“Right you are.”
They hurried down the stairs, Bemmy carrying Caroline’s bag and struggling into her coat. The duchess waited in the hall, and she was indeed toe-tapping.
“I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Your Grace,” Caroline said. “I just thought, with the weather…”
“You thought we’d call it off,” the duchess said. “You will find that a duchess is made of sterner stuff than that! In any case, my butler says this is what is called an Ephemeral Storm—here one moment and gone the next. I expect this will be fortuitous, the sun will come out and we will have the sea to ourselves while the timid huddle in their houses and regret having cancelled their plans.”
Lady Easton hurried from the drawing room. “But Theodosia, are you certain it is all right? Caroline is so recently recovered and, in truth, I’ve never heard of an ephemeral storm. It always seems to me that when it storms, it does so for some hours. At least, from what I can see out a window.”
“Clara,” the duchess said kindly, “nor have I heard of these ephemeral storms until this morning. However, you and I are not great students of the weather. Carlson regularly corresponds with the renowned Lord Ingraham and has studied all the angles of his meteorological archives. Between them, they have developed their own theories.”
Caroline was rather dubious about this idea, and she could see very well that Lady Easton was too. As for Bemmy, her maid had prior informed her that if she wanted a prediction on the weather in Brighton, she ought to ask a fisherman, not a barmy butler.
“Well? Shall we be off?” the duchess asked.
Though the duchess had posed it as a question, Caroline well knew it was an order.
They were off.
*
Richard had sleptin later than his usual habit, as he was prone to do when it stormed out of doors. He found storms strangely restful, as if nobody could encounter trouble when all were safely indoors. He had perhaps also slept late as he was late to get to sleep—his mind had been restless and loath to settle.
Kingston brought him up a tray of coffee, toast, and eggs, and heated water for his shave. His valet, nearly always anticipating his thoughts, had also brought a plate of sausages and bowl of water for Edgar. His dog might be in the usual habit of itching to go out first thing in the morning, but if it was raining he barely lifted his head and hoped not to be noticed.
He could hear the outer doors to the house opening and closing and could not imagine who had arrived just after nine in the morning. Not only was it early for a call, but what could be so important as to venture out when the rain came down in buckets?
It was probably one of his aunt’s friends, they barged into one another’s houses whenever they liked, always with some emergency or interesting news in their reticules, and he supposed rain would hardly put them off. Except Lady Heathway of course, who sent alarming letters at all hours of the day and night.
“Who is it coming in at such an early hour?” he asked Kingston.
“The duchess, my lord,” his valet said.
“I suppose she’s huddled in the drawing room with my aunt, discussing some vital piece of information.” Richard paused. In what he hoped was an offhand manner, he said, “Has Miss Upton joined them?”
Kingston folded his shaving towel and said, “The duchess and Miss Upton have left. They are to go sea bathing this morning.”
Richard sat up and peered at the window. “Sea bathing? In a storm?”
Kingston nodded. “That’s about what everybody else thought, my lord, but the duchess says it’s an ephemeral storm and should dissipate soon.”
“What in the world is an ephemeral storm?” Richard asked.
Kingston looked down his nose, as he was wont to do when he wished to indicate disdain. “Nobody seems to know except the duchess’ butler.”
“This is madness,” Richard muttered. He leapt out of bed and said, “Never mind the shave, I must get dressed before that lunatic duchess drowns Miss Upton!”
*
Though the duchess’butler had thought the storm ephemeral, Caroline thought it looked rather permanent. The rain had poured down the coach’s windows and she had some pity for the poor coachman and grooms who were out in it. The duchess had not forgotten their comfort, as they wore oil skin coats with hoods, but for all that they could not be comfortable.
The rain did begin to lighten though it still came down steady. Caroline could at least see something out her window now.
Though, having viewed it, she was not certain she liked it.
The waves were larger than Caroline had ever seen, they must be nearing two feet. They broke close to shore, and then beyond that the sea bobbed up and down rhythmically.
“Now you see, Miss Upton,” the duchess said cheerfully, “the trick will be to get past the breaking water and then we can float up and down on the waves. Mrs. Gunn will get you through it.”
