Page 69 of Leap of Faith
“We will put it out you are taking your sister to the country to recover from some ailment. Not everyone will believe it, of course, but no one will be able to say otherwise without looking peevish.”
“How will I be kept safe?”
Lady Westwood took the brush from Faith and began to stroke her hair softly.
“You will be surrounded by me, your sisters, and your magnificent cadre of gentlemen. Many ladies would promise their first-born to be surrounded by such a crew!” She laughed.
Faith hoped it would be as safe as Lady Westwood seemed to think.
“I never had a daughter to do this for,” she mused.
“That is one of my best memories of my mama. She used to brush my hair every night,” Faith said wistfully. It did feel divine.
“Everything is going to work out, you know. When Dominic told me he was bringing the five of you to London. I questioned his motives, but I do think it has been good for him.”
Faith swallowed her retort about his motives being absolutely selfish. “He has certainly inherited more than he bargained for.” Faith would call it his just deserts if she were not the desert in question. “He did not send us to the country as soon as he realized how much trouble we caused.”
“One thing I will say, my son would not do this if he did not wish to. Everyone caters to him horribly. The men envy his sporting abilities, and the ladies want his looks, title, and wealth, and that has made him rather selfish.”
Faith could not refute the point. All evidence to her eyes agreed with the viscountess.
“This has been good for him—for all of them to have a purpose other than themselves. That is not to say Dominic is not a conscientious landlord. He cares very deeply for his land and his tenants. And he positively dotes on me and his grandmother.”
“I had noticed he is a very attentive son.”
“Yet he is also very attentive to you and your sisters,” she said with a smirk that Faith saw in the mirror.
“I beg you will not have expectations of anything between your son and I, ma’am. I assure you he is only fulfilling his duty as our guardian. He has shown no partiality for me in that way.”
“My child, I must beg to differ. His grandmother and I both noticed it.”
Hopefully, the dowager would not go on and on about how she thought Faith would be his perfect bride. Faith could hardly call them liars. “Be that as it may, I had not thought to marry, at least before my sisters are fired off. My primary responsibility is to them.”
The viscountess smiled indulgently, but did not press her any further, for which Faith was grateful.
By the time they were ready for Vauxhall later that evening, the excitement from her sisters was palpable.
While the evening was not a masquerade, they had decided to wear almost identical gowns. They wished to make it more difficult to distinguish between the sisters—especially in the darkness. Moreover, they had determined never to be separated from either another sister, Lady Westwood, or one of their gentleman protectors. Personally, Faith had no wish to leave the box for the evening as another measure of safety.
Lord Westwood had arranged for them to arrive by river boat, which was a special treat. None of them had ever done such a thing. The closest they had ever come was being rowed on the lake at Taywards.
They had loaded onto a luxurious barge covered with a canopy and seats beneath, with men in livery posted about to guide them through the water.
“Oh, the memories this recalls,” Lady Westwood said wistfully. “However did you come by this?”
“Freddy’s father keeps it docked at his house, just off the river. He still prefers to travel by boat. He was happy to lend it and his men in this cause.”
“We always came by the river in my youth.”
“You also wore dreadful wigs and hoops, and the men had ridiculous heels,” Lord Westwood retorted dryly.
“Yes, it was glorious! The men were beautiful. It was something to behold.” She beamed, causing all of the sisters to laugh. “I should have powdered my hair and worn a beauty mark!”
“Perhaps that can be the theme of your next ball,” Hope suggested. “I would love to dress like your portrait in the gallery.”
“A child after my own heart!” she said warmly to Hope.
“I can see I will need to plan a grand tour for next Season,” Lord Westwood murmured.
