“Call me Cordelia, or Cordy for short,” Cordelia said.
*
Percival had wishedto be on the drive when Lady Cordelia arrived, but Hamill had convinced him otherwise. For one, Hamill said he needed every spare moment to prepare for the regatta. He understood the mechanics of it well enough, but he was so uninterested in the whole thing that his mind was forever wandering, and then he’d make a mistake.
He’d already run his boat into the shore, making a horrible scraping sound and damaging the centerboard, almost knocked himself out when he’d changed direction and nearly forgot to duck, and he’d come close to tipping over twice.
For another, Hamill said if they got their timing just right, Lady Cordelia might be able to spot him down at the lake, engaging in a sport.
Percival had gone along with it, as he really did need all the practice he could get. In any case, Hamill was to be trusted—he’d arranged for Lady Cordelia and Miss Mayton to come a day early.
He would spend this evening acquainting her with this new, Corinthian-like figure he was turning himself into. Then, in the days that followed, he wouldshowher the various strides he’d made. On the night of the ball, he would ask for her hand.
Now, he hurried down the long flights of stairs from the second floor to the ground floor. It was his understanding that the ladies traveling without husbands would be housed on the first floor.
As he reached the first-floor landing, the swish of silk caught his eye.
Lady Cordelia.
She was escorted by Miss Mayton and she looked marvelous. Lady Cordelia was in an elegant deep blue silk dress with no adornment but for a sapphire necklace of the same hue.
He bowed. “Lady Cordelia, Miss Mayton. Very good to see you again.”
Lady Cordelia curtsied. Miss Mayton did too, then the matron suddenly said, “Gracious, I quite forgot, I was meant to…see somebody about something or other.”
She then squeezed by him and set off down the stairs at a record pace.
It could not have been more awkwardly done and Percival found himself very fond of her for it.
“Lady Cordelia,” he said, putting out his arm, “may I escort you down?”
The lady nodded and laid her hand on his arm.
“I find my family must thank you, Lord Harveston,” Lady Cordelia said. “Tattleton has made me aware of the efforts you have taken to restore our garden at Portland Place.”
“It was nothing at all,” Percival said, very gratified that Tattleton had seen fit to tell his secret.
“I do not think you can claim it as nothing,” Lady Cordelia said. “Our neighboring butler has made regular reports and says your man comes by weekly to do the weeding and pruning.”
“I hope Lord Darling has settled into country life?” Percival asked, even more gratified that the nosy butler next door had been sending reports.
Lady Cordelia laughed. She had such a charming laugh.
“Lord Darling has been taken in hand by one of our oldest dairy cows. Her name is Clara and he follows her round very dedicated to her. When he becomes too rambunctious, she knocks him with her head.”
“I am glad to hear it,” Percival said, taking the steps very slowly so they might prolong the conversation. “And Lady Van Doren’s child, I am sure Tattleton ought not have told me, but I did press him on it. I understand she is well.”
“Lily is very well indeed. In fact, she was on the mend by the time we arrived home. Now she is getting places as fast as her chubby little legs can carry her.”
Percival nodded. “I did think, even though the danger was past, that it was very well done for the entire family to decamp to Lady Van Doren. Really very good.”
“What else can a family be counted on for, if not to rush to the one in need?” Lady Cordelia asked quizzically. She seemed not to have considered that other families did not perhaps inconvenience themselves so much.
They had reached the ground floor and found the butler, Mr. Graves, ready to lead them into the drawing room.
“You will know everyone but for the duke, I think,” Percival said.
Lady Cordelia nodded.
