Page 94 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
‘Harry was supposed to be meeting us at Windsor,’ Helen said.
‘But Papa stopped his allowance this month, and so he said he could not afford to travel. Did you know?’ Jenny asked.
‘Papa is constantly stopping his allowance,’ Rob answered. When Rob had been at college, he frequently bailed his brother out of debts because Harry had no allowance and continued to spend.
‘He broke into his master’s room last week for a dare and hung the master’s underwear from the window.’
‘That is something Harry would do,’ Rob answered.
The subject of conversation continued to be Harry, as Rob led the procession of carriages that stretched like a ribbon through the Berkshire countryside.
It was easy to spot the flat meadow by the Thames where Kate had planned for them to eat their picnic, because there were two dozen servants there, and they had set out marquees and tables.
The great castle stood on the hill above them, as he stopped the phaeton, and looked back to see Caro smiling towards Phillip as he steered his horses onto the meadow grass.
Rob looked away before Caro saw him watching. He did not want it to appear as though it bothered him. But if inferior was a word that cut, jealousy was an emotion that snarled like a rabid beast.
‘Robbie!’ As he helped his sisters climb down, a high voice screamed his name. Jemima. Who came racing towards him. Georgiana ran too, their feet flattening the long grass.
‘Jemima!’ He mimicked her squeal, caught her up and twirled her around once, then set her on her feet. He was their favourite brother, he knew, because John had been too distant for years and Harry rarely gave them any attention, and his young brothers could not be looked up to.
He rested a hand on Georgiana’s shoulder as Jemima clung to his other hand and joined the family group with all his younger sisters.
Caro walked that way too, with her hand on Phillip’s arm. She joined Kate and John, who were standing with his parents, and Mary and Drew, all holding their youngest children.
Rob would have walked to another group, but Jemima pulled him towards their parents’.
His heart tugged him that way anyway.
‘Uncle Bobbie!’ George cried, raising his arms.
Paul stood beside John, watching George, with his arms wrapped about his father’s trouser leg as John’s arms were filled with David.
‘George!’ Rob called back, mimicking his nephew’s voice, witha smile on his lips. He let go of Jemima’s hand and took George from Drew. ‘You are suitably excited, I see, and ready to tire your mama and papa out.’
George grinned. ‘Tumble.’
‘In a moment. Let me say good day to everyone first.’
‘Good day, Mary, Papa, John.’ He swallowed. ‘Phillip.’ Caro, he had already spoken to, so he did not say good day to her, and any other words stuck in his throat. He was intensely aware that Caro’s fingers still rested on Phillip’s arm. It made it impossible to speak dispassionately. Yet, he knew his expression asked why she had not chosen to travel with him.
There was no answer in her eyes. He faced a bland smile.
‘Uncle Bobbie, tumble,’ George begged again.
‘It is Uncle Robbie not Bobbie,’ Paul corrected, looking up at George with his father’s pale blue assessing eyes, as though George’s childish behaviour were odd. For a three-year-old, sometimes he sounded thirty. He was the heir to a dukedom, though, and already being schooled.
Still, inferior was not a word Rob would have George feel. ‘I am Bobbie to George, Paul, and I think I always shall be.’ He tussled Paul’s hair, because Paul ought to be a boy before he became a duke.
George tugged at Rob’s ear. ‘Tumble.’
‘Are you going to show your cousins how you can hit a ball with the bat today? You will have to hope your papa, or grandpapa, or one of your great uncles has brought a bat and ball.’
‘Uncle John has.’ George nodded.
‘Then we are in luck.’ Rob looked down at Paul. ‘Now, if George and I are to play tumble, I think we should play on the blankets, and if anyone else wishes to play then they may come with us.’ The offer was put to Paul, but it was David and Jemima who came.
He moved to a blanket well away from Caro. It was best to stay out of her way until they might speak alone.
