Chapter 6 Theo
Theo
True to his word, as he always liked to think he was, Theo de Vere, Duke of Capendale arrived back at Semington House, this time in his phaeton, precisely one hour after he’d left.
To his surprise, as he was more used to having to wait some time for ladies, he found Miss Montague already waiting on her doorstep with a bag so small he had to own himself impressed.
She was clearly a lady who traveled light, as he himself did.
As the phaeton did not lend itself to having a driver other than its owner, her footman had been co-opted to take the horses’ heads, and he was able to get down from his high perch, greet her with stiff politeness, and help her up.
She needed very little of this, as she seemed agile in the way she caught up her skirts and climbed onto the passenger seat.
Theo climbed up beside her again, gathered up the reins, and nodded to the footman to release the horses.
Even though they’d already been driven the three miles by road round from Larkford House, they sprang forward with enthusiasm and the phaeton bowled with alacrity down the drive and out through the gates.
Miss Montague, one hand on the grab strap and the other resting demurely in her lap as though very much at ease with their smart pace, kept her face forward and paid him no heed as he turned left into the lane.
Very soon they were bowling along in the warm spring sunshine with a slight breeze ruffling the horses’ manes and Miss Montague’s fair hair.
Theo remained silent for some time, as he was in general a man of few words, apart, of course, from when he had occasion to reprimand his sister.
Sometimes his youngest brother, George, as well, as that young sprig was always getting up to mischief at Oxford, where he was supposed to be preparing himself to follow in Richard’s footsteps and become a clergyman.
He’d expressed a slight preference for joining William in the army, but this had only been because he’d thought it a less onerous aim in life that didn’t require a degree in divinity.
Their late father, already not happy to have one son away fighting in the Peninsular War, had put his foot down, and Theo was adhering to his father’s wishes.
Of course, part of his reluctance to make conversation was because of who he was with.
A young lady both his late parents had been adamant he should never associate with.
And here she was, very much within socializing distance.
It was only when they reached the main road to Banbury that he found a reason to speak.
He cleared his throat. “They will have headed north, of course.”
She looked at him with raised eyebrows. “No? Will they? I would never have thought of that for myself.” Her tone was sarcastic.
“I’m sorry if I have stated the obvious,” he said, more than a little stiffly. “I had no idea if you were aware of where they will be headed.”
Her lips formed the slightest of smiles, rendering her whole face softer.
“And I am sorry if my tone offended, but, as a woman, I have had occasion to suffer the way men like to explain things to us poor, uneducated creatures. And to be clear, I am under the assumption that the foolish pair will be headed toward Gretna Green.”
“Foolish pair? Do I understand that you also are not in favor of this match?”
She nodded. “Of course I’m not. Our families are sworn enemies. Why would I want my brother to marry into such a family as yours? Without a doubt, I wish to stop this. Did you think otherwise?”
He bridled. “Well, no, I suppose I didn’t.
It’s just that most people would jump at the chance to become connected to a ducal family.
” And then he rather wished he hadn’t said that, as it sounded so…
pompous…smug…self-important. You name it, he’d just sounded like it.
He berated himself internally but kept an impassive expression.
She, however, appeared most amused. “It is extremely useful to be informed of the importance of your family, as prior to our meeting I had no idea at all of your position in society.”
And now she was being sarcastic again. Best to ignore that or it might end in angry words.
He’d concentrate on driving his horses instead.
Despite it being Sunday, there was still a fair bit of traffic about on the Banbury road: pedestrians, of course, a few ponies and traps, an empty farm wagon or two, several carriages and, of course, quite a few people on horseback.
Why everyone wanted to be out and about on a Sunday, he had no idea, but it might make it easier for Juliet and her beau to pass almost unremarked.
Perhaps the fine spring weather had brought everyone out.
Damn it. He clicked at his horses and they lengthened their stride.
They were a matched pair of high-stepping bays and had cost him a pretty penny last year.
Being fit and strong, they could keep up a steady trot at eight miles per hour for as long as he needed them to.
It wasn’t as if they were hitched to a heavy mail coach and being made to gallop, which always led to the horses having to be changed every ten miles or so.
No, his horses lived on the best hay and oats his estate could provide and were cossetted by their grooms like a pair of spoiled children.
And also exercised by the grooms when he didn’t have the time.
He stared straight ahead of himself and ignored his passenger.