Chapter Five
Having tried on three dresses since last evening, Harriet finally selected on a deep-plum cotton dress with black piping on the collar and sleeves.
Rex handed her a matching bonnet and reticule.
Her maid had fashioned her hair into an upswept style and one last look in the mirror confirmed all the time she’d taken getting ready for this first outing with Lord Lucien was well worth it.
Daphne and Arthur had even approved when she’d gone in search of Daphne to get her opinion.
The pair had been on the terrace enjoying tea together before Arthur left for his trip to Parliament.
A knock on the door of her rooms had her maid scurrying to see who was on the other side. She closed the door and squealed. “Lord Kingston has arrived.”
“Oh my. You’re sure I look good?”
“Perfect. Now stop making excuses and go downstair and meet him. He’s going to be in awe of your beauty,” Rex said as she pushed Harriet to the door. “Have a wonderful time with Lord Kingston.”
Harriet was at a loss for words. She simply nodded and left to meet him.
Finding him standing inside the drawing room talking with Daphne put her at ease, but what was she going to do when it was just the two of them?
She couldn’t afford to resort to her shyness.
It would scare him away for sure. She didn’t need to be chatty, just act interested in what he had to say and what he might ask her.
That was all. Everything would fall into place if it was meant to be.
The man was so incredibly handsome, and he didn’t act like some men and flaunt it in front of others. He wasn’t a dandy. “Good day, Lady Harriet.”
“Good day,” she replied.
“We should get going. There’s usually a good crowd on days the balloons are there.”
“I’m excited to see the balloons.”
It took her a moment for her eyes to adjust as he led her to the landau he’d come in. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue with only a few clouds lazily rolling along. It was going to be a magnificent day for a drive through the park to watch the balloons.
“I thought the landau would be perfect for the day and for looking at the balloons as they launch,” he said.
She nodded. “It’s perfect for a day like today.”
“It is, isn’t it.” He motioned for his driver to leave.
Seated next to the driver was Harriet’s maid. Unfortunately, society dictated that she couldn’t be alone at this stage of their courting—if that’s what this was. Today would give her a bigger picture of what he might have in mind. At least, she hoped he would.
As they entered Hyde Park, Harriet noted him tip his hat acknowledging people he knew. “You know a lot of people if this small space is any indication,” she said.
“Perhaps just casual acquaintances. I might know him from some business transaction or have met him socially.”
The landau passed a small group of young ladies she knew and from the look on Lucien’s face he knew them as well.
It occurred to her they were part of the group who thought teasing and belittling were the way things were done.
They didn’t want her to have anything to do with Lucien and thought he was too good for her, but he ignored them as they passed.
Hyde Park had always been a place for the ton to be seen.
They hadn’t spoken a whole lot since leaving Jameson House, which Harriet thought was a good sign because it meant they didn’t have to speak to enjoy each other’s company.
The landau continued to make its way through the park.
Harriet happened to turn to her left and saw the balloons.
They were in various stages of being readied for flight.
“Look! There are the balloons at the top of that ridge,” she said excitedly.
“Indeed. Would you care to walk? We can find a place to sit down to watch if you’d like.”
“Very much so,” she replied. “I’d like that very much.”
Instructing the driver to stop, Lucien jumped down from the landau and walked to the other side to help her down. He offered her a smile as he put her on the ground. “Let me fetch a blanket we can put on the grass.” He returned after a moment, hands empty.
“Did you forget the blanket?”
“No. My man and your maid will bring it momentarily,” he replied.
“Then let’s start walking. I’m sure we’ll have no trouble finding a suitable place to watch.”
He offered his arm and patted the top of her hand as they began their walk. She stood tall, knowing this wasn’t a dream. “Did I mention to you how lovely you look today? That color suits you perfectly.”
Harriet could feel her cheeks heat up. “Thank you, Lord Kingston. The color is among my favorites,” she replied.
“Please, call me Lucien. There’s no need for such formality between us.”
He wanted her to call him by his given name. She wasn’t going to stumble on her words. “Very well…Lucien. Then you must call me Harriet.”
