The Yuletide Countess: Harriet's Traditional Regency Romance by Alicia Quigley Page A

How
ever did you get Isobel to agree to assist Lord Francis in designing a folly
for you? I cannot imagine how she could have been convinced.”
     “I made the merest mention of my late wife’s desire to build a
folly by the lake, and Lord Francis took the bit in his teeth and ran with it,”
said the earl. “A clever lad he is, and needed no prompting from me. We carried
the day through sheer obstinacy; poor Miss Paley was not permitted to say us nay.”
     “How very strategic of you. I am sure that
a classical folly will be a great amusement for Isobel, despite her protests.
And it will require that they spend a great deal of time together.”
     “It will indeed,” said Lord Glencairn. “I will make sure of that,
and you must make sure that Lord Francis stays often for tea at Dargenwater
Cottage. In the meantime, would you care to join this dance with me?”
     “Oh! I rarely dance,” said Harriet, a bit faintly. “But, in light
of our success this evening, perhaps I should treat myself.”
     “An excellent idea,” said the earl. “And afterwards, if you wish, I
will escort you to see the gardens and the proposed site of the folly.”
     “That sounds lovely,” said Harriet. She took his lordship’s
proffered arm, and they joined the dance. Harriet found the energetic
reel so invigorating that she danced several more dances with the gentlemen
present, and noticed that everyone present seemed to be doing the same. She even
saw Catherine Dalburn joining a country dance with the curate from a
neighboring estate. Late in the evening she found herself once again Lord
Glencairn's partner when the final set was formed. It was a more sedate country
dance, and some conversation was possible.
    “I have not
been able to escort you to the site of the proposed folly Miss Walcott,” the
earl said.
    “Indeed not,
and I was truly looking forward to seeing it,” Harriet replied.
    “Perhaps I
could take you there another time,” he suggested. “Would the day after next do,
Miss Walcott? At 3:00 shall we say?”
    ”That would be most welcome.” Harriet responded with a
glowing smile. The movements of the dance separated them once again, but as the
music ended, Lord Glencairn took her hand in his and smiled.
    “I eagerly
await your visit two days hence, Miss Walcott,” he said. “As well as visiting
the site of the folly, I will be pleased if you will allow me to show you the
castle’s gardens.”
    “I am very
much looking forward to it,” said Harriet.
    Harriet and Isobel
joined the little crowd of ladies and gentlemen waiting at the door for their
carriages, each with much to consider. Isobel's feelings were mixed, as she
could not deny the pleasure she found in Lord Francis's company, but there was
no doubt that the construction of what she already thought of as the wretched
folly would take a great deal of time away from her excavation. Harriet on the
other hand, felt unalloyed pleasure in making the acquaintance of Lord
Glencairn and finding him charming, along with opportunity to conspire with him
to throw Isobel and Francis together.    

Chapter 9
     
    Two days later Harriet and Isobel sat at breakfast in Dargenwater
Cottage’s dining room. Isobel, distracted by thoughts of the folly, and annoyed
with herself for allowing it to lure her away from her excavations, buttered a
piece of toast absently and gazed out the window at the sunshine that flooded
the yard. It would be a perfect day to plan the site of the folly, but if it
then rained tomorrow, it might be impossible for some days to unearth the newly
discovered wall at her dig.
    “Isobel, dear,” ventured Harriet.
    Isobel started and almost dropped her toast. “Yes, Harriet, what is
it?”
    “I was wondering whether you thought my dark green twill walking
dress or the fawn silk with the plum ribbons more becoming to me?”
    Isobel looked up, surprised. “Why, they both look lovely on you,
Harriet. You are always very fashionably