Page 33 of Regency Whispers: Scandalous Matches

‘I came out for an afternoon walk. It seemed a shame not to get out in the sunshine.’

Miss Ashworth and Lady Mountjoy both glanced up at the sky dubiously. It was grey and overcast with only one or two small breaks in the clouds where weak rays of sunshine were managing to filter through. Hardly a day that would inspire a spontaneous need to get into nature.

‘How fortuitous! Miss Ashworth has been eager to get out for some fresh air all day. I said I would accompany her, but my hip is starting to pain me again.’

Miss Ashworth gave the older woman an incredulous look and then flashed an apologetic smile at Tom.

‘Perhaps you could escort her for a short stroll whilst I rest a while on one of the benches in the park?’

‘Of course. It would be my pleasure.’

They walked together into the park and found a suitable bench for Lady Mountjoy to sit and observe them from as they then carried on along the path.

‘She only ever seems to complain of her hip when you are around,’ Miss Ashworth said when they were far enough away from Lady Mountjoy so the countess would not hear the comment. The younger woman studied him for a moment. ‘Something is wrong. You look like you haven’t slept for a month. Is it what happened in the glasshouse?’

‘No,’ he said a little too quickly, forcing himself to slow down and summon a more serene expression. ‘Although I am tired. It is Edward.’ He grimaced. Sleep had been hard to come by these last few days.

He was finding the scent of lavender coming off Miss Ashworth’s hair every time she turned in his direction distracting. It made him think of the night in the glasshouse and stirred something deep inside him.

‘Is he unwell?’

‘No, but he is not happy. I fear I am not doing the right thing by him.’

‘Why do you say he is not happy?’

‘Take today—I suggested we go for a walk and he burst into tears. There are a hundred instances like that throughout the day from when he wakes up until when he goes to bed.’

‘What was he doing before you suggested you go for a walk?’

‘Playing hide and seek with one of the maids.’

Miss Ashworth shrugged. ‘There it is, then. It has nothing to do with you.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘What do you enjoy doing most in the world?’

He hesitated for a moment and Miss Ashworth looked at him, eyes wide.

‘No, perhaps don’t tell me,’ she said quickly.

‘I was trying to choose between riding and driving my curricle,’ he said with a smile, his spirits already lifting a little in Miss Ashworth’s company. ‘My mind clearly isn’t as corrupted as yours.’

‘I am an innocent debutante.’

‘Clearly not in mind,’ he murmured.

‘Imagine you are riding your horse,’ she ploughed on, resolutely looking ahead. ‘Enjoying yourself in the great outdoors, and then suddenly without warning someone comes and tells you instead you need to dismount and you are going to the opera.’ She paused to see if he was following her, glancing up at him with her lips pursed. ‘It isn’t that you dislike the opera, or that you don’t want to go with the person who is suggesting it, but in your mind you are focussed on the thing you are enjoying in that moment. For someone to come along and tell you to stop immediately, even for an adult, is a bit frustrating. For a child, it makes them feel as though they have no control over their lives.’

Tom considered Miss Ashworth’s words for a long moment.

‘Is there a better way of doing it?’

She shrugged. ‘Watch the nannies and nursemaids in the park. The ones with happy, contented-looking children lay out their expectations. They tell them even before they get to the park that they can stay and play for half an hour, walk around the Serpentine and feed the ducks. After that, they will return home.’

He nodded slowly. It made sense, and he couldn’t really understand why he hadn’t realised it himself. It was obvious when he thought about it, but in the moment when Edward had started crying, and Tom had felt as though nothing he could do was right, it had been so hard to be logical.

‘It may be worth trying to give him time to get used to an idea before saying you are leaving immediately.’