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Strangely Mark did not appear to see his danger. He smiled and said he would have called on Drew in any case and he would certainly make time for an outing if that was what the ladies wished. Then he bowed his way out.
Chapter Five
The outing was arranged the next morning when both men arrived at Mount Street at the same time. They would visit Bullock’s Museum that afternoon and attend a concert in the Chinese Pavilion at Ranelagh Gardens in the evening, a plan which pleased Isabel. As soon as they had taken their leave she began discussing the dress she would wear.
‘My green-and-pink-striped sarsenet,’ she said. ‘With a pink bonnet and gloves.’
‘Issie, you must remember that Mark is in mourning and that you, as his betrothed, should be a little more sombre in what you wear.’
‘You mean I should go into mourning, too? We are not married yet. His late lordship was not kin to me. I do not see the necessity.’
‘Not mourning, Issie, but something quieter out of respect for Mark’s feelings.’
‘You are always worrying about Mark’s feelings, Jane. I begin to wonder if you are not a little in love with him yourself.’
‘Nonsense.’ Her reply was sharp, but she turned away so that her sister could not see the consternation on her face. ‘Aunt, what do you think?’
‘Think about what?’ the lady asked vaguely. It was obvious that her deafness had prevented her from following the conversation.
‘I was saying that Isabel should not wear bright colours in deference to Mark’s state of mourning,’ Jane said very loudly.
‘You may be right,’ her ladyship said. ‘But there are some lovely shades of lilac and dove grey to be had.’
‘The only thing I have in grey is that plain old carriage dress I wore to come here. You do not expect me to wear that again, do you?’
‘It would serve,’ Jane said.
‘Well, I won’t. How can I shine in society in something as drab as that? The gentlemen will not like me in it.’
‘Gentlemen?’ Jane queried. ‘What gentlemen?’
‘Why, Mark and Mr Ashton, of course.’
* * *
She would not be moved and it was a resplendent Isabel in pink and green who greeted the gentlemen when they arrived. Jane was in a plain lilac trimmed with white lace. Both carried parasols for the day was warm.
Bullock’s Museum was housed in the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, only a short distance away and they elected to walk. There were strange, often bizarre exhibits in the museum, things like skeletons and animal bones, weapons and armour, uniforms with bullet holes in them, and unusual plants. They wandered round the exhibits, then moved on to inspect the magnificent travelling coach used by Napoleon on his campaigns. He had abandoned it after his defeat at Waterloo and taken to his white riding horse to make his escape. When he knew escape was not possible he had appealed to King George for asylum in England, but this had been refused and since the island of Elba could not hold him, he had been sent to St Helena, way out in the Atlantic. His coach had been bought for the museum and people flocked to see it. Painted blue with gold ornamentation, it was very large and luxuriously appointed, with a folding bed, even a desk with pens, paper and ink, and compartments for maps and telescopes. It had bulletproof doors and blinds on the windows. It obviously needed a team of strong horses to pull it.
‘Did the Duke of Wellington ride about in a carriage like this?’ Jane asked Mark.
‘He had a carriage, though it was nothing like as ostentatious as this,’ he answered. ‘In any case, he preferred to ride.’
‘Did you meet him?’
‘Yes, several times, though I do not think he deigned to notice me.’
‘I shall write one of my letters to him. He is supposed to be in sympathy with the plight of his men and their families.’
‘I don’t know how you dare,’ Isabel put in.
‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ she said, laughing.
‘Well, I think you are wasting your time,’ her sister went on. ‘It is a national problem. What can one woman do?’
‘If we all thought nothing could be done, nothing would be done,’ Mark said.
‘I sympathise with the children, of course I do,’ Isabel said. ‘And I always give a few coppers to beggars, but you are talking about thousands of pounds. You are becoming obsessed with it, Jane, and I, for one, am tired of hearing about it. If you and Mark wish to continue the conversation, Mr Ashton and I will find something else to talk about.’ She took Drew’s arm. ‘Come, Mr Ashton, show me the animals.’
