minutes.”
Lord Randal smiled apologetically and returned her handkerchief, but she cheerfully let him keep it, “as a reward for a bold attempt.”
“Sir Marius?” queried Mrs. Danvers.
“Now Sir Marius is not a hasty man,” said Lord Wraybourne weightily. “Like you, Phoebe, he is clever and cool-headed. He waited till just the right time to pass the stage.”
“You won, Sir Marius!” she exclaimed.
“I am afraid not, Mrs. Danvers. David is right. I waited till just the right moment, when I had a clear view of the road and a good breadth to pass in, but he had already gone through on an idiot’s chance. There was no way, David, that you could have known you could pass there.”
He turned to Mrs. Danvers. “May I keep my insignia, Ma’am, as a memory of the one time David Kyle took a risk I was not willing to take?”
Laughing, she agreed.
Lord Wraybourne came over to Jane with his colors. “I hope you will allow me to keep this, Jane. In truth, I am not likely to take such a risk again, but it will be pleasant to remember in my old age.”
She murmured her assent, and when he asked what gift she wanted, she made the same reply that she had given Sophie and earned a smile.
“I shall afford it careful thought. I hope you will forgive me, Jane, if I am not always in attendance for the next few days. I have a number of matters to attend to after being out of town. I am sure you will be busy with new gowns and new friends, but if you have need of me for any reason, you have only to send round a note to Alton Street.”
Jane was happy with this arrangement. It would certainly take her time to find her equilibrium among her new companions, and she would manage a great deal better without the turmoil her handsome husband-to-be seemed to stir within her. Jane’s resolution only lasted until the next afternoon, however, when she’d donned her first fashionable outfit and was delighted to discover that Lord Wraybourne would be with them for their introduction to the fashionable parade in Hyde Park. She wanted him, above all men, to see her looking so fine.
The gown was made of cream-colored muslin, flounced around the bottom. The gathered bodice was hidden beneath a rust-colored velvet spencer, and the high frilled collar framed her face. Her cream straw bonnet was trimmed with velvet ribbons to match the spencer, and cream slippers completed the outfit which had been awaiting her at the modiste ’s. Upon surveying herself in the mirrors, she saw a young woman of fashion with some claim to beauty. Perhaps she did, after all, have a chance to gain her husband’s true affections.
Lord Wraybourne was gratifyingly quick to comment on her elegance.
“But I have few other clothes,” she told him with a grimace as he settled her on the seat of Lady Harroving’s smart barouche and then took his place beside her. “Madame Danielle, the modiste, said that most of the colors chosen for me by my mother were unsuitable.”
“Then what are you to do now?”
“Oh, she will make more,” Jane said airily, unaware of the task the seamstress had undertaken, “and sell those my mother ordered to some other young lady whom they would suit. I am to wear mostly cream and yellow, some green, and reds with an orange tint.”
Lord Wraybourne was observing her excitement indulgently. “Did Sophie accompany you?”
“Oh yes. And you ordered some outfits, did you not, Sophie?” she asked of the young lady opposite.
Sophie made a face at her brother. “Just two new gowns, David. Madame Danielle is very skillful.”
“Did I say a word?” he protested.
“You were doing accounts in your head. You will have to take care, Jane, or he will have you in the same gown for years.”
So they were in financial difficulties. Jane made haste to reassure him. “I am really very frugal, My Lord.”
He took her hand. “Sophie is teasing, my dear. I will always be delighted to have my wife be a leader of fashion.”
“Oh,
Lord Randal smiled apologetically and returned her handkerchief, but she cheerfully let him keep it, “as a reward for a bold attempt.”
“Sir Marius?” queried Mrs. Danvers.
“Now Sir Marius is not a hasty man,” said Lord Wraybourne weightily. “Like you, Phoebe, he is clever and cool-headed. He waited till just the right time to pass the stage.”
“You won, Sir Marius!” she exclaimed.
“I am afraid not, Mrs. Danvers. David is right. I waited till just the right moment, when I had a clear view of the road and a good breadth to pass in, but he had already gone through on an idiot’s chance. There was no way, David, that you could have known you could pass there.”
He turned to Mrs. Danvers. “May I keep my insignia, Ma’am, as a memory of the one time David Kyle took a risk I was not willing to take?”
Laughing, she agreed.
Lord Wraybourne came over to Jane with his colors. “I hope you will allow me to keep this, Jane. In truth, I am not likely to take such a risk again, but it will be pleasant to remember in my old age.”
She murmured her assent, and when he asked what gift she wanted, she made the same reply that she had given Sophie and earned a smile.
“I shall afford it careful thought. I hope you will forgive me, Jane, if I am not always in attendance for the next few days. I have a number of matters to attend to after being out of town. I am sure you will be busy with new gowns and new friends, but if you have need of me for any reason, you have only to send round a note to Alton Street.”
Jane was happy with this arrangement. It would certainly take her time to find her equilibrium among her new companions, and she would manage a great deal better without the turmoil her handsome husband-to-be seemed to stir within her. Jane’s resolution only lasted until the next afternoon, however, when she’d donned her first fashionable outfit and was delighted to discover that Lord Wraybourne would be with them for their introduction to the fashionable parade in Hyde Park. She wanted him, above all men, to see her looking so fine.
The gown was made of cream-colored muslin, flounced around the bottom. The gathered bodice was hidden beneath a rust-colored velvet spencer, and the high frilled collar framed her face. Her cream straw bonnet was trimmed with velvet ribbons to match the spencer, and cream slippers completed the outfit which had been awaiting her at the modiste ’s. Upon surveying herself in the mirrors, she saw a young woman of fashion with some claim to beauty. Perhaps she did, after all, have a chance to gain her husband’s true affections.
Lord Wraybourne was gratifyingly quick to comment on her elegance.
“But I have few other clothes,” she told him with a grimace as he settled her on the seat of Lady Harroving’s smart barouche and then took his place beside her. “Madame Danielle, the modiste, said that most of the colors chosen for me by my mother were unsuitable.”
“Then what are you to do now?”
“Oh, she will make more,” Jane said airily, unaware of the task the seamstress had undertaken, “and sell those my mother ordered to some other young lady whom they would suit. I am to wear mostly cream and yellow, some green, and reds with an orange tint.”
Lord Wraybourne was observing her excitement indulgently. “Did Sophie accompany you?”
“Oh yes. And you ordered some outfits, did you not, Sophie?” she asked of the young lady opposite.
Sophie made a face at her brother. “Just two new gowns, David. Madame Danielle is very skillful.”
“Did I say a word?” he protested.
“You were doing accounts in your head. You will have to take care, Jane, or he will have you in the same gown for years.”
So they were in financial difficulties. Jane made haste to reassure him. “I am really very frugal, My Lord.”
He took her hand. “Sophie is teasing, my dear. I will always be delighted to have my wife be a leader of fashion.”
“Oh,
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