Page 28 of The Undaunted
“Stop laughing this instant!” Caroline whispered. “What should we do? How can we get away?”
Between heaves of laughter, Bemmy said, “We go out the way we came, he won’t try to catch us, he don’t even have his shirt on.”
“Excellent,” Caroline said. “Excellent idea.”
“Then we’ll go to a shop and buy a ribbon and claim we were never anywhere near this church.”
“Yes,” Caroline said, feeling as if she were grabbing a pole that would pull her out of icy water. “Let us hurry, we must be gone from this place.”
This peeping out the tower window had seemed like such a lark when they’d done it unobserved. But to be seen!
And, to be seen by Lord Bertridge, who already looked down upon her way of going on.
Though, why should she care for his opinion and his approval?
She did not know, but somehow his opinion rankled.
Bemmy led Caroline down the stairs, her maid’s quiet laughter echoing along the stone walls of the tower.
*
Richard sat inthe tub that had been brought into his bedchamber and filled with icy water, soaking his sore muscles from the day’s exercise. It had been a blasted hot afternoon and though the bath was a shock to the system it was also a relief.
He had gone back and forth over what he’d seen. Or thought he saw. In the middle of the boxing practice, he’d paused to catch his breath and glanced up at the church’s tower. He’d sworn he’d seen Miss Upton and her maid at the window, at least, he was very sure he recognized her bonnet. But then the two heads disappeared from view in an instant and were not seen again. Over time, the notion began to seem farfetched. Was she there? Or had it been the heat?
Were it any other lady, he would have come down firmly on the side of his imagination, fueled by excessive heat and not enough to drink. But it was not any other lady. It was Miss Caroline Upton, for whom no thing could not be dared.
Viewing men shirtless! Viewinghimshirtless!
Well, if it was her in that window, at least none of the other gentlemen had noted it. Particularly not his sparring partner, a cousin of Alvanley’s. Mr. Landon proved to be just as glib as Alvanley himself, though with not much that was of substance to bolster his bravado. He was the second son of Baron Tisdale, but as he said, “My brother is unmarried and drives his phaeton far too fast, so you never know. Perhaps he’ll kick off and thenI’mLord Tisdale, dancin’ through the daisies.”
Though Richard had been convinced he’d indicated his distaste for the gentleman and his comments, Landon would persist. He had all sorts of questions about Miss Upton, none of which were answered.
It seemed Mr. Landon admired Miss Upton’s father exceedingly and had heard from the Regent that his daughter was expected in town. Landon claimed to have a keen eye for horses and, in the event that his elder brother did not kill himself in his phaeton, he thought he might like to go into business with a gentleman like the baron. He then found the effrontery to wonder if Richard might arrange an introduction to Baron Dunn.
That idea was met with a cold stare.
Richard could not have obliged in any event, as he did not know the baron, but thought Baron Dunn would be ill-advised to join any venture with Mr. Landon.
Richard had never met a less likable fellow and would say a prayer that the eldest son stay alive long enough to have his own sons and cut that jackanapes out of the inheritance line all together. Let Mr. Landon commission in the navy, and then jump off a ship when he encountered deep and shark-filled waters.
He briefly wondered if he should tell his aunt that he’d thought he’d glimpsed Miss Upton at the church, but speedily ruled against it. What if he were wrong? Or what if she claimed she’d been only touring a local church and then been shocked at what she’d seen out the window. Then it would somehow be his fault for being out of doors without a shirt on.
She was so much trouble. He really did not know what was to be done about it. He supposed he should simply be grateful that his own future had been mapped out satisfactorily. The duke’s daughter would be no trouble at all, as it was quite confirmed that she was demure. All he need do was meet her next season and set off on a course of wooing—calls, flowers with increasing meanings of affection, the proposal, the duke’s blessing for the match, the wedding, and then some sort of trip to cap the whole thing off. He was certain it would unfold smoothly, with no unpleasantness associated with it.
Miss Upton would do well to take a page from that demure lady’s book.
*
Lady Featherstone andLady Redfield hurried into Lady Easton’s drawing room.
“We came as soon as we could,” Lady Featherstone said, “we were only delayed in that Cecilia seems to be without a carriage at the moment, necessitating my trip clear across town to fetch her and bring her here.”
Lady Redfield shrugged and said, “I have the carriage, but with so many sons, well, they are always off in different directions and I found myself without horses. I suppose they’ve lent out a few…”
Bramley, having anticipated the ladies’ imminent arrival, led the footmen in with the tea service. He expertly laid the things and retreated, closing the door behind him.
“However you have got here,” Lady Easton said, “I am grateful youarehere.”
