CHAPTER NINETEEN #2
‘Yes indeed, for there is something I would far rather be doing.’ He gazed at her meaningfully, and her pink cheeks became even more suffused with colour.
‘Of course. You would far rather be attending her grace,’ she replied primly, but her own eyes answered his with understanding, and won from him such a loving smile as only a booby would have failed to comprehend. Miss Brailes was not a booby.
Lord Orlando was becoming increasingly frustrated, and, like a cornered animal, inclined to snap.
He even, on one occasion, snapped at Miss Newent, who looked shocked and recoiled, and it took a good ten minutes of blandishments, self-recrimination, repentance and the excuse of ‘a frightful headache’ coming on to restore his 320position with her.
In truth, had it not been for the fact that he hated being beaten, he would have abandoned the chit by now.
He was tired of having to explain everything in the simplest of terms as if to a child.
However, since her body was very definitely that of a woman, he solaced himself with anticipation of its charms, and persevered.
With the failure of his plan to engage her to slip away with him upon a picnic, one from which, with hindsight, he thought she might have shied away, he conceived of the idea of a riding expedition to Sir Bevil Grenville’s Monument.
This was situated up on Lansdown near to the racecourse.
The lanes were pretty and the vista verdant, and there were plenty of places where a couple might secrete themselves away from all eyes.
Mrs Newent would not have a groom, but he would offer the services of his own groom as a sop to propriety, though the man would be primed to find his horse a little lame and be forced to turn back when so far upon the outing that abandoning it would seem pointless.
Lord Orlando had little doubt that he could play the honourable escort thus far, and cozen Miss Newent into continuing the expedition.
If necessary, he would even invent other members of the party, non-specific of course, to make it all appear perfectly seemly and win over Mrs Newent, in whom he saw increasing signs of caution.
He managed to encounter mother and daughter on Westgate Street as they made their way back from the Pump Room towards their lodging on Charles Street.
He had been very clever, avoiding them in the Pump Room but watching for their departure.
They rarely varied their route 321home, and by taking another street that joined Westgate Street further to the west he could seem to encounter them entirely by chance.
He set off so swiftly and was so pleased with his manoeuvre that he failed to notice that at the last minute Miss Brailes hurried out of the room also.
That lady, who had enjoyed a minute’s private conversation with Mr Gilmorton, and, had anyone noted, handed him her handkerchief from her reticule, spoke quickly to her mama and went after her friend.
Mr Gilmorton, for his part, followed a minute later.
Lord Orlando feigned delighted surprise when he came upon the ladies, though he was less than pleased to find Miss Brailes had made the pair a trio. It was an inconvenience, but he hoped no more. He made a few general pleasantries, and then broached his putative expedition.
‘The weather is excellent. Not too hot, and with just a hint of breeze. I think there is every reason to suppose that it may continue, and I was wondering, Miss Newent, if you would care to join a small party I am making up to hack up to the monument to Sir Bevil Grenville upon Lansdown. There are two very pretty churches upon the way, or very close, both of great antiquity.’
‘I am not a very daring rider, my lord, and … and I have no horse in Bath.’ Lydia looked at her mother, expecting a prohibition. Mrs Newent in turn looked at Lord Orlando.
‘A party, you say, my lord?’
‘Yes, and we would merely be hacking gently to observe the vista, and the wooded lanes up to the height, and the ecclesiastical delights, of course.’ He contrived to look inspired by religious buildings.
322Miss Brailes saw Mrs Newent wavering.
‘I think it would be a charming idea. The streets are getting quite stuffy, and good fresh air and verdure would be just the thing. I am sure suitable quiet hacks could be hired, Lydia. I myself am not one for wild equestrian activity.’ Miss Brailes sounded eager.
With a sinking heart, Lord Orlando realised that by this speech, Miss Brailes had ensured that he must include her in the ‘party’. At that moment a raised voice hailed them, and Mr Gilmorton came up.
‘Miss Brailes. Ah, I have caught you. Forgive the interruption, ma’am, but I believe you dropped your handkerchief as you were leaving the Pump Room. Is this yours? It has the letter C embroidered upon it.’ He withdrew a lace-edged handkerchief from within the breast of his coat.
‘Why yes! Oh, Mr Gilmorton, how very kind of you.’ Miss Brailes was all maidenly gratitude. ‘And you put yourself to the trouble of coming after us, when I am sure you were heading elsewhere.’
