“I’m to go to the park too,” Lady Valor said. “But I don’t have to change because I will go in the carriage.”
“To the park, eh?” Lord Munson said. “Well, perhaps I would not mind a ride myself—got my horse right outside. Could do with a gallop.”
“If you are thinking of tagging along,” Henry said, now beyond irritated, “I suggest you get permission from the duke.”
That seemed to dampen enthusiasm, as he thought it might. He did not suppose the duke would be interested in having a slew of unseasoned fops and dandies following him round the park.
Lady Verity and Lady Winsome came into the drawing room, followed by the duke himself.
She was looking terrific in a dark blue worsted wool habit and charming hat with a jaunty feather. She really was so very pretty. It should come as no surprise to him to find these young dogs sniffing around her door.
“I think we’re ready to go, Wembly,” the duke said, coming in behind his daughters. “The rest of you, whoever you are, be off to your clubs or wherever you should be.”
Henry was rather gratified at this curt dismissal. He went forward to escort Lady Verity to her horse.
“Come, Val, Mrs. Right,” the duke said.
So the matron on the sofa was Mrs. Right. She certainly did not have the look of a mistress. Perhaps she was a female relative and had been engaged elsewhere on the night of the dinner. Certainly that was it. It would make sense that a relativemight be intimately involved in the management of the duke’s household. It had been mentioned by Lady Winsome that Mrs. Right was to rid the house of the duke’s butler.
Though, now that he was looking around, he did not get sight of that interesting fellow. Perhaps he’d been got rid of already?
Henry walked Lady Verity outside, getting ahead of the groom coming her way, and helped her up on the mounting block. He debated whether to cup his hands for her foot or boost her from the waist. He boosted her and hoped he did not offend the duke.
He heard a few grumbles from the departing fops and dandies so presumed hedidoffend them. Lady Verity herself did not look offended, though. She rather prettily blushed, which must be a good sign.
Henry’s hands around her waist, even for just a moment, did prompt some ideas. Ideas that were probably best left behind at this particular moment.
His attention had been all on Lady Verity. Now he took in her horse. A Dales pony. The animal really was something to see—it appeared both stout and surefooted, and yet somehow graceful. It had a shiny dark coat and intelligent eyes full of life. Lady Winsome rode a near identical creature, as did the grooms. They were a regular matched cavalry.
Henry mounted his own horse, the duke and his passengers were got in the duke’s carriage, including Sir Galahad, and they were off. He rode next to Lady Verity, with Lady Winsome just behind and the grooms following.
They trotted the short way to the entrance of the park and the duke’s carriage stopped. He put his head out the window. “We’ll take the carriage road; you can have a gallop across the open fields to the Serpentine. Verity knows the way.”
With that, the duke’s carriage set off.
