“Yes—Lord Hawksmore,” Rose said, giving a delicate nod of her head towards him. “But Laia, please do rein in. It wouldn’t be right for you to abandon Thalia, and there isn’t room for the four of us to ride abreast.”
Laia gave a little pout and then fell behind again to ride next to her sister.
Rose turned and gave Lord Kirtland a smile. “I am sorry, my lord, I didn’t mean to push you aside.”
“Quite all right. Hopefully, your sister will remember her manners this time and stay where she belongs.”
Rose took a quick look at Lord Kirtland. Had he really meant the comment to sound so unkind? He had a bit of a smile on his face, however, so Rose assumed he had made a joke. She forced out a little giggle in response.
She looked around at the fashionable men and women of the haute ton who were riding through the park. Did they know? Did they know that she and Lord Kirtland were engaged? It was probably much too soon for anyone to have learned about it, but deep in her heart she wished they had. She wanted everyone to know. She wanted to shout it out to the world.
She was also quite desperate for her sisters to make a good impression on Lord Kirtland, and vice–versa. But so far, that had proved impossible with the way they were riding. Perhaps she could figure out a way for her to switch places with Laia, and then with Thalia, so that her sisters could at least speak with him.
“Do you think, Miss Grace, that you might be interested in viewing a private collection of antiquities?” Lord Kirtland asked, pulling her attention back to himself.
“I would indeed,” Rose answered, without hesitation.
“Excellent. I have recently had the honor of meeting Sir John Soane, and he invited me to view what he calls his ‘Academy of Architecture’. I believe he has some very fine pieces from both Egypt and Greece on display.”
“That sounds...”
“Oh, Rose, look, there is Fungy!” Thalia called out.
Rose turned around in her saddle. “Please, Thalia! Lower your voice. I am very happy you have spotted our friend, but you must not shout so loud that everyone in the vicinity is aware of it as well,” she said, with much more severity than she had intended. She never had actually given her sisters that lesson in deportment she’d said she would, and now she was regretting it.
She turned back and stole a look at Lord Kirtland to see how he had reacted, and was a little disturbed to see that he was looking approvingly at her. She gave him a small smile and asked, “Would you mind, sir, if we stopped for a moment to speak with him?”
“No, not at all.”
It turned out that she need not have asked, for the gentleman himself had spotted them and was riding over to greet them. He was accompanied by Lady Mirthwood, riding a dappled gray mare.
Were the two of them inseparable? Rose’s thought was accompanied by a flash of anger. She immediately quelled the feeling, reprimanding herself sternly, while giving them both her brightest smile.
Fungy, dressed impeccably as always, was mounted on a fine black gelding with a white blaze on his nose. “Oh, Fungy, what an exceedingly fine horse,” Thalia exclaimed as he got closer.
Fungy gave a little bow from the saddle. “Why, thank you, Miss Thalia. I have heard that you were a very fine judge of horseflesh.”
The girl beamed happily.
“How do you do, Lady Mirthwood? It is good to see you again,” Rose said, doing her best to be polite and kind. If Fungy was close to the woman, then the very least Rose could do was to be courteous.
“You are looking very well today, Miss Grace. You have a very becoming blush to your cheeks,” Lady Mirthwood said.
“Oh!” Rose put a hand to her cheeks, but couldn’t imagine why they were flushed. Perhaps her happiness with the day? Or with her engagement? Her happiness in seeing Fungy again—and Lady Mirthwood, of course, she added. Why, it could be so many different reasons.
“It is probably the heat, that is all,” she said, laughing off her sudden embarrassment.
Rose was thrilled when Fungy managed to position his horse between her and Lord Kirtland, for she particularly wanted a private word with him.
She leaned forward in order to speak more softly to him while Lady Mirthwood and Lord Kirtland exchanged pleasantries.
“Fungy, I just cannot thank you enough for what you did yesterday. I really do not deserve such a good friend as you have shown yourself to be.”
