Page 30 of Leap of Faith
“No, I will not prance about in my unmentionables with wings strapped to my back. We could be fallen angels, me and my friends, though.”
“Not so far from the truth,” Faith muttered to herself, but Lord Westwood must have heard.
“Baggage,” he leaned over and said appreciatively.
“There is always Shakespeare. We could transform the ballroom into the woods and grotto fromA Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Patience suggested.
“It has been done, I am afraid.”
“Certainly not Julius Caesar or Romeo and Juliet,” Grace shuddered. “No tragedies.”
“What about a jungle?” Joy asked as she stroked Freddy Tiger’s head. “Or something exotic like China? They have the most exquisite dolls we could dress as!”
“You would have to paint your faces white and I would not think anything to hide your natural beauty would be the thing to introduce you to theton. They will have heard about you by now and will be wanting a glimpse,” Lord Westwood reasoned.
“Then we might as well do the Exeter Exchange and put us in display cages!” Patience moaned.
“That’s the ticket!” Westwood said ironically.
“Let us see what Lady Westwood thinks,” Faith put in hurriedly before the discussion dived any deeper into the ridiculous.
* * *
Dominic glancedup as his mother glided back in the room, looking more excited than he had seen her in years.
“Two weeks!” she announced. “Oh, there you are, Dominic. Have you helped the girls decide what our theme will be?”
He rose and placed a kiss on his mother’s proffered cheek. “Certainly. They would like to be animals in cages on display like at the ’Change.”
She gasped as he knew she would.
“Besides the options of Henry the Eighth’s wives or goddesses in the heavens, we are at a loss,” Miss Whitford said sheepishly.
Dominic wished he had a portrait of his mother’s face in that moment.
“What about a carnival or Astley’s Amphitheatre?” Joy persisted. “We are all very good horsewomen,” she said with modest innocence.
“Joy, you do not say such things about yourself,” Faith quietly scolded.
“But it is true. I miss Nightingale.”
“Was Nightingale your mare?” Dominic asked.
“Yes, but we had to leave all our horses behind. Faith did not think they were truly ours to take, but I’ve had her since she was a foal!”
Dominic could see he would either need to speak with Sir Reginald or visit Tattersalls very soon. Unless Sir Reginald was intending on keeping the girls’ horses for his own offspring, he might appreciate them being taken off his hands instead of eating their heads off in the stables.
Meanwhile, his mother was still fretting about the theme, and was growing more horrified with each suggestion made to her.
“Shall I send Satterlee to you, Mother, and take these ladies for an airing in the park?” Surely offering his best of secretaries would appease her.
“May we please go to Astley’s?” Joy asked without hesitation.
“Joy, we have discussed the impropriety of imposing on Lord Westwood,” Faith reminded the youngest, who they were going to be hard-pressed to keep in the school room.
“There is no showing today, imp, but I will take you soon.” Whatever was happening to him? He’d been brought to heel by a fifteen-year-old slip of a girl.
“A walk in the park would be just the thing, my lord,” Faith said.