‘Not at all, not at all.’ He waved a hand airily. ‘Exercise is good for one.’
‘Lord Orlando has just been advocating exercise also, but of a nature perhaps more pleasant to a cavalryman. He has suggested a party ride up Lansdown to see the pretty churches and the monument to Sir Bevil Grenville, who was killed in the battle upon that height, during the Civil War.’
Lydia regarded her with some awe, having had no notion whatsoever who the gentleman had been or why 323there was a monument. She refrained from asking ‘Which Civil War?’
‘Of course, you will not have a mount with you in Bath,’ drawled Lord Orlando, anticipating what was to come.
‘Oh, that does not bother me. I have had to ride some very varied animals in the course of my career. There are troopers with the hardest of mouths and who try and pull one’s hands from the wrists.’
Lord Orlando gave in. ‘Then shall we say we meet before Mrs Newent’s residence at ten, tomorrow?’
‘Why yes, capital idea.’ Mr Gilmorton flashed so swift a glance at Miss Brailes that even Lord Orlando, very suspicious, could not be sure of what he saw.
Having escorted the ladies as far as Charles Street, Mr Gilmorton requested that a maid accompany himself and Miss Brailes on to her abode in Beaufort Square, even though it was but a step.
His conversation with her had therefore to be somewhat oblique so that the maid would not comprehend its meaning.
‘Masterly, Miss Brailes. That spiked his guns. Had you considered a career on Lord Wellington’s staff? We should have the French marshals reeling in no time.’
‘Mr Gilmorton, it was nothing. I only hope Mama does not oppose my going upon the expedition.’
‘Is she likely to do so?’
‘She herself has never ridden, and regards it as a hazardous activity for ladies. My old hack at home is so placid that she has learnt not to worry, at least not to excess, but she may draw the line at a hired horse.’
‘Would it help if I promised to go and survey the livery 324stables this afternoon, ma’am?
I have to find a mount for myself, and it would be a pleasure to find something amiable for you and Miss Newent.
I will send a note to tell her as much. As Lady Brailes knows, I am a cavalryman; she must trust my judgement upon horseflesh. ’
‘Are you sure, sir? I would not put you to any trouble.’
‘Miss Brailes, that,’ he said, with as much meaning as he dared invest it, ‘would be impossible.’
The maid, walking a few steps behind, could not see the blush that suffused Miss Brailes’ cheeks.
Lord Orlando was not a happy man. He was now faced with taking a party composed largely of persons he had no wish to entertain, upon a day of pleasure that would now have no pleasure in it at all.
He could think of nothing worse than hacking about the country and visiting musty churches.
It had been a clever plan to end in successful seduction, and it was ruined.
What was more, he had to find other persons to make up the ‘party’.
The obvious one was Brailes, of whom he was fast tiring.
He cudgelled his brains for others, and only managed to come up with one of his gambling acquaintances, Mr Heanor, and a rather dashing if overblown widow, Mrs Chasewater, who would no doubt be delighted to show off her already obvious delights in the guise of an equestrienne.
It was therefore a somewhat eclectic party that assembled next morning.
If Mr Gilmorton regretted the presence of Frederick Brailes and was rather shocked at that of Mrs Chasewater and the louche Mr Heanor, he refrained from comment, but determined to protect 325Miss Brailes from the latter two.
Mr Brailes, who was positively frightened of the Titian-haired Mrs Chasewater, and who had no wish to escort his own sister, gravitated to Miss Newent.
She had previously overlooked him when in the presence of the far more handsome and dashing Lord Orlando, but she found his ponderous guidance and gallantry perfectly acceptable.
She even went so far as to whisper to Caroline Brailes, when they stopped for a moment to enable Lord Orlando to tighten Mrs Chasewater’s girth, that her brother was the most charming of gentlemen. Caroline nearly fell off her horse.
It was decided that they should go first to the monument and visit the churches at Langridge and Charlcombe upon the return journey.
Lord Orlando was at first a little sulky, but then abandoned his bad mood to flirt outrageously with Mrs Chasewater, largely to put Mr Heanor’s nose out of joint, since he had been doing his best to attract her.
His assumption that Miss Newent would not have the wits to notice was in error, though it had to be said she was more confused than angered.