“Just seeing you happy is all the thanks that I need. And what happened to you calling me by my given name?” he teased.
He spoke just as quietly as she had, but somehow he made it seem so intimate and exciting. His deep, rich voice sent tingles through Rose, warming her in odd places.
She gave an embarrassed laugh. “I do apologize. You have been so good to me, St. John. Indeed, I do feel that we are close enough friends now so that I may address you by your given name. I promise to do so from now on.”
“Miss Grace, your sisters are an abomination!” Lord Kirtland’s voice interrupted, dispelling all of her good feelings.
“I beg your pardon?” she said, straightening her back as she turned to him. She desperately hoped that she had misheard him.
“Just look at them, galloping off like... like hoydens. It is beyond words how rude and inappropriate their behavior is—in the park, at the height of the promenade!”
Her heart leapt into her throat. She hadn’t even heard them move off she’d been so focused on St. John. She turned back to him, but he had already turned his horse around and was about to set off after her wayward sisters. “Have no fear, Rose, I will see that they come to no harm, nor accidentally cause any.”
Immediately she felt relieved, knowing that he would take care of everything. “Thank you, St. John. I knew I could count on you,” she said quickly, as he thundered off.
Still, she could not help but be worried. The park was so crowded today that the galloping of Thalia and Laia’s horses through the crowded bridle paths was sure to startle a number of other horses, if not worse. She sincerely hoped that no one would be injured.
“My goodness, are your sisters always so daring?” Lady Mirthwood asked.
“Daring is not the word I would use, my lady. Disobedient would be my guess. Either that, or so poorly raised that they know no better,” Lord Kirtland said angrily. “And after their behavior so far today, I would assume the latter.”
Rose opened her mouth to protest his harsh words, but worried about making a scene in public herself.
But just as quickly as this thought entered Rose’s mind, she threw it right back out again. This was no time to be timid and ladylike. These were her sisters he had just insulted!
“How dare you, Lord Kirtland!” she said as quietly as she could while trying not to make too much of a scene in public. “My sisters and I may have been raised in an unconventional manner, but that is only to be expected in a foreign country and on an expedition. My parents did the best they could under the circumstance, and I think they did an exceptional job.” She paused for breath, her horse shifting under her, feeling her anger.” If Laia and Thalia do not always behave just as they should, then perhaps it is my fault for being too lenient with them. I am the one who has been in charge of them since my mother’s death over a year ago, and indeed for much of their lives.”
“A child bringing up other children? No wonder they are so ignorant,” Lord Kirtland shook his head sadly.
“I am no child, sir,” Rose replied furious at his condescension.
“Miss Laia and Thalia are still children, my lord. You must remember that, and not be so harsh on them,” Lady Mirthwood said, coming to Rose’s aid.
Lord Kirtland raised his eyebrows and turned back to Rose. “How old are your sisters, Miss Grace?”
“Thalia is fifteen and Laia seventeen.”
He gave Lady Mirthwood a smug look. “They are not children, Lady Mirthwood. They are old enough to know better.” Rose could not respond due to the return of St. John with the two girls.
&n
bsp; “Oh, St. John, I cannot thank you enough! Girls, what have you to say for yourselves?” Rose said, spurring her horse forward to look severely at her sisters.
They were both looking very flushed as well as a little repentant, but both still had that twinkle of mischief in their eyes.
“We have already had a word,” St. John said.
“Well, I think that they deserve more than just a word! A good beating would be more like...” Lord Kirtland began.
“My lord! Thank you very much, but I will deal with my sisters as I see fit,” Rose said, sternly.
“Oh, no! They were just having a bit of a lark,” St. John said, giving them a wink. “No harm done—to them or to anyone else. And I’m certain they won’t do it again. Will you, ladies?”
The two girls covered up their giggles, but shook their heads.
