Page 33 of One Perfect Dance
Rex gave Dilly a consoling pat on the shoulder as he passed. “The landau is not quite what I had in mind,” he said to Ash. “Do you remember the carriage the Duchesse de Monterosa used in Alexandria to take her children to see the crocodiles? I’d like something a bit closer to that for my lady wife. Something that will fit the whole nursery party, including footmen.”
He sighed. “And Lady Arthur wants some sort of provision on the back to carry our baby carriage and all the other paraphernalia that is apparently essential for a thirty-minute drive in the Park.” He didn’t look at Dilly as he added, “A princess is a great catch, but being raised in the lap of luxury does make her very particular in her tastes.”
“I was telling Lord Arthur he should commission one,” said Barker to Ash, ignoring the Deffews as if they did not exist, “and he can use our barouche while it is being built.”
Mouth pulled Dilly a few feet away and whispered to him. Ash heard the word “apologize.”
When Barker said, “Let’s find a team for your phaeton,” and started to walk away, Mouth stepped in front of him, saying to Ash, “Will you not introduce us to your friends, Ashby?”
Ash asked, “Do you wish to meet the gentlemen, Rex? Barker?”
Barker snarled deep in his throat. Rex grinned. “By all means.” He waved a lordly hand.
Ash said, in proper form, “My lords, allow me to present Mr. Matthew Deffew and Mr. David Deffew. Gentlemen, Lord Arthur Versey, Lord Barker.”
Mouth bowed, and nudge Dilly. “I beg your pardon for what I said, my lord,” Dilly hastened to say, “I did not realize you were listening.”
Rex’s eyebrows shot up as his eyes widened. “And you think your comments would have been appropriate if I had not overheard? How kind of you to confirm my initial impression, Deffew.”
“The man’s an idiot,” Barker grumbled in an undertone. Dilly pretended not to hear him.
“Just so you know,” Rex confided to the Deffew brothers, “my half-wittery has been much exaggerated. As an example, chosen at random, I never insult people behind their backs, but if I were to do so, I would check my surroundings first. In some of the places Ash and I have been over the past sixteen years, insulting a member of a wealthy and influential family would lead to dismemberment and death, rather than the mere financial and social ruin a family like mine has at its command. And insulting that man’s wife? The same, but with blunt knives.”
Dilly was frowning, clearly trying to understand whether he had been threatened. Mouth, though, had no doubt. He bowed. “My brother has learned his lesson, my lord, I assure you.” His eyes told a different story, burning with banked wrath.
“Has he?” Rex asked. “We must hope so. Good afternoon, gentlemen. Come on, Ash. We have a carriage and team to purchase, and then lunch at Westruthers.”
Chapter Thirteen
Regina was aboutto go above stairs to prepare for her outing with Elijah, when her brother William arrived. As Geoffrey’s titular guardian, he’d received a stern letter from the university, and had come to read the boy a lecture.
Cousin Mary took one look at his scowl and excused herself to go and talk to the housekeeper.
Geoffrey had been reasonably cheerful until then, despite a sleepless night, the pain in his hand keeping him awake for most of the night. William’s lecture on propriety sent him into a sullen temper.
“Had the pair of you seen fit to share the truth with me, brother, I might have taken a different approach when Richard Deffew called my sister an incestuous slut.” He suddenly remembered Regina was in the room. “I apologize for my language, Mother. Regina, I mean.”
William opened his mouth and then shut it again, finally saying, “Oh.” He then, the cad, turned to Regina and said, “I thought you were going to tell him?”
Regina glared. “We had that discussion three weeks ago, William. Did you expect me to tell him by letter? If Matthew Deffew had not seen fit to share his scurrilous version of the story with his son, we would have been having this discussion when I next visited Cambridge, and Geoffrey would not have an injured hand.”
“Hmm,” William said. “Broke your hand, did you?” He raised an eyebrow and attempted to remain stern, but a smile twitched the corners of his lips. “Broke young Deffew’s jaw with it, I gather. Must have been a good blow!”
“William!” Regina would never understand men. “I thought you agreed with me that this was not the way to quell gossip.”
William had the grace to look sheepish. “Yes, I suppose. But you have to admit our boy was provoked.” Then he compounded his crime by adding, “Pity we can’t do the same for the little rat’s lying father.”
Regina threw her hands up in the air. “Men! Thinking that a fight solves anything. I am going up to get changed for an afternoon drive with a friend.”
“Anyone we know?” William asked.
Regina wanted to keep her escort’s identity from her menfolk. Which was silly. It was not as if Elijah was courting her. And even if he was, William and Geoffrey had no reason to object. And even if they did…What a ridiculous train of thought. “Elijah Ashby.”
“The travel writer that you and Father used to correspond with?” Geoffrey asked. He turned to William. “I have read all of his books, Unc… um…” He blushed over his own hesitation and then rushed on. “His and Lord Arthur Versey’s, that is.”
In a moment, the two men were exchanging views on the adventures recorded in Elijah’s books. Perfect amity was restored. Regina rolled her eyes and went up to change. She would have to hurry to be ready on time.
In the event, she was a little late and Elijah was early. She came downstairs to find him in the drawing room with Cousin Mary, Geoffrey, and William, the four of them in eager conversation about the political and strategic importance of Central Asia.
