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"I HAVE NO MEETINGS to attend this afternoon. Miss Darby," Lord Penwyck announced the following morning at breakfast. "I thought perhaps you might enjoy viewing Lord Elgin's antiquities with me. The marbles have been placed on permanent display at the new British Museum."
"Why, what a lovely idea, Penny dear!" the earl's mother declared. A pleased twinkle in her eye, she aimed a keen look at Tessa. "I confess I do not feel up to making a single call today, Tessa. You will not disappoint me by going off with Penny."
Tessa directed a somewhat wary gaze at the handsome earl. He'd never before suggested they go on an outing together. "Thank you for asking me, sir," she murmured. "I would like that very much."
"As would I, Miss Darby."
After agreeing that two of the clock would suit, Lord Penwyck left for a busy morning at the House.
On his way to a committee meeting, he thought over the events of the previous evening. He had decided late last night there was little cause for alarm so far as the ton getting wind of Miss Darby's brush with disaster. Neither Randall nor his wife would say anything, nor would Ashburn, who had been the one to inform Penwyck of the possibility that the Randalls might attend the meeting.
Although Penwyck fully expected Miss Darby had been vastly disappointed by the violence that erupted at the Hog's Ear last night . . . it wouldn't surprise him to learn someone had been killed or badly injured; tragic consequences often resulted at such mass gatherings. Still, he did not expect her to abandon her Cause. No doubt she would be on the lookout for another such rally to attend, perhaps one held in a less objectionable setting. Which is why Penwyck had concluded this morning if this unfortunate trend toward waywardness on Miss Darby's part was not nipped in the bud, there was no saying what sort of scandal the young lady might fall into next.
He knew he had rather shocked her this morning by suggesting they spend the afternoon together, but in truth the invitation was long overdue. He had intended at the outset to show her the sights in Town, but what with one thing or another . . . his mother taking her protégée under her wing and the ensuing business of Miss Darby's debut . . . he simply had not got round to showing her about.
Considering last night's escapade, Penwyck felt it imperative to resume his vigilance over the headstrong young lady and to distract her with agreeable and interesting afternoon outings, outings a young lady of her superior intelligence would find agreeable.
And there was another reason he felt compelled to ask her.
He fervently wished to.
In her bedchamber, preparing to dress for the afternoon, Tessa decided not to question Lord Penwyck's sudden change of face in regard to her. That he had chosen not to punish her for her misdeed last evening was reward enough, she thought wryly. That he wished to take her on a pleasure jaunt today was, well, astonishing!
Grinning to herself, she decided to thank her lucky stars for being spared, at the very least, a severe tongue lashing, and simply relax and enjoy the afternoon.
She had, indeed, been disappointed over last night's disastrous turn, but given Lord Penwyck's recent liberal outlook regarding her political interests, she fully expected to be allowed the freedom now to attend other such gatherings. Perhaps not ones convened at alehouses . . . in truth, she'd rather acquired an aversion to that herself . . . but Mr. Randall had mentioned in the carriage last evening that at times the Hampden Clubs met in church chapels and other respectable places. She'd ask Deirdre to alert her when and where the next meeting was scheduled to take place.
Deciding it was time to think about what she would wear that afternoon, Tessa had just walked to the pretty cherrywood clothespress and flung the door open when a light rap sounded at her bedchamber door.
Lady Penwyck stepped into the room, carrying a pretty paisley-papered hatbox in one hand. "Forgive the intrusion, dear. I thought perhaps you might need help deciding what to wear this afternoon."
"Oh." Tessa was unable to conceal the wonderment in her tone. She glanced curiously at the hatbox Lady Penwyck was carrying. "I confess I was in a bit of a quandary," she murmured.
Lady Penwyck set the box on a chair and walked to the clothespress. "Let me see." She began to sort through the several pretty gowns hanging inside. "You look especially charming in this lovely blue chintz gown." She pulled out a pencil-slim frock trimmed with black buttons and several rows of narrow black braid, spread the gown across the bed, and turned to Tessa.
