they might set out for the park. When the Gilmont carriage drew up at Russell Square, Lorelei could not help but be impressed. It was a new and well-made vehicle of lacquered cherry wood, with the Gilmont crest emblazoned proudly on the doors. The two ladies seated within were prettily dressed and Lady Gilmont waved to her with her usual vigour.
“ Good morning, Lady Gilmont, Julia,” greeted Lorelei as a footman handed her into the carriage. She was careful not to rumple her skirts as she sat. “Thank you for inviting me to join you – it was most kind.”
Eloise was touched by the girl’s friendly earnestness and bestowed a warm smile upon her. “Nonsense! It is nothing out of the common way to invite a friend to take a turn about the park, and I feel that we have certainly become good friends, don’t you? I do believe that you had better call me Eloise, my dear.”
Lorelei returned the smile. “Then I beg that you call me Lorelei.”
“Will you be attending the bal masque , Lorelei?” Julia asked.
“Yes, certainly. Will you?”
“ Oh yes.” Julia did not seem very pleased on that head.
Lady Gilmont laughed. “And now that we have resolved the grave matter of Almack’s, perhaps you will tell us more about yourself, Lorelei? If you can bear to forgive such a direct enquiry, of course.”
Lorelei blushed. “There really isn’t at all much to tell. I have a father , a younger sister named Constance, and a lot of cousins lately in Ireland. I read far too many books of adventure for the liking of my former governess and I deplore country life.”
Eloise laughed. “Do you, inde ed? Well, if that isn’t just what Winbourne was saying of himself the last time I tried to cajole him to go down and see Honoria in the country.”
Lorelei felt her shoulders stiffen sligh tly and forced herself to relax as she asked in a carefully unruffled voice. “Lord Winbourne doesn’t enjoy the country? I was under the impression that he was a keen sportsman.”
“ Carts and horses, you mean? Yes, I suppose that he is. He has an excellent seat on a horse and he is a very skilled hunter. He enjoys parties when they are to be held in the country. It is when the hunt is over and one is left to one’s self that he claims the dreary quiet becomes too much to tolerate.”
Lorelei smiled despite herself. “Yes, I find that also. My sister enjoys her stay wherever she may be. She is never without some entertainment. She is clever at the pianoforte and the pencil and paints. I, however, cannot be happy in the country for many days together. One misses the liveliness of London, especially in the winter, when one is often obliged to withdraw.”
Eloise was watching Lorelei with an expression she found very hard to read, and for some reason this made her slightly uneasy.
“Do you ride at all, Lorelei?” asked Julia in her quiet, reserved voice.
“Why, yes, as often as I can. Papa was very determined that we learn to sit a horse. I’ve even brought my horse, Tulip, out of the country. I did not wish to burden Lady Hurst but she would not hear of my leaving her. My sister, however, is a deplorably cautious rider, and will not go above a canter if she can possibly help it.”
“Then you will think very poorly of my riding!” Julia said, “I am rather frightened of horses and mother’s riding tutors could never convince me tha t I wouldn’t topple right off if I should ever risk a faster pace.”
Eloise straightened a sleeve. “As I recall, it was always tears with you, my dear. Whenever your mama instructed you to dress for another lesson.”
“You are a very fine rider, and cannot understand,” Julia defended almost spiritedly, drawn out of herself by the easy conversation.
Lorelei was very sorry that Julia shou ld feel that way about horses. She wondered if it would be proper to speak up, not wishing to accidentally offend her new friends. But it had never been in her nature to be meek and so she gave Julia
“ Good morning, Lady Gilmont, Julia,” greeted Lorelei as a footman handed her into the carriage. She was careful not to rumple her skirts as she sat. “Thank you for inviting me to join you – it was most kind.”
Eloise was touched by the girl’s friendly earnestness and bestowed a warm smile upon her. “Nonsense! It is nothing out of the common way to invite a friend to take a turn about the park, and I feel that we have certainly become good friends, don’t you? I do believe that you had better call me Eloise, my dear.”
Lorelei returned the smile. “Then I beg that you call me Lorelei.”
“Will you be attending the bal masque , Lorelei?” Julia asked.
“Yes, certainly. Will you?”
“ Oh yes.” Julia did not seem very pleased on that head.
Lady Gilmont laughed. “And now that we have resolved the grave matter of Almack’s, perhaps you will tell us more about yourself, Lorelei? If you can bear to forgive such a direct enquiry, of course.”
Lorelei blushed. “There really isn’t at all much to tell. I have a father , a younger sister named Constance, and a lot of cousins lately in Ireland. I read far too many books of adventure for the liking of my former governess and I deplore country life.”
Eloise laughed. “Do you, inde ed? Well, if that isn’t just what Winbourne was saying of himself the last time I tried to cajole him to go down and see Honoria in the country.”
Lorelei felt her shoulders stiffen sligh tly and forced herself to relax as she asked in a carefully unruffled voice. “Lord Winbourne doesn’t enjoy the country? I was under the impression that he was a keen sportsman.”
“ Carts and horses, you mean? Yes, I suppose that he is. He has an excellent seat on a horse and he is a very skilled hunter. He enjoys parties when they are to be held in the country. It is when the hunt is over and one is left to one’s self that he claims the dreary quiet becomes too much to tolerate.”
Lorelei smiled despite herself. “Yes, I find that also. My sister enjoys her stay wherever she may be. She is never without some entertainment. She is clever at the pianoforte and the pencil and paints. I, however, cannot be happy in the country for many days together. One misses the liveliness of London, especially in the winter, when one is often obliged to withdraw.”
Eloise was watching Lorelei with an expression she found very hard to read, and for some reason this made her slightly uneasy.
“Do you ride at all, Lorelei?” asked Julia in her quiet, reserved voice.
“Why, yes, as often as I can. Papa was very determined that we learn to sit a horse. I’ve even brought my horse, Tulip, out of the country. I did not wish to burden Lady Hurst but she would not hear of my leaving her. My sister, however, is a deplorably cautious rider, and will not go above a canter if she can possibly help it.”
“Then you will think very poorly of my riding!” Julia said, “I am rather frightened of horses and mother’s riding tutors could never convince me tha t I wouldn’t topple right off if I should ever risk a faster pace.”
Eloise straightened a sleeve. “As I recall, it was always tears with you, my dear. Whenever your mama instructed you to dress for another lesson.”
“You are a very fine rider, and cannot understand,” Julia defended almost spiritedly, drawn out of herself by the easy conversation.
Lorelei was very sorry that Julia shou ld feel that way about horses. She wondered if it would be proper to speak up, not wishing to accidentally offend her new friends. But it had never been in her nature to be meek and so she gave Julia
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