed my attentions far more than London has," the earl said. "But it is good to see you again, Ned. I'm sure Miss Langley and her family will make your visit here quite comfortable."
"Indeed, I hope you feel very welcome here," sh e said and sincerely meant it even though he did call her home by the wrong name.
"I do, thank you," he replied. "Dovey was just offering to take me about for a look at the lands around here. He says the views are quite good. Why, even just now I was admiring out the window and remarking how very romantic it all is. You have a hermit's hut on the grounds, don't you, Miss Langley?"
She followed his gaze out the window and realized Mr. Chadburne had fixed on the old groundskeeper 's hut down past the formal gardens and built into a hillside. Indeed, she hardly paid mind to it herself, but she supposed to a newcomer it must appear somewhat romantic, framed by the green of the hill and two vining roses that were just now going to bud. The most distinctive feature, however, was the red door. It was faded now after years of weathering, but against the backdrop of nature it really was eye-catching.
"We had an old groundskeeper who lived there, but my step-father built new accommodations for that when I was still just a child."
"I'm sure I see smoke from the pipe, though. Surely someone lives there," Mr. Chadburne insisted.
"Yes, it is still a snug little house. We have a lodger there right now, someone new to our area who is having a house in the village readied for himself," she explained and hoped the earl wouldn't immediately rush out and raise the poor man's rent fees.
"I see," Mr. Chadburne said with a nod. "It is all even better than expected. I cannot wait to get out and see what other wonders we can find around here."
"We do have many lovely places," Mariah assured him. "The River Itchen flows nearby and you will find ridges and outcrops to provide exceedingly nice vistas."
"Exactly what I need after being pent up in Town for so long. But surely you will join us, Miss Langley?"
"What? Oh, no, I couldn't—"
"Of course you could. Dovey hasn't been here in ages. You must accompany us on our outing so you can point out all the best places to go."
"I'm sure his lordship can find his way without me just fine."
"And what of this Miss Vandinghorfer?" the younger man asked.
"Vandenhoff," the earl corrected. "You must mean Miss Vandenhoff."
"The very one. Didn't you say she is a guest here as well? We'll bring her along, and anyone else Miss Langley thinks we ought to have. We'll make a picnic of it!"
"A picnic? Oh, I don't know that we should —"
"It's an excellent day and what could be more perfect than a picnic out in the verdant embrace of nature? Come, Miss Langley, say you will let us. Everyone longs for the romance of a pleasant day in the countryside?"
Er, no, everyone did not long for that. Romance indeed! She would much prefer never subjecting herself to any situation that could possibly include both Lord Dovington and romance.
Then again, the day was every bit as lovely as Mr. Chadburne said, and Mariah was looking for opportunities to put his lordship together in amiable company with Miss Vandenhoff... yes, perhaps this picnic was what they all needed, after all. She would just take care to ignore any of the inherent romance.
"Very well," she consented.
"It hardly matters," the earl interrupted. "As you see, Miss Langley, my cousin has arrived. Your housekeeper was kind enough to lay out a n early luncheon for him since he didn't bother to eat along the way."
"It was too nice a day to waste time in a dreary inn somewhere eating bad food. Besides, I couldn't wait to meet... that is, to see my dear old cousin again. He's been so busy working over his ledgers and rolling up his sleeves at that pile of stone there in Surrey that I haven't seen him gallivanting around Town in ages."
"Dovington Downs has needed my attentions far more than London has," the earl said. "But it is good to see you again, Ned. I'm sure Miss Langley and her family will make your visit here quite comfortable."
"Indeed, I hope you feel very welcome here," sh e said and sincerely meant it even though he did call her home by the wrong name.
"I do, thank you," he replied. "Dovey was just offering to take me about for a look at the lands around here. He says the views are quite good. Why, even just now I was admiring out the window and remarking how very romantic it all is. You have a hermit's hut on the grounds, don't you, Miss Langley?"
She followed his gaze out the window and realized Mr. Chadburne had fixed on the old groundskeeper 's hut down past the formal gardens and built into a hillside. Indeed, she hardly paid mind to it herself, but she supposed to a newcomer it must appear somewhat romantic, framed by the green of the hill and two vining roses that were just now going to bud. The most distinctive feature, however, was the red door. It was faded now after years of weathering, but against the backdrop of nature it really was eye-catching.
"We had an old groundskeeper who lived there, but my step-father built new accommodations for that when I was still just a child."
"I'm sure I see smoke from the pipe, though. Surely someone lives there," Mr. Chadburne insisted.
"Yes, it is still a snug little house. We have a lodger there right now, someone new to our area who is having a house in the village readied for himself," she explained and hoped the earl wouldn't immediately rush out and raise the poor man's rent fees.
"I see," Mr. Chadburne said with a nod. "It is all even better than expected. I cannot wait to get out and see what other wonders we can find around here."
"We do have many lovely places," Mariah assured him. "The River Itchen flows nearby and you will find ridges and outcrops to provide exceedingly nice vistas."
"Exactly what I need after being pent up in Town for so long. But surely you will join us, Miss Langley?"
"What? Oh, no, I couldn't—"
"Of course you could. Dovey hasn't been here in ages. You must accompany us on our outing so you can point out all the best places to go."
"I'm sure his lordship can find his way without me just fine."
"And what of this Miss Vandinghorfer?" the younger man asked.
"Vandenhoff," the earl corrected. "You must mean Miss Vandenhoff."
"The very one. Didn't you say she is a guest here as well? We'll bring her along, and anyone else Miss Langley thinks we ought to have. We'll make a picnic of it!"
"A picnic? Oh, I don't know that we should —"
"It's an excellent day and what could be more perfect than a picnic out in the verdant embrace of nature? Come, Miss Langley, say you will let us. Everyone longs for the romance of a pleasant day in the countryside?"
Er, no, everyone did not long for that. Romance indeed! She would much prefer never subjecting herself to any situation that could possibly include both Lord Dovington and romance.
Then again, the day was every bit as lovely as Mr. Chadburne said, and Mariah was looking for opportunities to put his lordship together in amiable company with Miss Vandenhoff... yes, perhaps this picnic was what they all needed, after all. She would just take care to ignore any of the inherent romance.
"Very well," she consented.
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