"I took the liberty of ordering a little gift for you, Tessa," Lady Penwyck said gaily. "It was just delivered and I wished to bring it up myself."
She opened the box and lifted out a brand new straw bonnet, handsomely decorated with black and blue ribbons and a bunch of bright red cherries.
"Isn't it pretty?"
"It is very pretty," Tessa smilingly agreed, an element of surprise in her tone. Lady Penwyck had never purchased a gift for her before and she could not think what had occasioned this one.
"If you recall," Lady Penwyck went on, still admiring the high-crowned bonnet, "we saw it last week in Mr. Merribone's shop window. I suspect it was designed by that sweet little Miss Grant just before she left to marry Lord Rathbone." She glanced up at Tessa, who was admiring the new bonnet and also listening raptly to Lady Penwyck's explanation regarding it.
"I simply must tell you about the scandal poor little Miss Grant unwittingly fell into!" Lady Penwyck exclaimed. "It began when a girlhood friend of hers, Miss Alayna Marchmont, blackmailed Miss Grant into impersonating her so she might run off with an actor fellow. Then, Miss Marchmont's betrothed, Lord Rathbone unexpectedly turned up and, thinking Miss Grant was his intended, he fell in love with her!
"You see," she prattled on, "Miss Marchmont and Lord Rathbone were to have been married by proxy. Lord Rathbone has a mahogany plantation in Honduras, I understand, and was not expected to be on hand for the ceremony, but he learned of some sort of plot afoot to abscond with his inheritance and returned home anyhow. At any rate, it was a horrific scandal. As it turned out, the talented Miss Grant was back at Mr. Merribone's shop for a short while and worked quite diligently, I understand, designing bonnets for him until her beloved turned up and whisked her off to a foreign land. Actually, I think it a rather lovely story, don't you?"
Lady Penwyck reached again for the straw confection and turned it about in her hands. "This design is quite pretty, don't you agree?"
Tessa nodded enthusiastically. "It will look lovely with my blue walking gown. Thank you for helping me decide what to wear and for the thoughtful gift, Lady Penwyck."
"I shall send Martha in to help you dress." The older woman turned to leave. On the threshold, she paused. "I am very pleased you and Penny . . ." she faltered, a sincere smile on her lips. "I do hope you have a lovely afternoon, Tessa, dear."
"I am certain I shall, Lady Penwyck."
A half hour later, Tessa was dressed and anxiously awaiting the outing. Drawing on her gloves, she happened to glance up and catch a glimpse of herself in the looking glass . . . and blushed.
Despite the many balls and soirees she'd attended these last weeks, she'd never before felt so anxious or happy all at the same time.
Why, she actually felt like . . . singing! Truth was, she felt positively giddy!
How very foolish she was being. An embarrassed little laugh escaped her. She pursed her lips primly and tried to calm herself. But, still gazing at her flushed face in the glass, she looked so comical, she burst instead into nervous giggles.
Martha, who was still in the room silently gathering up Tessa's discarded garments and tidying up, glanced quizzically at her. "Is anything wrong, Miss?"
Tessa sobered. "No. Everything is fine, Martha. Thank you."
The maid stood gazing curiously at Tessa. Then, a bit shyly, she said, "You look very nice, Miss. I especially like the new bonnet."
Still trying to collect herself, Tessa cleared her throat. "Thank you, Martha." She sniffed and drew in another sharp breath. "Well then, I shall just . . . be off."
"Yes, Miss."
Tessa nodded. "Well, I am . . . off now."
A sudden rap at the bedchamber door startled both young women. Martha made a move to answer the summons, but, since Tessa stood less than a step away, she reached for the latch and pulled the door open herself.
Lady Penwyck stuck her greying head inside. "Penny is waiting in the foyer for you, dea . . . oh! Tessa, my dear, you look stunning!" A wide smile split the older woman's face. "I can hardly wait for Penn . . . for Harrison to see you."
