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Percy Dashwood, the Earl of Carlisle, gazed out at the ocean, squinting a little. Something had caught his eye ,and he was curious as to what it was. A sea creature, jumping out of the water in a frolicking, almost frenzied way. He spied a long grey snout and then the high flip of a tail, sending an arch of water into the air. He suppressed his excitement.
By Jove’s beard, it is a dolphin.I am almost certain of it.
He was so engrossed in the creature that he didn’t notice that anyone was approaching him until he heard a slight, feminine cough. He spun around, squinting. Three ladies, all with parasols aloft, their faces and figures in shadow.
Percy felt at a loss. Who were they? Who on earth would he even know in this sleepy seaside town? He had only been here a few days and hadn’t socialised much yet. He was still getting his bearings.
He shifted to the left, so that he might see their faces, but they remained maddeningly obscured by the sun. It was a brighter day than he had been expecting. All he could make out were two tall, willowy women on either side of a petite-figured one.
“Percy,” laughed one of the tall ladies. “Do you not recognise me? It has not beenthatlong since we last dined in Brighton.”
A smile spread across his face. He recognised that voice. It belonged to one Lady Marianne Aldridge, the wife of Viscount Aldridge. The couple had become his firm friends recently. He, Marianne, and Henry often dined together.
“Marianne!” he said. “I do apologise. This dratted sun! I cannot see a thing. Could we move to another spot?”
Marianne laughed. “Of course. There is some shade further along the pier.”
They all moved to the spot Marianne indicated. Now Percy could see the ladies clearly. He gazed at the other two, carefully assessing them.
The petite lady was indeed small, with the figure of a doll. She also had the looks of one. A heart-shaped porcelain complexion, ruby lips, and big blue eyes. He saw strawberry gold curls framing her face beneath her bonnet. She smiled at him prettily.
He turned to the other lady. She was as tall and willowy as Marianne and looked quite like her. The same high cheekbones and cat-like green eyes. But whereas Marianne had dark brown hair, this lady was golden. Not red gold like the petite lady, but hair the colour of dark honey. She didn’t smile at him. In fact, she was looking distinctly bored, her gaze resting just beyond his shoulder. He couldn’t help feeling a bit miffed.
“Percy,” said Marianne. “May I introduce my dear sister, Lady Jane Metcalfe.” She indicated the tall lady. “And my dear cousin, Lady Lucy Metcalfe. Ladies, this is Lord Carlisle.”
Both ladies curtseyed. The smaller one made a great show of it, almost scraping the ground. The taller one’s curtsey was perfunctory at best. He suppressed a smile.
“Ladies,” he said, doing his level best to be as charming as possible. “Do you both live in Seaborne?”
“I do not, my lord,” said Lady Lucy, fixing him with her bright blue eyes. “I live in an outlying village. But I come to Seaborne often and am currently staying with my dear uncle and cousins for several weeks.” She blinked rapidly, almost batting her eyelashes at him. “So many balls and events!”
“Indeed,” said Percy politely. “I hope to attend quite a few of them myself.”
“Are you staying here long, my lord?” breathed Lady Lucy, staring at him avidly.
He nodded. “A few weeks at least, my lady. I am here with a good friend, staying in a lodging house. But the aim of my stay is to purchase a house where I might reside for most of my summers.” He paused. “I like the beach, you see. But Brighton is getting busier by the year.”
“It is, indeed,” laughed Marianne. “Why, it is being veritably overrun by thetonfrom London! They flock there in droves. Henry and I were both saying just the other day that it is becoming quite mad. Promenading in Brighton is like promenading in Hyde Park these days.”
“Exactly,” said Percy, rolling his eyes. “Which is why I want an escape to somewhere a bit quieter. I am hoping there will be quite a few good houses here to choose from.”
His eyes flickered towards Marianne’s sister, Lady Jane. She was still gazing out at the sea, not attending the conversation at all. It was the height of bad manners, but she didn’t seem the least concerned. She was in a world of her own entirely.
“I am so pleased you are going to join the district, my lord,” said Lady Lucy, giving him another dazzling smile. “We are honoured....”
“There is a pod of dolphins!” exclaimed Lady Jane, interrupting her cousin, pointing excitedly towards the sea. “Look!”
“Jane, we do not care,” hissed Lady Lucy, fixing her with an almost malevolent glare.
“I thought I saw one just before,” said Percy, standing close to the suddenly animated lady, staring out to where she was pointing. “I just saw the one. But he was devilishly quick. I caught sight of a tail and a snout. But thisisa whole pod.”
“How majestic they are,” said Lady Jane, utterly absorbed. “And how dextrous. It is as if they are dancing upon the waves, or a group of acrobats, synchronising their act just for our enjoyment.”
“I would pay to watch them,” said Percy, smiling at the lady and her obvious joy in seeing the sea creatures. “I would pay quite good coin for such a sight.”
Lady Jane pursed her lips. “No. They are wild creatures and should never be tamed for our amusement. Half the joy is in the thrill of discovering them in their natural realm.”
Percy turned to her, staring at her with new interest. She sounded quietly intelligent and very passionate about her subject. He saw the fervour in her eyes, which were as green and clear as a river on a summer’s day.
