“Miss Wilcox goes for a ride?” he said to Perry. “So early?”
“Indeed,” Perry said, practically with a sniff. “Apparently, though it is odd, Miss Wilcox was able to prevail upon Lady Mendleton that horses ought to be ridden early, and not at the fashionable hours. The entire stable has been sent out to accompany her.”
Itwasodd. For Town, it was bordering on the eccentric. But it was also right. Miss Wilcox was correct in her opinion. In the country, he would never think of taking his own horse out in the late afternoon if there were even a hint of heat in the air. Further, after a night in the stables, horses were generally ready to get out for a gallop. Just now, Minerva pawed the cobblestones as if to confirm this idea. Of course, there were occasionally some horses who did not have the same willing spirit—Biscuit only looked behind herself as if she hoped they would all turn around and give up this mad scheme.
As Jasper watched the train of carriage and horses depart, Perry dismissed the footman and closed the door. He said, “My lord, if I am not being presumptuous, may I ask how you get on with the new valet?”
“Marcus?” Jasper said, entirely distracted by Miss Wilcox’s departure and wondering if he ought not ride after her. “Well enough, I suppose. He’s bound to get the hang of my neckcloth sooner or later.”
Should he ride after her? No, that would look ridiculous and she would not be alone. She would be surrounded by grooms. And worse, the brooding Carstares. Jasper could not imagine anything more painful than exposing his feelings in front of Carstares.
Jasper finally noticed Perry standing there staring at him. “Was there anything else?”
“No, my lord,” Perry said in a regretful tone.
The butler left the room and Jasper thought the fellow was in a dour mood this morning. No doubt he was dealing with some contretemps below stairs and perhaps even involving his valet, since he’d asked about him.
Well, Perry had better handle it on his own. Jasper had far more important things to think about. He would do his work, and then when Miss Wilcox returned to the house, he would lie in wait. No,lie in waitsounded threatening, as if he were planning a murder. He would hang about. Yes, that was what he would do, hang about and wait for his opportunity.
He poured his coffee and opened the first newspaper in the pile.
*
Lady Mendleton neverdescended before ten, at the earliest. It was not that she would not have liked to be up earlier in the day, but it was simply impossible. She did not wake before half past eight, then there was breakfast to be brought in, and then a leisurely dressing where Jenny would amuse her with some tale or other.
Louisa had, when dear Georgiana came to her, arranged for the girl to breakfast in her own room too. After all, who would even be in the breakfast room? Her lord could not be bothered with it, and Jasper was always closeted in the library. As well, she liked to think that her staff was very lucky that they did not have to prepare an elaborate set-up every morning. Only in the country must they get up a full sideboard of rashers of bacon and platters of hot eggs and fried kidneys. They must all be grateful for the courtesy, and she simply adored anybody being grateful to her—it felt as if she were really accomplishing something.
Georgiana, according to Jenny, had her breakfast sent up at eight and was downstairs before nine. Well, that was the energy of youth, was it not? But this morning, the girl had been very intent on riding out early, with some notion that the horse preferred it. It was peculiar, and yet it was also endearing. She was such a caring girl, was she not? To even take Minerva’s feelings into consideration.
Louisa had not seen the harm in it, as long as she was well-protected by a bevy of grooms. After all, what could she deny the girl? She was so very fond of her.
Yes, there had been a few hiccups at first, not the least of which were her frightening lack of skill on the pianoforte and her alarming way of mounting a horse, but the charming girl had overcome the queen and did not everything else pale in comparison? Further, was not her card filled up ever so quickly at Anne’s ball the night before? Georgiana was admired! Her girl was sought after. Certainly, some suitable gentleman would ask for her hand. Though not so soon, Louisa hoped, as she liked the way they went on at the moment. Perhaps there might even be a second season? And then, could not Georgiana come to them in the country between this season and the next? And then, after all those pleasant months, a proposal would be made and she would crow to Lady Heathway over it.
All in all, the situation was very satisfying to think about.
A soft knock on the door brought Jenny, though her breakfast had not even arrived yet.
The maid hurried in and Louisa at once spotted that she carried a letter. A letter that must have come private messenger, as the post did not arrive so early.
Louisa’s heart sank. The only missives to arrive so early were invariably from Lady Heathway. Everybody she knew was afraid of these arrivals, they were like disconcerting birds who had suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed on one’s tray. If Lady Heathway had roused herself early and wrote, Lady Heathway was unhappy about something.
Jenny hurried to the bedside and said, “This was just delivered, the fellow was in Lady Heathway’s livery, as you might expect.”
Louisa took the folded letter and said, “Oh, dear.”
“I’ll go below stairs and tell them to hurry your breakfast,” Jenny said. “I expect you’ll need a fortifying tea after…whatever that is.”
“You are a dear, Jenny,” Louisa said distractedly, “excellent notion.”
Louisa slowly opened the letter, completely perplexed over what Penelope could have written. She’d been in such good spirits the night before. Or, as good spirits as she ever was. What had gone wrong?
Louisa steeled herself and perused its contents.
My dear Louisa,
As you know, when a notion presents itself to my mind, I do not allow the moss to grow under my slippers before I put pen to paper.
I thought it only right to inform you immediately of something I observed last evening at our dear Anne’s ball. It was quite chivalrous for Lord Langley to offer to take Miss Wilcox into supper, nobody can deny it. However, my eyes are like any falcon’s, always searching out the truth.
