The Famous Heroine/The Plumed Bonnet by Mary Balogh

weather. It really was not an
assignation
, Jane assured Cora, flushing with guilt. It was more that he had said that he
might
ride in the park if the weather was fine and she had commented on the strange coincidence that she might walk there—if the weather was fine. Presumably they had made similar commitments to the library if the weather was
not
fine.
    And so Cora had agreed to accompany Jane. Indeed, it was essential to the plan that she do so. Jane could not possibly go alone to the park, even if a maid trailed along behind her as she would do anyway if the two of them went.
    Cora never particularly enjoyed walking alone with Jane, although she was excessively fond of her. Jane was small and dainty and pretty and always behaved with perfect decorum—except perhaps when she madealmost-assignations with earls who had not yet made any formal offers for her.
    “Mama would lecture me for a month without pause if she thought I had arranged to meet his lordship in the park,” Jane herself confessed. “Alistair would not need to lecture. He would merely have to look at me in a certain way and I would wither up and die. But of course I have made no such arrangement. If he happens to be riding in the park and I happen to be walking there and we happen to meet and stop to exchange civilities, that cannot be deemed an arranged meeting, can it?”
    Cora was not quite sure what all the fuss was about. But she did know that Jane fancied herself in love and as a result had departed ever so slightly from strict propriety. The fact cheered Cora a little. But she still disliked walking out alone with Jane. She felt so very large and clumsy beside her. She always had to reduce her stride to about half its usual span and she always had to resist the urge to droop her shoulders in order to look shorter and less conspicuous. Miss Graham had told her she must never do that. Apart from the intrinsic virtue of good posture was the fact that a tall person who hunched over only succeeded in making herself appear taller and more conspicuous.
    And so they walked in the park side by side, their maid a little distance behind them, and Cora soon forgot about the awkwardness of her person in her enjoyment of the morning. The sun was shining and the air promised heat later on. But this morning it was only comfortably warm with a stiff breeze to fan the face and make one imagine that one was almost in the country.
    It was the perfect morning for a quiet walk. Of course, sooner or later the Earl of Greenwald would ride by and pause for a chat, but apart from that there were peace and a cozy chat with Jane to be enjoyed. The park was always pleasantly empty and quiet during the mornings.
    And then Mr. Parker rode toward them—for one moment Jane thought he was the earl and had almost visible heart palpitations. Mr. Parker paused when he came up to them, inclined his head and touched his hat, reminded them that it was a fine day, and then invited himself to dismount and walk a little way with them since indeed it was such a fine day.
    And then Mr. Pandry and Mr. Johnson appeared, walking briskly together, also in the opposite direction from that taken by the ladies. They too paused with the usual gallantries, decided that it was far too fine a day to hurry anywhere, and turned to stroll with the ladies and Mr. Parker.
    Before their walk was half an hour old, they had gathered no fewer than eight fellow strollers and enjoyers of the weather—all male and all congratulating themselves with jocular good humor on their good fortune in being able to take a turn about the park with the heroine—and with Lady Jane Munro, of course.
    All of them had either danced with her or applied to dance with her the evening before, Cora noted. Several of them had called upon her grace since she had emerged from her sick chamber. A few of them had sent bouquets or posies. One of them had kissed her hand last evening after she had danced a minuet with him. A few of them