Miss Bainbridge was across the room in an instant, all but glueing herself to the duke’s side. She laughed and tossed her hair, smiling up into his face, and if she didn’tquitesmile smugly across the room at Lavinia, the intention was there.
Lavinia got up abruptly. “I’m tired, Mama, and so is Gillian. I’m going to retire for the night, and I’m taking her with me.”
Lady Brennon sat back, folding her hands across her stomach.
“As you wish, my dear, as you wish. But do give heed to my words, if you would.”
I could scarcely refrain from contemplating it, Lavinia reflected with a twinge of irritation.
Chapter Thirteen
“They call it Bath’s Vauxhall Gardens,” Mary announced, beaming over her shoulder. “I imagine it’s rather spectacular. I cannot believe that we have never visited. Should we have gone at night, Alex, do you think?”
“I don’t think it’squitethe same as Vauxhall, Mama,” Alexander said gently. “We can always go again, if we like the place.”
The dowager shook her head. “No, I think not. It’s not seemly to enjoy things too much, you know.”
William caught Katherine’s eye across the breakfast table and said nothing.
He had retired early to bed the previous night, mostly to escape Miss Bainbridge’s determined attentions. It had been almost frightening – she drove everybody away, keeping him to herself and chained up with politeness. Frightening and noticeable. Her parents had watched blandly, and he knew that others would have noticed, too.
I won’t be entrapped,he thought, with a rush of anger.
The Bainbridges were not down yet, but of course they would be accompanying the party to Sydney Gardens. The Brookford sisters were not down yet, either. He couldn’t help noticing that Miss Lavinia Brookford had retreated from the drawing room almost immediately after he arrived, taking her younger sister with her. Katherine had told him later that Miss Gillian seemed rather tired and pale, and Miss Lavinia was clearly worried about her sister.
And yet, here I am, selfishly wishing she had stayed down to talk to me,he thought wryly, shaking his head at his own thoughtlessness. The locket sat in his pocket again, the familiar contours of the smooth oval warm under the pad of his thumb.
It hardly mattered, though. More and more, William began to feel that nothing mattered at all – not his choice of bride, not the inheritance he had to earn, not the fact he had kept the horse that killed his father. Howcouldany of it matter?
Still, he had to admit, he was glad that the Brookford girls were definitely coming to Sydney Gardens.
I won’t talk to her, though. It’s a bad idea to converse too much with a woman when I intend to marry another. I will stick with Miss Bainbridge, or better yet, with Katherine.
“I thought it might be fun to divide into groups,” Katherine said, innocently sipping her tea. “So that we can spend time with people outside of our cliches. William, Miss Lavinia will be your personal responsibility today.”
William froze. “I beg your pardon?”
Surely she could not mean it. Not after he had confided in her about the secret betrothal. But then, itwasKatherine.
Katherine drained her cup. “I think you heard me perfectly well.”
***
Sydney Gardens was buzzing with activity. It was a splendid, sunlit day, and the denizens had assembled in great numbers in the Gardens.
The Willenshires had never attended the Gardens, just like they had never attended Vauxhall in London. That is, until the old Duke died. He hadn’t approved of pleasure gardens. William could hear his sour, grating voice even now:waste of money and waste of time.
Katherine clapped her hands for attention, and the guests milled around her. They were at the entrance to the Gardens, and already people were craning their necks eagerly to look beyond the gates.
There was plenty to do – croquet, archery, fortune-tellers, clockwork displays, and more. William could see countless lanterns hanging over the Gardens, which of course wouldn’t be seen in the daylight.
Perhaps we could come back at night,he thought,and see the lights, bright enough to drown out the stars.
There were refreshment stalls, as was to be expected, in the vicinity where they intended to partake of tea in due course. Most of the party had already resolved to indulge in the region's famed delicacies, and William found himself inclined to partake as well.
“To make things a little more interesting,” Katherine was saying, her voice carrying easily across the crowd, “and to force us all to make new friends, we shall be pairing up and travelling in groups. This is so that nobody gets lost – I know many of us are not native to Bath, and if anyone has a sense of direction as bad as mine, I doubt that they shall make it home again.”
There was a polite ripple of laughter at this. Katherine withdrew a list and began to read it.