“I’d be honored.” He changed their direction just slightly having seen her maid bent over taking the time to smooth out the wrinkles. “I see your maid spreading out a blanket. It’s in a very suitable spot.”
Moments later he helped her sit on the luscious green grass before sitting next to her. “This is perfect. We’ll be able to see them lift off with no obstructions,” Harriet replied.
“Would you still care to ride? We could come here.”
“My riding is limited. I believe I told you of my misadventures of riding sidesaddle. I would hate to embarrass you.”
“You wouldn’t. If you’re that nervous about it, I could take you to a private area used exactly for that.”
“I don’t know,” she replied.
“You’re not afraid of horses, are you? I have a very gentle gelding you can ride. I think you’ll do just fine. I can evaluate your abilities and make sure you’re well suited.”
Harriet hesitated for a moment. He truly seemed as though he had her best interest at heart and would make sure she could ride safely. “Very well, I accept your offer, and no, I’m not scared of horses.”
“You’ll not regret it. I promise.”
Suddenly she squealed. One of the balloons was preparing to be free of its mooring lines.
The balloon was a distinctive shade of red with a gold logo on two sides.
As the mooring lines tumbled to the ground, the basket and balloon began to slowly rise.
The two passengers waved at those they left behind on the ground. It was truly an amazing sight to see.
As the one gained distance between the ground and basket, another one was preparing to join it. This one had multi-colors on the balloon and carried four passengers.
“This is amazing, Lucien. I’ve never seen one leave the ground before.”
“It is a sight to behold. I never tire of watching them.”
The second balloon began to lift into the blue sky. Harriet was completely mesmerized by the sight. “Will they land back here, or will they go down wherever they can?”
“They are hard to steer, as you can imagine. If there isn’t a breeze to carry them off, they’ll descend here.”
“Do they turn the fire low so no more gas keeps it in the air? Then the balloon is caught with those hooks and tied down?” she asked without taking her eyes off the balloons.
“That’s exactly how they accomplish it. How did you know that? A book?” He appeared amazed by the fact she knew things most women didn’t.
“From watching them rise, I concluded they must repeat the process in reverse,” Harriet replied.
“And you’d be correct.”
“My mother certainly wouldn’t like my telling you that. In her eyes, women are to remain silent even if they know the answer or something about the discussed subject.”
He gave a lopsided grin. “She and I would have to disagree on that. I find it refreshing hearing a woman share her knowledge.”
Harriet smiled back at him. She wasn’t sure how she should respond, so she kept her eyes skyward where the first balloon was hovering over the crowd ready to descend.
“I’m glad of that. I’ve never understood why women aren’t to be heard speaking about anything that doesn’t include the weather or other simple subjects.”
Lucien’s eyes were fixated on the balloon now descending. “Look, he’ll be on the ground momentarily.”
“The hooks will help steady it, correct?”
“Yes, that and shutting off the flame. I understand it can be rough landing like that.”
Both continued to watch in awe as the basket was secured and the passengers were helped off.
Out of the corner of her eye, Harriet caught Lucien looking at her.
Not wanting him to catch her, Harriet repositioned herself on the blanket.
Doing that gave her an excuse to look at him and try and decide why he’d been staring at her.
“I’m sorry, we’ve been sitting for a while,” she said.
He nodded. “We have. Would you like to walk for a while? It’ll be a while before the balloons are ready for new passengers.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
Lucien helped her up from the blanket. He then gathered his hat and placed it back on his head. “Why don’t we walk along that path? There’s a pond where the swans sometimes gather.”
“I love to watch the swans. They are so regal,” she replied.
As they began to walk, he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm.
There were more people out now. All were taking advantage of the lovely day.
Even this time of year, it wasn’t uncommon for rain or storms to pop up and send residents scurrying back home.
The one thing she disliked about warmer weather was having to wear a bonnet.
Her mother had made sure she wore one to protect her face from the sun and the sun burn it could cause.
“Where do you stay in London?” Harriet suddenly asked. It was none of her business, but she was still intrigued enough to ask.
“At the family house. It’s not far from Jameson House,” he replied.
“London has certainly grown in the past few years.”