Rose gave them a little smile, and to St. John as well. He had clearly done an excellent job in informing them of their mistake in such a way that they would neither repeat it, nor feel so rebellious that they would go out and cause more trouble. Firm but gentle—that was the way to deal with Laia and Thalia, as Rose knew.
“I believe it is time we headed for home, my lord,” Rose said to Lord Kirtland.
“Indeed, perhaps well past.”
She turned back to St. John and Lady Mirthwood. “I am so sorry for the trouble we’ve caused. It was wonderful to see you again.”
The two waved them off amiably.
Lord Kirtland led Rose and her sisters out the nearest gate and then back towards their home.
As they trotted sedately down the lane, Rose felt that she should try and make amends with her fiancé. Perhaps he would understand if she just explained the situation to him.
“My lord, you must not be so angry with the girls,” she tried. “They were clearly itching for a little fun after having to ride so sedately around the park with little amusement,” she said.
Lord Kirtland turned to her, his face still a little pinched with annoyance. “Miss Grace, girls the ages of your sisters should know to behave better. Indeed, they should count themselves lucky to have so much as a sedate walk in the park, especially at the height of the promenade.” To Rose’s dismay, he became implacable. “No, when they are under my control, such behavior will not only not be tolerated, but punished appropriately.”
Rose quickly turned to look behind her at her sisters, giving them a silent, imploring look to not speak a word of what she was sure they were thinking. Fortunately, they understood, and kept quiet until they had said good–bye to Lord Kirtland and seen their horses taken away to the stable.
But once inside their own drawing room, they let loose.
“Rose, how could you not defend us?”
“He is the most horrendous man I ever hope to meet!”
“You cannot mean to actually marry him!”
“Oh no, Rose, you cannot. Papa could not force you to do so, could he?”
Rose held up her hands to stem the flow of their words.
“I did defend you, Laia! I did so quite strongly while St. John—er, Fungy was off rescuing you from your own folly. Even Lady Mirthwood put in a word in your defense. But I must say that what you did was truly indefensible. You know that running off pell–mell like that could have hurt someone or yourselves.”
She stopped to take a breath and shake her head reprovingly. But unbidden, a smile forced its way onto her lips. Before she could quash it, a giggle burst out, which she quickly hid behind her hand.
But it was no use. Before she knew it, she was working hard to contain her laughter.
Her sisters joined her immediately, and soon the three girls were laughing hysterically.
When Rose finally caught her breath, she said, “It was really too bad of you. But goodness, I cannot blame you at all. A more staid and boring outing and with so little to amuse yourselves... Even I was itching for a good gallop!”
“Oh, Rose,” Thalia jumped up and threw her arms around her sister’s neck. “I am so happy that you are still you!”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“It is just that I thought you would become stiff and stuffy like Lord Kirtland now that you are engaged to him.”
“Really, Rose, you cannot marry that man. He is awful!”
Rose bit her lip. Her sisters were right. How could she marry a man who had absolutely no sense of humor at all? Stiff and stuffy described him perfectly.
But did she really have a choice?
An ache forming in her chest, she shook her head. “I have to marry him. He’s rich, and will solve all of our financial problems. He’ll pay our debts, and next year I’ll be able to sponsor Laia for her come–out. I really don’t have an option.”
The sad looks on her sisters’ faces said it all. And it was just how she felt as well, now that she was beginning to know Lord Kirtland better.
There was one truth that this day’s outing had taught her—Lord Kirtland was certainly not going to be the knight in shining armor she’d always fantasized about as a child.
“Don’t worry. He’s really not that bad. And remember, he is an archaeologist,” she told her sisters, trying to shed some positive light on what was looking more and more like a dreadful mistake.
Chapter Twenty-Four
BY the following Monday, when Lord Kirtland picked up Rose to take her to Sir John Soane’s Academy of Architecture, enough time had passed so that she could distance herself from the events of that fateful ride in the park, and look at what had occurred rationally. She still did not blame her sisters for their behavior, but she was no longer quite so upset by Lord Kirtland’s reaction.
