Jennie Kissed Me by Joan Smith

Author:Joan Smith [Smith, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1991-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Friday morning the gentlemen resumed their endless work, and Victoria took the ladies to the village, as the day was fine. She and Mrs. Irvine escorted Ladies Eldon and Bathurst to see the church and a few examples of municipal architecture. Lady Pogue had no interest in anything that did not wear trousers or add to her personal embellishment. I accompanied her. We poked around the drapery shop but nothing was purchased till we entered the milliner’s. There she found a soul mate in the French milliner. For half an hour they chattered about ribbons and feathers and flowers till I was bored to flinders. Lady Pogue tried on every bonnet in the shop and finally bought a navy blue glazed poke bonnet with a high crown, which became her famously.

After lunch at Wycherly the gentlemen declared themselves on a holiday and asked us what we would like to do. Mrs. Irvine elected to accompany Lady Eldon and her husband on a tour of the garden. I have mentioned Mrs. Irvine’s universal appeal to all the various sorts of humankind. The Eldons were the exception, and I was a little uneasy to think of that mismatched threesome. Lady Bathurst expressed an interest in the library. Lord Bathurst, a glutton for work, had received a red dispatch box from Whitehall and remained behind to answer some letters from Lord Liverpool.

“What do you say you show me how your driving is progressing, Victoria?” Marndale suggested. “You missed your lesson yesterday.”

“Very well, Papa,” she said. “You will come with us, of course, Jennie,” she added, turning her back on Lady Pogue.

“Let us all go!” Lady Pogue exclaimed. “You too, Dick. There is room for all of us in the open carriage.”

“It only holds four comfortably,” Lady Victoria said at once. “It is not at all a large carriage.”

“You go ahead, Rita,” Anselm suggested. “I can amuse myself somehow.” His eyes, however, moved in my direction in a meaningful way as he spoke.

I feared I would be palmed off with him, but Marndale, seeing my distress, came to my rescue. “This is your opportunity to try out that bay mare you have your eye on, Anselm,” he tempted.

“By Jove! I shouldn’t mind getting my leg over her. Have you something Rita can ride?”

“Do take my mount. Silver Star is a sweet goer,” Lady Victoria smiled demurely.

Lady Pogue appeared interested in this scheme. I already knew from earlier conversation that she was a bruising rider, and apparently horses took precedence even over pursuing Marndale. Of course, she would not take me for serious competition.

I do not think she would have been much amused by our outing, for we had an experience that would not have been to her urban taste. Marndale treated me as an old friend. I wondered that his easy banter wasn’t enough to give Victoria a disgust of me. I concluded that either flirting was her father’s customary mode with female guests, or he still hoped to con me into becoming Victoria’s companion for a whole year.

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