She reached for Tessa's gloved hand and the two women exited the room together.
"I expect it is time for me to cease calling my eldest son by that childish nickname." Alice laughed gaily as she and Tessa walked down the corridor arm in arm. "Harrison is nine and twenty . . . or is he still eight and twenty? Well, in any case, I don't expect his age matters a whit." She laughed. "The point is, he is a grown man and he has hated that silly name since he was in leading strings." She gave Tessa's fingertips an affectionate squeeze. "Can't say as I blame him," she added, with a chuckle. "Calling a grown man Penny is a bit silly."
Tessa smiled. She rather liked the name. It made the uppity earl seem a bit more human.
"You look so very lovely this afternoon, Tessa dear. Your pretty red curls are as shiny as copper. I do declare," she prattled on, "I don't think any young lady has received more offers of marriage since her debut than you have! Why, only last evening both Sally Jersey and the Countess Lieven were remarking on your extraordinary success . . ."
Tessa ceased listening for a spell. She had received a goodly number of offers, if one could call them that. There were some gentlemen, she suspected, who made a career of offering for every young lady in Town, perhaps in the hope at least one would accept. Several dandies had masked their declarations of love to Tessa in poems or in the words to a popular song, which they solemnly recited in Tessa's ear during a dance or even over tea. Tessa thought it all rather silly.
"I don't mean to pry, dear," Lady Penwyck was saying, "but is there . . . do you . . . has any young man caught your fancy?" She turned an anxious gaze on Tessa, who was walking quietly by her side as they approached the stairwell.
Upon descending one or two steps, Tessa caught a glimpse of the top of Lord Penwyck's dark head as he awaited her in the foyer. The quick intake of breath she experienced at the mere sight of him both surprised and alarmed her.
"No!" Tessa blurted out, perhaps a bit too loudly, for Lord Penwyck, standing in the foyer, glanced up and then back down at the sheet of paper he held in his hand. "I mean," Tessa added, in a more normal tone, "they are all very nice. It's just that I do not favor any one gentleman in particular."
Instead of replying, Lady Penwyck gaily called to her son the second she and Tessa gained the landing. "Penny, darling! Oh, silly me." She laughed. "I was just telling Tessa I must remember to address you by your given name instead of that silly diminutive I have used the whole of your life."
One dark brow lifted as Lord Penwyck glanced up to greet the women. "Thank you. Mother. I daresay I would much prefer to be addressed by my given name." His somber gaze flitted from his mother's smiling countenance to Miss Darby's flushed face.
Suddenly, Tessa's blue eyes began to twinkle merrily. "Good afternoon, Harrison," she greeted him boldly.
Penwyck's lips twitched as he nodded. "Miss Darby. Allow me to say you look quite charming this afternoon."
The smile he gave Tessa caused her pulse to race fitfully. Indeed, she admitted honestly to herself, there was one gentleman in Town she favoured. It was quite foolish of her, she knew, but the plain truth was Lord Penwyck was far and away the most handsome, the most desirable, the most exciting man she had ever met. Although she knew very well the feeling was not mutual, she couldn't help herself. Suddenly, a wave of sheer nervous tension caused a ripple of laughter to bubble up from her throat.
"You look very handsome yourself, sir," she remarked archly.
Penwyck's sudden bark of laughter joined with Tessa's merry treble and the satisfied trill coming from Lady Penwyck. Tessa suspected her flirtatious reply had surprised the toplofty earl. The thought pleased her. How inordinately dull if one always did what was expected of one.
She was still smiling up at him as he offered her his arm.
"Do not wait tea for us, Mother. I've added Gunter's to my list of places Miss Darby and I shall visit this afternoon. We shall take tea there, if we feel so inclined, or perhaps a strawberry ice will suffice. What do you think, Miss Darby?"
As the handsome pair moved across the marble-tiled foyer toward the front door, Lady Penwyck stood gazing after them, a look of supreme satisfaction on her lined face. A strawberry ice sounded perfectly delightful to her.