fit in.”
She still felt like an imposter of course, but at least now she knew that she could act the part.
Chapter Nine
Lady Beaumont had actually been very taken with Miss Aldercott as she seemed very quiet and well mannered, and of course she was exceptionally pretty. She would make a very good match for Lucien.
She didn't usually like women in trade but she supposed that sketching wasn't really trade, the hard work was done by others. Plus her father was very rich, which would be good for the Marchwood estate.
Of course Lucien had refused to accompany them to the ball. He was such a headstrong young man!
She spoke to her husband over breakfast the next morning but as usual he just grunted in the right places; he wasn't actually listening to her.
“ I wonder if we might stop at Aldercott & Daughter before we leave today,” she said.
“ Mm?” came her husbands reply.
“ I would very much like a pair of gloves similar to the ones the Duchess wore. They were very pretty, didn't you think?”
“ Mm.” His newspaper rattled as he turned the page but his face remained hidden.
“ She was a lovely girl, don't you agree?”
“ Mm.”
“ Just the kind of woman who would suit Lucien.”
“ Mm.”
“ Perhaps I should visit alone, she would be much more likely to open up to another woman.”
“ Mm.”
“ Yes, I think that's what I'll do.” She got up from the table and went into her bedroom to find a coat. Her husband hadn't moved when she emerged a few moments later.
“ See you later, darling.”
“ Have fun,” he called after her.
Lady Beaumont had the doorman hail a hansom cab for her because the driver would surely know the location of the Aldercott shop. Unfortunately they arrived there to find that the shop was closed on Saturdays.
Well that was very vexing but perhaps it might be possible for Miss Aldercott to visit the estate so that she might order some gloves, and of course Lucien would be there and he could meet her at the same time.
She had thrown girl after girl into his path over the past few years and he reacted to each with extreme indifference but by God, she wasn't about to give up.
“ Back to the hotel,” she told the driver.
She would write to Mr Aldercott as soon as they got home and see if something could be organised.
“ God damn it man!” Lucien's voice could be heard even in the house. “How hard is it to saddle a horse!”
“ But he's lame, Sir,” Barry argued.
“ Well what's wrong with him?”
“ I think he did 'imself an injury during your ride yesterday, Sir. He needs complete rest for at least a week.”
“ Why didn't you tell the maid that?”
“ I did, Sir, but she obviously didn't pass the message on.”
Lucien turned away and headed out of the barn.
“ Wonder why,” Barry said under his breath but Lucien still heard. He turned back to the stable boy and advanced on him, backing him into a corner.
“ What did you say?” Lucien's crop whipped through the air and struck his own riding boot with a crack.
Barry cowered but then he remembered Anna the housemaid, shaking as she thought of telling Lucien that he couldn't ride his horse that day and he found his courage. He liked Anna a lot.
“ I said, 'I wonder why?' Sir.”
Lucien wanted to strike him for his impertinence but instead he settled for striking his boot with his whip once again.
“ In future, keep your thoughts to yourself.” He turned away again but Barry stepped forward.
“ No, Sir.”
Lucien turned back but didn't advance again.
“ The way you yell and curse around 'ere, it's not right. Our Anna's a good girl, does exactly what she's told and Mrs Lassiter doesn't have a bad word to say about her, but she's still terrified o'you. It's not us you're angry with, is it, Sir?”
Lucien's jaw clenched and for a moment, Barry thought that he had gone too far but after a few moments Lucien simply turned and walked out of the barn. Barry sagged in relief.
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