The Homecoming by M. C. Beaton, Marion Chesney Page B

wife on a chair on the lawn, rose and headed in her direction. The duke, Sarah noticed, had left Lady Verity and was heading towards Lizzie. She moved quickly to his side and said, “I beg you to forgive me.”
    “I already have,” he said crossly. Lizzie was moving off with Gerald. Where were they going?
    Sarah put a confiding hand on his arm. “Thank you,” she breathed.
    Only politeness restrained the duke from shaking off that hand. The squire gave himself a gleeful little hug and returned to his chair. Little Sarah was doing very well.
    When Gerald and Lizzie walked into the rose garden, Peter found he was quite annoyed to have his conversation with Tiffin disturbed, particularly when Gerald swept forward and began to ask Tiffin about her aunt and then took her arm and began to lead her off down the path amongst the rose bushes, leaving him with Lizzie.
    “Oh dear, Peter,” said Lizzie. “I do not think we should leave them alone.”
    “Why?”
    “I fear Mr. Parkes is restless and bored and perhaps he means to enliven his stay in the country by flirting with that innocent.”
    “Then let us follow them,” said Peter eagerly.
    A footman came up. “Mr. Bond, His Grace requires your presence in the study.”
    “Go along, Mr. Bond,” urged Lizzie, formal in the presence of the servant. “I will attend to matters.”
    “Lizzie?”
    Lizzie turned and saw Miss Trumble coming towards her. “Where were you this morning?” asked Miss Trumble. “I was looking for you. The physician is with Miss Moon’s aunt and so I have a temporary respite. I promised Miss Moon I would look after her aunt while she joined the rest of you in the sunshine. Where is she? She is not with the rest.”
    “She is here in the rose garden with Mr. Parkes. I went out riding this morning with the duke. We ended up in the Green Man at Hedgefield.”
    “Gervase asked you to go riding with him?”
    “Yes, Miss Trumble. But to more important matters. Miss Moon is very sweet and innocent and I fear the wretched Gerald is planning some sort of dalliance. Do come along with me and spike his guns.”
    “By all means. Our little Tiffin—ridiculous name!—seemed quite taken by Mr. Bond.”
    “Oh, but she is, and she is just the sort of lady to turn his mind from the dreadful Sarah.” Quickly Lizzie told Miss Trumble about Sarah’s iniquities.
    Miss Trumble gave a little shiver and said half to herself, “It is quite amazing how Mannerling appears to warp minds. Ah, there is our quarry.”
    Gerald was standing by a sundial. He was holding Tiffin’s hand in his own and she was blushing with confusion.
    “Miss Moon,” said Miss Trumble, “the physician is attending your aunt. If you return with me, we will find out out his verdict on her condition.”
    Lizzie noticed that Tiffin seemed pleased to have an excuse to escape from Gerald.
    “I was doing very well,” said Gerald crossly, looking after Tiffin and Miss Trumble.
    “I do not want you to do very well,” said Lizzie.
    “Jealous?”
    “You flatter yourself, sir. That is one very vulnerable and innocent lady, and unless you mean marriage, you have no right to pursue her.”
    He tucked her hand in his arm and led her back out of the rose garden. “I would never have taken you for a moralist, Miss Lizzie.”
    “I am kind and you are not.”
    “You are too severe. All ladies enjoy dalliance.”
    “Miss Moon has a socially ambitious father. Dally much more and you will find yourself at the altar with a shotgun in your back.”
    “You dare to challenge me? You have just added the necessary spice of danger to a boring visit. I shall continue to pursue Miss Moon.”
    “And I shall do everything to stop you!”
    He flung a careless arm about her shoulders and gave her a hug. “You are jealous!”
    The duke, emerging from the house with Peter, saw that hug and his face darkened. There was something about Gerald’s glowing good looks and youth which kept reminding him of that