Page 47 of Leap of Faith
“It is customary to ask a guardian for permission to drive in the park or court a young lady, is it not?”
“Of course, but in your absence, your mother made the introductions and made no objections.”
Faith could not understand why Lord Westwood was being so rude. They were in an open carriage in the park and while Lady Westwood had not consented in so many words, she had introduced them, so Faith had thought him an acceptable parti.
Lord Westwood ordered his tiger to take the reins, then climbed down and held out his hand to her.
Faith stared at it and wondered what would happen if she objected.
“Do not try me in this, Miss Whitford,” he said in quiet command, but she heard. She cast an apologetic glance at Sir Julian. Lord Westwood handed her down into his curricle and then mounted into it himself.
As soon as she was seated, Westwood snapped the reins, but instead of driving home, he turned back towards the park.
“May I ask what this is about? Is Sir Julian a bad person?”
At first, she did not think he would answer. He greeted a few acquaintances as though she did not exist. She even contemplated climbing down when they had slowed enough to do so.
“Sir Julian is accepted in Society, but he is not to be trifled with.”
“He seemed perfectly polite to me.”
“That is doing it a bit too brown, my girl!”
“He is a bit ridiculous,” she conceded, “but there was no civil way for me to reject his offer.”
“Well, now you have one. I forbid it.”
“For no reason other than he is a fop?” she argued.
“Did I say so?”
“Not precisely in those words, no.”
“You must trust me on this. You are still very green when it comes to London ways.”
“And I am here against my wishes.”
“I suppose I deserve that. Despite being an ogre, I will not deliberately put you or your sisters in harm’s way.”
With that, Faith had to be satisfied, because Lord Westwood said no more on the matter. Except she was not satisfied in the least, and she had to swallow her spleen at his high-handed treatment.
* * *
Dominic cursedhimself for losing his temper, but Sir Julian had completely caught him by surprise. Never before had Sir Julian made an attempt to court a respectable young lady, so why should Dominic have expected that would be his attack? And what did he mean by it?
He had deliberately stayed away from his mother’s drawing room that day, because he had little interest in such things. However, Sir Julian meant mischief, and he knew how to force Dominic’s hand.
He needed to consult his friends and alert them to the danger. The one thing he was certain of was that there would be nothing respectable in the wager Sir Julian had instigated.
His mother was to escort the ladies to a recital that night, and Dominic was fairly confident that Sir Julian would not demean himself for such an event, even for the sake of a wager. However, he would also warn his mother. Of first importance was to send notes to his friends for an impromptu dinner and then he would consult them on the matter.
His friends would not fail him. No one would decline a dinner made by his Italian chef, Marco.
Dominic went personally to convince the chef what a treat it would be to prepare a specialty for his guests at the last minute.
Rotham was the first to arrive that evening. “I could kiss you, Dominic. My mother was blackmailing me into attending the opera.”
“You are most welcome.” He poured his old friend a glass of brandy and handed it to him. Rotham raised his glass in salute before taking a drink.
