call this hot in Canada.”
She went on to regale the company with the proper method of making cider and roasting beef and generally running a proper village. Sir Swithin listened with a fatuous smile gracing his lips and an anticipatory gleam lighting his eyes.
“Well now, God will know where to go next time he is creating a world, Miss Harvey. If you have no further instructions for us, I shall go home. In England, we walk by putting one foot in front of the other. Do you have a better method to recommend?”
She gave him a teasing smile. “In Canada, our asses use all four feet, Sir Swithin.”
Far from offending, her barb won her a smile. Idle appreciated a quick wit. “Touché, Sauvage! Have I underestimated you?”
“That was naughty of me!” she blushed and looked at the others to see if she had gone too far. She saw only surprise, swiftly turning to amusement.
“But we gentlemen adore a naughty lady,” Idle assured her, and even delayed his departure. “You will, perhaps, have some ideas to help me with my ball.”
“You’re too slow off the mark,” she replied, flushed with victory. “I am helping Rufus prepare our ball. He is having one to introduce me to the neighborhood, aren’t you, Rufus? And to celebrate Peter’s return, of course.”
Sara looked sharply at Haldiman. He showed no objection to this description of his ball.
“Too cruel,” Idle pouted, and finally left.
Before long, Miss Harvey, who had by then implored the whole company to call her Betsy, picked up her parcel and told Haldiman she was ready to go. “If we hurry, we can still get in a canter before dinner,” she informed him. “Thank you ever so for the wine, Mrs. Wood. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mary. Good-bye, Sara.” She left, hanging on Haldiman’s arm and chattering away.
“I had a wonderful time,” Mary sighed happily.
“What did she mean, she’d see you tomorrow?” Sara demanded.
“She is going to teach me to drive, if Rufus will lend her his curricle.”
“Rufus! Now that is too forward, Mary,” her mother exclaimed. “Even I do not call Haldiman Rufus.”
“Betsy does. In Canada people are much friendlier. We discussed it at luncheon, and after Betsy teased him a little, Rufus agreed it was too formal for us to use his title.”
Mrs. Woods eyes flashed. “She is a brazen hussy! You will not follow her example, Missy. We are not in Canada now. And that was a nasty thing to say to Reverend Kane, too. Talking broad to a minister of the church. What next, I ask you!”
Mary gave a sly smile. “Next you will have to address her as Lady Haldiman I expect. Ruf—Haldiman is very sweet on her.”
Mrs. Wood swallowed her ire and seethed in silence. If the hussy was, indeed, to become the next Lady Haldiman, it would not do to offend her. Indeed, her friendship could do Mary worlds of good. With Mary’s fortune from Aunt Cloe, even a noble match was not impossible. When all this was mentally reviewed, she spoke in a calmer voice. “I daresay no harm will come from a little driving on the back roads, but you must be sure to take a groom or footman with you.”
“Lady Haldiman will provide one. She treats Betsy like a daughter,” Mary replied happily.
Mrs. Wood darted a look at her elder daughter.
“It is beginning to sound serious. Imagine Haldiman having a ball for her. He would not do that if he were not seriously smitten.”
“The ball was to mark Peter’s return,” Sara said. “Haldiman didn’t mention Miss Harvey when the idea first arose.”
“Killing two birds with one stone,” her mother said. Mrs. Wood was astonished, but by no means against the marriage. As well as giving Mary a leg up the social ladder, it left Peter free to marry Sara.
Sara hardly knew what to make of the new friendship. How could Haldiman be courting Betsy when he found her too farouche for Peter? Yet he rode with her every day and went strolling through the shops with her, selecting her wares. That
She went on to regale the company with the proper method of making cider and roasting beef and generally running a proper village. Sir Swithin listened with a fatuous smile gracing his lips and an anticipatory gleam lighting his eyes.
“Well now, God will know where to go next time he is creating a world, Miss Harvey. If you have no further instructions for us, I shall go home. In England, we walk by putting one foot in front of the other. Do you have a better method to recommend?”
She gave him a teasing smile. “In Canada, our asses use all four feet, Sir Swithin.”
Far from offending, her barb won her a smile. Idle appreciated a quick wit. “Touché, Sauvage! Have I underestimated you?”
“That was naughty of me!” she blushed and looked at the others to see if she had gone too far. She saw only surprise, swiftly turning to amusement.
“But we gentlemen adore a naughty lady,” Idle assured her, and even delayed his departure. “You will, perhaps, have some ideas to help me with my ball.”
“You’re too slow off the mark,” she replied, flushed with victory. “I am helping Rufus prepare our ball. He is having one to introduce me to the neighborhood, aren’t you, Rufus? And to celebrate Peter’s return, of course.”
Sara looked sharply at Haldiman. He showed no objection to this description of his ball.
“Too cruel,” Idle pouted, and finally left.
Before long, Miss Harvey, who had by then implored the whole company to call her Betsy, picked up her parcel and told Haldiman she was ready to go. “If we hurry, we can still get in a canter before dinner,” she informed him. “Thank you ever so for the wine, Mrs. Wood. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mary. Good-bye, Sara.” She left, hanging on Haldiman’s arm and chattering away.
“I had a wonderful time,” Mary sighed happily.
“What did she mean, she’d see you tomorrow?” Sara demanded.
“She is going to teach me to drive, if Rufus will lend her his curricle.”
“Rufus! Now that is too forward, Mary,” her mother exclaimed. “Even I do not call Haldiman Rufus.”
“Betsy does. In Canada people are much friendlier. We discussed it at luncheon, and after Betsy teased him a little, Rufus agreed it was too formal for us to use his title.”
Mrs. Woods eyes flashed. “She is a brazen hussy! You will not follow her example, Missy. We are not in Canada now. And that was a nasty thing to say to Reverend Kane, too. Talking broad to a minister of the church. What next, I ask you!”
Mary gave a sly smile. “Next you will have to address her as Lady Haldiman I expect. Ruf—Haldiman is very sweet on her.”
Mrs. Wood swallowed her ire and seethed in silence. If the hussy was, indeed, to become the next Lady Haldiman, it would not do to offend her. Indeed, her friendship could do Mary worlds of good. With Mary’s fortune from Aunt Cloe, even a noble match was not impossible. When all this was mentally reviewed, she spoke in a calmer voice. “I daresay no harm will come from a little driving on the back roads, but you must be sure to take a groom or footman with you.”
“Lady Haldiman will provide one. She treats Betsy like a daughter,” Mary replied happily.
Mrs. Wood darted a look at her elder daughter.
“It is beginning to sound serious. Imagine Haldiman having a ball for her. He would not do that if he were not seriously smitten.”
“The ball was to mark Peter’s return,” Sara said. “Haldiman didn’t mention Miss Harvey when the idea first arose.”
“Killing two birds with one stone,” her mother said. Mrs. Wood was astonished, but by no means against the marriage. As well as giving Mary a leg up the social ladder, it left Peter free to marry Sara.
Sara hardly knew what to make of the new friendship. How could Haldiman be courting Betsy when he found her too farouche for Peter? Yet he rode with her every day and went strolling through the shops with her, selecting her wares. That
Similar Books
