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“Yes,” Nanny agreed, “but I don’t think it is that. There is more to it, but I can’t quite see what that is yet.”
~ Eleven ~
HENRIETTA HARKINS SAT alone in her mother’s brightly papered morning room, contentedly sipping her coffee. She had been reading a volume of Lord Byron’s work and pensively wondering about the poet whom she had seen during her last London Season. The rumor was he was having an illicit affair with his half-sister, Augusta.
She found this impossible to believe, and yet she had once seen them together, and when they looked at one another …? Probably just her imagination, fueled by gossip.
Her thoughts were stuck in this mode when suddenly the onslaught of a small whirlwind exploded into the room.
Kitty rushed in upon her to exclaim in robust accents, “There you are, Ree! Oh, I am so glad you are at home. Well, he has arrived, and it is as I feared—a horrible situation.” Kitty paced, clasped her hands, and unclasped them.
Henrietta said, “Take off your cloak and bonnet … that’s it … come sit by me and tell me everything, Kitty.”
Kitty flung those objects onto a nearby chair and plopped with gusto beside her friend. She took Henrietta’s hands in hers and said, “Ree, it is just as your father said. The earl has arrived … at Wharton Place. I am here to tell you that he is the most insufferable man, so much worse than I imagined he might be. You thought my concerns were fanciful, but they are not. He has spent only one night at Wharton, and I am itching, just itching, to land him a facer!”
“Kit!” Ree objected on a laugh. “You must learn to curb your tongue. Mama would have been greatly shocked to hear such language from you.” Henrietta smiled fondly at Kitty as she took away her hands, lifted the leather-bound volume from her lap, and put it down on a nearby table. “Now, start at the beginning and tell me what he has done to displease.”
“Yes, your mama would be shocked, so it is a fortunate thing she isn’t here, for I don’t seem to have any control. My mind has been barraged with fury, with—” Kitty said and then laughed as Henrietta put a hand over her mouth.
“Stop, Kit. Stop. I have never seen you quite like this. Now calm yourself and tell me what has happened,” Henrietta said soothingly.
Kitty swallowed. “Very well.”
“That’s it, just like that. You do conduct yourself with outstanding decorum when you wish to. So now … go on.”
Kitty adored Ree, who was a good year plus older. Henrietta had a pleasant way of settling her frazzled mind. “Ah, as always you are quite right. I shall calm myself.”
“I must say, Kit, I am impressed that you did not choose to come over in one of you old school gowns. This riding habit of sorts … is almost passable,” Henrietta said, eyeing Kitty before taking one of Kit’s golden curls. “Why, you have even brushed your hair.”
Kitty laughed. “Horrid thing, and you call yourself my friend.” She removed her riding gloves, placed them on the sofa beside herself, and took another breath before adding, “Yes, and I rode sidesaddle here as well—all to please your mother, just in case she was about.” She smoothed her black riding habit, which although dated was, as her friend had said, ‘passable’.
Kitty took a moment and gave Henrietta a look. “Ree, you look absolutely beautiful in that shade of dark green. Indeed, you do have an eye for elegance. I wish I was tall and stately like you … ethereal and graceful … with all that dark, rich chestnut hair. You are quite, quite lovely.”
Henrietta blushed under Kitty’s appraisal and said, “Well … I am no beauty, so I make up for it with style. Now, what is all this fuss?”
“Not beautiful?” Kitty was diverted. “Where did you get the notion that you aren’t beautiful? Ree, your eyes alone are alive with amber lights … your skin is like that poem says, alabaster—”
“Nonsense,” Ree said and laughed with a shake of her head. “Now, tell me.”
“He is rude, conceited, overbearing, and thinks me a country dowd!” Kitty said indignantly.
“Ah, but in truth, you are a country dowd and one that is so from choice,” Ree pointed out.
“Well, that was … unkind,” Kitty said and then grinned. “True … but unkind.”
Ree waved her hand over Kitty’s appearance and merely said, “Ahem.”
Kitty put on a shocked countenance. “But you said this is passable, you wretch!”
Ree laughed. “It is … but not for London.”
“Cruel girl, what should you have me do?”
“Alter your situation,” Ree answered. “It matters now. You do see that, don’t you?”
“It is a sad state of affairs when one is judged by the cut of one’s clothes,” Kitty complained.
“Perhaps that is not what his lordship was doing … judging you? Perhaps he was merely making some constructive … criticisms?”
