Page 40 of Counting on Love

“Oh, yes, well, Crispin. He didn’t finish.” He cleared his throat. “He caught the soldiering fever, you see. A terrible row, but off he went.” He chuckled. “We expected a bigger row when Reg announced he was going to Cambridge. He does things like that. Well, I guess they both do.”

“Things like what?”

“Make up their minds that they want something, then just pursue it.” He gave her a meaningful look. “I suppose we all do that, come to think of it.”

“Cambridge though,” she said, shifting the focus. “That must have come as a surprise.”

“Yes, quite. How about you? Did you like your governess? Were you a mischievous child?”

The conversation rolled along its predetermined course. She answered many of the same questions she had answered earlier for Mr. Taverston, but she was quite sure Mr. Taverston had been fishing for other information. How much of a bluestocking was Lady Georgiana and should he warn his brother? And she had been careful with her responses. It had made that conversation more of a challenge than this one. More interesting. She wondered if Lord Taverston was paying as little attention to her casual replies as she was to his.

He asked about Sayles next. She described the grandeur of the cliffs. The pretty wilderness walk.

She might never have been so bored.

And behind them, for the duration of the outing, she heard the girls’ chatter she could not make out, laughter she could not join in, and, often enough to believe he was involved in their discussions and not merely putting in a comment now and then for politeness, she heard the rumbling of Mr. Taverston’s voice and his clap of laughter.

On the return, during a lull in their own conversation, a thought struck her. Had Mama and Lady Iversley plotted more than one match? Did they think Alice and Mr. Taverston…

Why not? And how happy, of course, Georgiana would be if it were true. They would be sisters as well as cousins. She didn’t know where Mr. Taverston intended to make his home, but surely it would not be far from Chaumbers. Unless he settled in London.

Alice and Mr. Taverston. They would make a wonderful match, wouldn’t they? Or maybe not. At any rate, the thought did not make her as happy as it should. She didn’t dare investigate that any further. She didn’t like that the term “sour grapes” came most quickly to mind.

*

After returning the horses to the stables, they climbed the hill to the house and separated. Georgiana and Alice went to their room to bathe away the scent of horse, then rest, then dress for tea. Mama informed them they had decided to take tea on the terrace, as the weather was so gentle. Still, she suggested, it might be wise to wear something warm.

Georgiana decided on a simple cotton floral and wrapped herself in her shawl. Alice wore a pretty, pink-and-gray-striped dress that was perfect for autumn and made her look gay. They went down the stairs arm in arm.

“You and Lady Olivia were having a grand time this morning.”

“Yes, we were. She’s so funny. Even Mr. Taverston was in stitches.”

Georgiana supposed none of it would be as humorous repeated. She sighed and said, “I hope I will have opportunity to spend time with her.”

“I suspect you will have a good deal of opportunity.” Alice looked at her sidelong. “Did you enjoy the ride? The estate is beautiful.”

“Yes, it is.” It was too soon to burden Alice with her misgivings. Surely she was just nervous and would soon adapt. She should ask Alice how she found Mr. Taverston’s company.

Lieutenant Taverston met them at the bottom of the stairs.

“Ladies, they are setting up the tables outside, but tea service will still be another half hour. I hope you are not too peckish?”

“Why, no,” Georgiana said. She was afraid to ask if he was.

He grinned. “Good. Jasper is detained for a bit.” He wrinkled his nose. “Correspondence to see to. And Reg has disappeared as he is wont to do, so I am afraid you are left with me to entertain you until teatime.”

“Only if we aren’t pulling you from something you should rather be doing.” They didn’t need constant entertaining. In fact, she had been hoping for a spare moment to return to the library and be sure Analytical Calculation was still there. It must belong to Mr. Taverston, as he was the reputed scholar. She worried that he might not want her handling his books, especially after she’d mistreated his Principia. But surely he would not pack them away.

“I was hoping you might be interested in a game of billiards.” Lieutenant Taverston focused on Alice. “I thought Jasper might have spoken out of turn last night when he dismissed it as nothing ladies would enjoy.”

Alice flushed but answered truthfully. “I do play with my father sometimes.”

“Ha! Come along then. Olivia is awaiting us. We’ll play teams.”

Teams. So Georgiana would be needed as a fourth, even though she could not play well and would have preferred a little time alone. She trailed along behind, thinking Alice was having more success at this country gathering than she was. If only they could trade places! Alice would make a much better countess. Not only could she adorn an earl’s properties and run his household, but she would be rapt if he should come home prattling about Parliament and bills and such.

They reached the room, which was shouting distance from the library—but, of course, she was not supposed to have discovered yet where the library was.