The shepherd poet turned a startled gaze on her. ‘I beg your pardon?’
‘The children left in the middle of winter with their parents frozen on the hillside. There has to be a conclusion to the tale.’
‘Oh, well, yes. Thank you for asking, Miss Fitz-Pennington: it does you credit that your feminine heart felt for the unfortunates. The people rallied round and raised money to support them. The eldest girl is employed in local households so they can afford to stay together. Miss Wordsworth is very involved in seeing that they manage.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it.’ Dora noticed that Lady Alice was waiting at the side of the road. Langhorne had drawn alongside her to enquire if all was well, but she was waving away his attempts at gallantry. To Dora’s expert eye, the lady looked very fine in her navy-blue riding habit, black frogging on the breast and cuffs, and lady’s top hat in grey with a black band. Her green eyes met Dora’s, an expression of acute interest. Did that spell trouble?
‘Miss Fitz-Pennington, might I have a word?’ the lady enquired.
From the sudden stiffening of backbones, a little bolt of awareness ran through the gentlemen riding at the rear of the party.
‘I say,’ muttered Knotte. ‘Is an argument brewing between our fair companions?’ He was so socially inept: such things could be thought, not said.
‘I hope not,’ replied Dora evenly.
These were intelligent men. They all likely understood Jacob and Dora had more than a business relationship but were too polite to refer to it. The rule was that unless you thrust it in someone’s face, society preferred to be like Nelson and turn a blind eye. That awareness might not extend to the innocent Lady Alice and Knotte was right to be worried that an ugly scene might develop if her father objected. He just shouldn’t say it aloud.
Dora sighed inwardly. Did the gentlemen think she would be rude to the peer or his daughter? Probably. ‘Lady Alice? How may I help you?’
‘I would love to ride a while with you, if your companions will spare you,’ the lady said with a charming smile at Moss and Knotte.
‘It would be my pleasure,’ said Dora.
Taking their cue, the two men fell back, and Lady Alice took the place at her side. Dora held her tongue. The lady had asked for this conversation so she should choose the topic. Dora would not be so presumptuous as to be the first to address the daughter of a nobleman.
‘I was talking with Dr Sandys about you,’ Lady Alice began as they urged their horses up the next steep turn of the road.
‘Indeed.’ There: that was nice and non-committal.
‘He said you were in business together, investigating mysteries for clients who cannot find answers by other means.’
‘That is a fair summary of what we do, yes.’
‘And that you trained for the stage.’
‘It can be an honourable living, despite what you might have heard.’
‘Oh, but of course! I simply adore Mrs Siddons and Mrs Jordan. And look at Elizabeth Farren: she married the Earl of Derby! My mother visits her without any mention of her previous profession. I am not so shallow as to think all actresses are the same; some make reputations for themselves that set them above the indignities that their sisters suffer.’
That was fair enough. It was true that the Green Room door often led to a gentleman’s protection as his mistress– not that the actresses thought of that as an indignity. Many called it luck.
‘What I wanted to ask you,’ the lady took a quick look around to check no one was riding within earshot, ‘was how you managed it?’
That had not been the question she was expecting. ‘Managed what?’
‘Escaping what we are told we should do and yet still be invited into polite society?’
‘Ah. For all your generous words about actresses, I think you might not have understood my position, my lady. Were this London I doubt very much your father would allow me in your company.’
‘You seem respectable enough to me.’ Her eyelashes fluttered down as if she knew what she was going to say might raise a blush. ‘Forgive my bluntness, but you are not anyone’s mistress, are you?’
‘I am not. Were you attempting to put me out of countenance with your question?’
‘No! I didn’t think it could be the case. My father wouldn’t have let me come today if he thought so.’
Dora gave the girl a grin for her bravery. ‘Oh, well done, Lady Alice.’
‘Well done?’