The still outstanding bills, however, were strongly weighing on her mind. She had received notes once again from both the mantua maker and cloth merchant, reminding her of the money she owed. To make things worse, she still could not rid her mind of the debt she owed to Lord Kirtland himself.
There had to be something she could do to dispel these debts. And she wasn’t sure that she could wait six months or a year until she was wed to do so.
No, she decided, it was time to come clean to Lord Kirtland. She couldn’t tell him about the bills just yet, but perhaps she could speak to him about her gambling debts.
Surely he would forgive her the money she owed to him now that they were engaged to be married? Without a doubt, she had to ask. And as soon as possible, so that she could properly concentrate on Sir John’s magnificent collection.
At the first opportunity, she broached the subject as delicately as she could. “My lord, there is a favor I was wondering if I might ask of you.”
Lord Kirtland looked from a striking collection of Greek vases to her with a look of mild surprise. “What might that be?”
“It is concerning the vowel you wrote for me, to Mr. Aiken,” she began.
“Oh? I will be happy to escort you to Lady Kemble’s card party tomorrow night, so that you can try once again to win the money back,” he offered.
“Thank you, but I was wondering, actually, if you might forgive the debt altogether?”
Lord Kirtland turned toward Rose rather swiftly, to her surprise. “What do you mean? I paid your debt for you, and now you want me to just forget it?”
“Well...” Rose swallowed hard.
“Miss Grace, are you suggesting that you wish to go back on your word?” Lord Kirtland asked, drawing down his eyebrows in a vicious way.
“I...”
“I paid your debt for you because I thought that you were honest. I trusted you.” He turned around to fix his attention fully upon Rose. “That you would think so little of your own honor is appalling, Miss Grace.”
“It is not that! I always do my utmost to hold to my word. In fact, I do not believe I have ever gone back on it,” Rose said, horrified that he would think so little of her.
“Well, then, I trust that you will repay this debt.”
“I... I cannot.” The words came out as a whisper. She just could not say
them outright.
Lord Kirtland froze at her words. An unpleasant little smile crept onto his face. “You surely do not mean that you cannot. You mean that you do not have the funds just at this moment. I understand, Miss Grace. Your father has been away and you have not yet received your pin money this quarter.”
He turned and took a few steps away. With a nonchalant wave of his hand, he continued, “That is perfectly fine. I have no problems waiting until your father returns from his estate. You may pay me when it is convenient. And because we are engaged to be married, I shall not even charge you any interest on the loan.”
Interest? Just the thought horrified her. She managed to squeak out a “But…”
“No. No need to thank me, Miss Grace. It is perfectly all right.” He gave her another fleeting smile. “Of course, it is entirely possible that you shall win it all back tomorrow night and none of this will have been necessary at all.”
He then turned away from her once again to move on to the exhibit in the next room. Rose followed him in silence. What was she going to do? There did not seem to be any way out, short of telling Lord Kirtland outright that neither she nor her father had the money to pay this debt. It didn’t seem right to try and win it back either, especially since she no longer had any money with which to gamble.
She did the only thing her pricked pride would allow her.
“No. I thank you, my lord. I do not believe I shall be attending Lady Kemble’s card party tomorrow night. I will find another way to pay you back, and as quickly as possible,” Rose said finally. She turned back to the exhibit, but still could find no amusement in it.
It turned out to be a very bleak afternoon.
After reaching home, she explained all that had happened to her sisters. “But I just don’t know what to do. I could not tell him that we don’t have the money.” She paused. “Papa will be incredibly angry when he finds out what I’ve done, and rightfully so.”
Thalia and Laia just looked at each other. Clearly, they were at a loss as well. Thalia, always the optimist, said, “Don’t worry, Rose, we’ll figure something out.”
A Dandy in Disguise Page 15
