There were poorer men, too, which Lavinia had pointed out. Besides, Gillian’s face brightened whenever she saw Lord Langley, and the pair of them had talked about music and literature and all sorts of frivolities for hours on end at previous gatherings.
“I see that Miss Gillian is not here today,” Lord Langley said, falling into step beside Lavinia.
At least I don’t have to face the humiliation of having nobody to escort me into the tea-house,Lavinia thought, biting back a mirthless smile.
“Yes, she’s rather ill, I’m afraid.”
“Oh, I am sorry. Is it serious? Should a physician be fetched? I could fetch one at once, Miss Brookford, if necessary.”
She gave a more sincere smile at that. “No, thank you, Lord Langley. It is kind of you, though. No, my sister is just tired. It’s nothing a little rest won’t settle. I daresay you’ll see her at dinner tonight. She was disappointed to miss out on the Gardens, though. Too much dancing, I think.”
Lord Langley nodded seriously. “Dancing is a very pleasant pastime, I’m sure, but dreadfully tiring. Only yesterday, Miss Gillian said…”
He launched into an account of some conversation that he and Gillian had shared. Lavinia smiled politely, but her mind drifted.
The duke and Miss Bainbridge had, by this time, disappeared into the crowd. She had no doubt that she would not see them again.
***
“He’s fond of you, that is certain.”
Lavinia glanced up, meeting her mother’s eye. “What do you mean?”
They were heading back to the house, just the two of them rattling around in their carriage. Lady Brennon sat opposite, her feet propped up on the other carriage seat, smiling to herself, looking pleased.
“I am talking about the duke, of course,” Lady Brennon shook her head. “You are so naive. Who else? He was so pleased to be paired with you, anybody could see that.”
“He’s a polite man, Mama. If he were dismayed, he’d never let on.”
“Perhaps, perhaps. But I saw how his face lit up. I saw the way his eyes tracked you around.”
Lavinia bit her lower lip, hard.
I wish I could believe that.
“Of course,” Lady Brennon continued, half speaking to herself now, “A man like him has a great deal more to consider than his own personal preferences. He maylikeyou, but he must consider a great deal when it comes to choosing the next duchess. This is when it would serve you, my dear, to be moreladylike. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Perfectly, Mama. Still, I don’t intend to change myself to suit some man’s idea of what a bride should be.”
Lady Brennon sniffed. “And that is why you’re on the cusp of spinsterhood, my dear. It’s of no matter. I believe you might be right about that Bainbridge girl. She has her eye on him, and shewouldmake a perfect duchess, anyone can see that. Your manners arenotwhat they should be. Oh, I do wish he’d settled his eye on Gillian. She’s a little young, true, but perhaps…” Lady Brennon faltered, glancing over at her daughter for the first time since she’d begun speaking.
Lavinia tried to compose her expression, not entirely sure what her mother was seeing in her face. Whatever she saw, it wasn’t good.
“Oh, my dear,” Lady Brennon breathed. “You like him, don’t you?”
Lavinia pressed her lips together in a thin line. “He’s a nice enough man. He’s pleasant. Of course I like him.”
“That,” Lady Brennon said firmly, “was not what I meant.”
Yes, Mama, I know what you meant. I do not wish to discuss it. Is that so wrong?
Lavinia wanted to scream, and cry, and drum her feet on the seat like a child, and shout that it was notfairthat she should finally,finallymeet a man that made her heart beat fast, a man she wanted to speak to, wanted to be near, wanted tomarry, only to have him whipped out from under her nose by a Miss Bainbridge.
She wanted to do all of that, but of course she did not. It wasn’t proper, and would do no good, at the end of the day. Besides, Lavinia wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to manage her mother’s well-meaning sympathy. Perhaps saying it aloud would make it more real than it ought to be.
“Weren’t you the one who told me to manage my feelings, Mama?” Lavinia said, flashing a wry smile. “You gave Gillian the same advice. You told her not to feeltoo muchuntil she was sure of a return, so that the feelings might not be wasted. I thought it was rather good advice.”
Lady Brennon started to look a little unsure.
