A Town and Country Season by Harmon Joyce

Author:Harmon, Joyce [Harmon, Joyce]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: amazon, Romance, historical
Amazon: B07B8ZGFDM
Published: 2018-03-05T23:00:00+00:00

“So Dev isn’t walking today?” Beatrix asked her brother, as they walked with Elizabeth along the shady paths of Hyde Park. “Don’t say he means to cry off from Almack’s!”

“No such thing,” Oswald assured her. “When I looked in, he was too engrossed in lists and plans for that deuced mill to want to take the time to walk with us. But he assured me we could count on him to be at Almack’s.”

“I’m glad for that,” Beatrix said. “Exasperating man, but he dances beautifully.” Seeing the one-horse phaeton approaching, she added, “Oh, I say, Ozzie, here’s Mister Caldwell coming. Let’s speak with him.”

“Dash it, Trix, we’re hobnobbing with the Cits now?” Oswald exclaimed.

Ignoring him, Beatrix raised her hand and waved. “Mister Caldwell!”

Thus hailed, Caldwell brought his horse to a halt beside the walking party, and raised his hat politely. “How do you do, my lady, sir, Miss Phillips?”

“Oh, Mister Caldwell,” Trixie said. “Might I try the reins of your phaeton? My brother has promised to buy me one such as yours and I’m eager to try my skill.”

Caldwell looked doubtful. “’Twould be my pleasure, ma’am, but as a novice myself, I fear I could not assist you if the horse bolted.”

Elizabeth stepped forward. “Mister Dorn is a notable whip,” she told Caldwell. “Do you step down and you and I can converse while Mister Dorn and his sister try your phaeton.”

“Why, certainly, miss,” Caldwell said. He alit from the phaeton and soon Trixie and her brother were in command and drove off smartly. Caldwell and Elizabeth ambled down the path after them, Caldwell’s groom following a respectful distance behind.

“I’m glad to have this opportunity to talk with you,” Elizabeth said, “because I have something I particularly wanted to ask you.”

“And what would that be, Miss Marianne?” Caldwell asked.

“I would like to know how it comes about that you are allowing my mother and me to borrow your own barouche?”

Caldwell shot her a sharp look, but replied only, “My own barouche? What makes you say that?”

“The door panel,” Elizabeth said. “The traveling coach has the crest painted over on the door, whereas the barouche has no such painted panel because it had no such crest. Further, it is quite a modern equipage, and I know enough about the Salfords to know that they would not spend their money on the needless luxury of a new town carriage when they themselves were not coming to Town.”

“Ah,” Caldwell said, nodding. “You’re a sharp lass and no mistake. True enough, when I came to Town and rented Salford House, that landau looked powerful rickety to my eye, so I bought myself a new barouche.”

“Why didn’t you tell us it was your own?” Elizabeth asked. “We have permission from the Salfords to borrow their carriages, but they certainly couldn’t grant us license to borrow yours.”

Caldwell rubbed his chin. “Ah, well,” he said at last. “You know how it is. When I took you ladies out to the carriage house, your mama took a mighty fancy to that barouche before I could mention it was my own.

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