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“Dark and scowling.”
“Oh.” The maid’s brow cleared. “Well, he is dark, but not so much scowling as always looking down his nose at people, if you know what I mean.”
“Ah.” Melisande nodded. “A superior sort, then.”
“Aye, my lady, that’s it exactly,” Suchlike exclaimed. “He acts like other people aren’t quite as bright as he. Or just because a person is younger than him, she might not know as much.”
Suchlike brooded for a bit on the superior valet. Melisande watched her with interest. Suchlike was usually a very cheerful sort of girl. She had never seen her in a glum frame of mind—and over a bald valet a dozen years her senior at that.
“Here’s Hyde Park, my lady,” Suchlike said.
Melisande glanced up and saw they’d entered the park. It was early still, and the park was not yet crowded with the fashionable carriages that would later parade. Right now, there were only a few riders, a carriage or two, and several figures strolling in the distance.
The carriage rolled to a stop. The door opened and a footman peered in. “Is this spot good, my lady?”
They were near a small duck pond. Melisande nodded. “Very nice. Tell the coachman to wait here while we stroll.”
“Yes, my lady.” The footman helped Melisande down first and then Suchlike. Mouse scampered to the ground and immediately lifted his leg against a bush.
Melisande cleared her throat. “Shall we make for the duck pond?”
“Wherever you’d like to go, my lady.” Suchlike fell into step several paces behind Melisande.
She sighed. It was most proper for the lady’s maid to follow her instead of walking by her side, but it did preclude any kind of intimate conversation. But the day was indeed fine, and she set out determinedly. Why wait at home for a husband who had a life of his own? No, she would enjoy the day, enjoy this walk, and not think about Vale and why he’d not waited to have breakfast with her.
However, Melisande found that it was somewhat hard to achieve a serene state of mind whilst out walking Mouse. The terrier strained against the leash, his sturdy legs digging into the ground as if he fought for each footstep. Indeed, he strained so mightily against the loop of leather that he was half strangling himself.
“What do you think you’re doing, you silly, silly animal?” Melisande muttered as the dog choked and coughed dramatically. “If you simply stopped pulling, you’d be fine.”
Mouse didn’t even turn at the sound of her voice, intent on his struggle with the braided leather lead.
Melisande sighed. The portion of the park they were walking in was nearly deserted. In fact, the only people in sight were a woman and two children by the duck pon [y tk td, still ahead. And Mouse had always loved children. She bent and slipped the loop off Mouse’s head.
The dog immediately put his nose to the ground and began running in circles.
“Mouse,” Melisande called.
He stopped and looked at her with ears pricked.
She smiled. “Very well.”
The dog wagged his tail and scampered to investigate the base of a tree.
“He does seem to like a ramble, doesn’t he, my lady?” Suchlike called from behind her.
“Yes, and he hasn’t had one in quite a while.”
Melisande walked more easily now that Mouse was no longer pulling against her. She unwrapped the cloth and took out the buns, offering one to Suchlike.
“Thank you, my lady.”
Melisande strolled and munched. Mouse came running back and took a bite of bun from her hand before exploring again. She could hear the laughter of the children in the distance now, as well as the lower tones of the woman with them. The children were crouched near the pond’s edge, the woman a little farther off but still near. One child had a long stick and was poking it about in the mud while the other watched.
Mouse saw a duck and drake waddling on the bank, and giving a joyful bark, he rushed at them. The ducks took flight. The silly terrier flung himself into the air, teeth snapping, as if he could actually catch a flying duck.
The children looked up and one shouted something. Mouse took this as an invitation and trotted over to make friends. As Melisande strolled closer, she could see that Mouse’s new acquaintances were a boy and a girl. The boy looked about five or six, while the girl was perhaps eight. The boy was wearing a lovely suit but now had his arms wrapped about Mouse’s neck. Melisande winced to think what mud was being transferred from dog to boy. The girl was less enthusiastic, which was fortunate since she wore a pristine white gown.
“Ma’am! Ma’am, what’s his name?” the boy called when he saw her. “He’s a grand dog.”
