Page 7 of The Uncouth Duke of Longford
“Yes, very pleasant, though the park is going to become very crowded indeed, I think.” Miss Renfrew made a face and Rachel laughed.
“I would have thought it would have delighted thetonto have so many present,” she said, having never set foot out during the fashionable hour before. “But you do not seem to think it will be at all enjoyable.”
Miss Renfrew shook her head. “It is a bustling affair! There are carriages everywhere, with many becoming trapped because they cannot go ahead and cannot go back. There will be many gentlemen on horses – sweaty horses, I might add – and there will be so many people present, it will be hard to distinguish one from another!”
“Goodness.” The smile had faded from Rachel’s face as Miss Renfrew had spoken. “I am surprised that Bettina showed so much eagerness in attending, then. She came into my bedchamber this morning in a flurry, demanding that I give her my gloves.”
“Your gloves?”
Seeing her friend’s confusion, Rachel managed a smile. “Yes, because my gloves had a perfect seam whereas hers did not.”
“Oh.” Miss Renfrew rolled her eyes and then giggled. “How foolish that is.” Her eyes sharpened for a moment, her smile fading. “I presume that she did succeed in taking them, however?”
Rachel let a broad smile spread right across her face. “Ah, but I was wily enough to give my gloves to a maid so that she wouldnotbe able to demand them,” she said, laughing at Miss Renfrew’s surprised look. “She demanded them, I refused and thereafter, she went in search of our mother in order to make her requirements known to her. Given that my mother will always give in to whatever my sister demands, I had only a short while to come up with a plan to hide my gloves. I did so and then when my mother insisted that I give my gloves to Bettina since she is the eldest and, therefore, requires absolute perfection, I was able to say quite honestly, that I did not know where they were.” She laughed again as Miss Renfrew giggled. “So my gloves are quite safe and therefore, I am quite contented.”
“Though you are not wearing them?”
Rachel shrugged. “I did not think it a requirement to wear gloves this afternoon… at least, not my very best ones. My sister reminded me that every gentleman would be looking at her rather than at me so therefore, I chose an older pair of gloves instead.” She said this lightly, her tone a little teasing but her friend did not smile. Instead, Miss Renfrew frowned heavily, lines forming between her eyebrows.
“That is not in the least bit true, however,” Miss Renfrew stated, firmly. “There is no reason why a good many gentlemen might not look at you… even if you are not wearing your very best gloves.”
Rachel laughed at this, making Miss Renfrew grin. She caught her mother glancing over her shoulder at her, perhaps a little irritated at the sound, perhaps thinking that Rachel was being a little too loud, but nothing was said and Rachel shrugged inwardly, looping one arm through Miss Renfrew’s so they might walk together.
“Now, tell me,” she said, quickly, “what gentlemen here should I avoid? After we were so rudely interrupted last evening, I should very much like to continue on with our conversation.”
Miss Renfrew chuckled. “Oh yes, there are a good many gentlemen that I could point out to you, though I must confess that my interest has been piqued as regards the gentleman who spoke so rudely to us last evening.”
“Oh?”
“I did speak to my father about him but my father had no knowledge as to whom I was speaking of.” Miss Renfrew’s smile slipped. “He was a little too interested in how many coins he had lost instead.”
Rachel’s lips twisted though she said nothing.
“I admit that I have wondered about him nonetheless,” Miss Renfrew continued, her tone a little more cheerful now. “Mayhap we should ask Lord Henderson as to who he might be, given that he was the one we were speaking about when that gentleman interrupted us. Recall that he was displeased because he said that this gentleman was his friend?”
“I do not know Lord Henderson but would it not be a little strange if we simply asked him about this gentleman?” Rachel asked, frowning. “He would wonder as to why we were asking him, surely?”
Miss Renfrew considered this and then sighed. “I suppose so. However, I – oh!” She gasped aloud and came to a sudden stop, making Rachel stumble. A little confused, Rachel made to ask her friend what the trouble was, though Miss Renfrew’s wide eyes and fixed stare had her quickly turning her attention straight ahead. She soon saw what – or who – it was that her friend stared at. The very gentleman she had been speaking about was standing directly opposite them, talking to two gentlemen and one lady.
Rachel’s heart slammed hard against her chest, her eyes going wide with surprise. “Goodness, there he is!”
“Let us go at once!” Miss Renfrew exclaimed, making to go forward though Rachel held herself back, pulling her friend away from those intentions.
“No, wait a moment.” Rachel found herself hesitating, wondering at that dark expression on the gentleman’s face. “I do not think we should approach him. After all, he was not at all pleased with our company last evening and I highly doubt that he will want to speak with us again this afternoon.”
Miss Renfrew smiled, her eyes twinkling. “Why should that matter?”
Rachel blinked. “I – I do not know. I do not want to irritate him.” She bit her lip. Her instinct was to remain back, to hide herself away from this gentleman rather than approach him. Even though she was not of any particular interest to her mother or father, she did not want to bring any sort of embarrassment to herself and, therefore, to them.
“He will not say anything, if that is what you are concerned about.” Miss Renfrew tugged her gently forward. “He is in company and with those that I am already acquainted with. Why should you be concerned?”
Rachel swallowed hard and though she paused still, her friend’s urging forced her steps forward. The tightness in herthroat dissipated as she drew in a little courage into herself, telling herself silently that there would be no difficulty in introducing themselves to the group. It was not as though they would be able to hide themselves away from the gentleman for the rest of the Season also, was it?
“Very well.”
With a quiet exclamation of clear delight, Rachel permitted herself to be led forward, though she kept her gaze away from the gentleman as they approached the group. Miss Renfrew walked slowly, ambling almost as they drew near, only for her gaze to supposedly fall upon one of those present.
“Miss Hawthorn, good afternoon! And you also, Lord Bretford.”
