‘I’m looking forward to it my dove,’ he accordingly responded in a voice that said he’d rather have his teeth extracted with a blunt kitchen knife. He threw an apologetic glance towards Patience.
‘It’s not necessary to bother the Reverend again,’ interrupted Felicity with a smile. ‘I am here now and perfectly content to act as your chaperone.’
‘But…’ faltered Patience hastily trying one last time to come up with a reason as to why her father should be the one to accompany her.
Grace however clapped her hands delightedly. ‘That’s settled then. Felicity will accompany you and the Marquess.’ She threw a mischievous glance towards her friend. ‘Though I am certain she will endeavour to avoid listening too closely to your conversation.’
Let’s hope sothought Patience with an internal grimace. Felicity Beaumont’s nose was more effective than Freddy’s at sniffing out an indiscretion. She glared at her father who promptly buried his head behind the papers again. Clearly, Agnes’s presence at the breakfast table was enough to put a damper on any enthusiasm he might have had for the havey-cavey business they wereengaged in.
Fortunately, her stepmother chose that moment to drift from the charming chaise longue situated in the window of the dining room, to the equally charming chaise longue situated in the window of the drawing room. ‘I shall expect a hot chocolate at eleven o’clock sharp,’ she instructed her husband as she tottered out of the room. The rest of the table waited until the door slammed behind her before breathing a collective sigh of relief.
‘Did you enjoy the soiree last evening?’ Nicholas quizzed Patience before she had chance to argue further now her stepmother was absent. Gritting her teeth, Patience smiled back at the Duke.
‘Most assuredly,’ she commented, ‘though I confess to finding Lord Bamford both ill-mannered and vulgar. As you mentioned, there is … something about him.’
‘What did he do?’ Nicholas asked, giving her his full attention.
‘I do not think he was entirely happy with our presence,’ Patience went on carefully. While she thought it wise to apprise her brother-in-law of the Earl’s boorishness, she certainly did not wish him to take any action. ‘Would you concur father?’
‘I’d say he looked about as pleased to see us as he would a dose of the clap,’ agreed the Reverend bluntly. ‘Nasty piece of work, if you ask me.’
Patience did not miss the glance Nicholas threw towards Malcolm.
The Scotsman frowned. ‘Aye, I’ve heard it said he’s the worst kind of laird. Both arrogant and vicious by all accounts.’
‘There are many unpleasant tales about the man, that certainly attest to his … cruelty,’ Felicity commented vehemently.
Grace looked over at Patience. ‘I hope that means you will not wish to accept any further invitations from such an unpleasant individual,’ she cautioned.
‘I’m not likely to receive any,’ retorted Patience.
‘No one in this house will be accepting any future invitations from the Earl of Bamford,’ Nicholas interjected, his tone brooking no argument. ‘I acquiesced to Patience’s request to attend his soiree last evening against my better judgement. It will not happen again.’
Patience gritted her teeth in frustration. Somehow, she had to get to speak with the Marquess alone. Heaven knows how she was going to tell him everything, including the Duke’s assessment of Bamford, whilst Felicity was trailing behind them. She clearly needed a diversion. Briefly, she wondered whether Percy was up to the job, but the curate hadn’t shown his face yet this morning. Patience frowned, suddenly concerned about the small man after yet another bang on the head. Truly, they needed to look after him better.
‘Have you seen Percy this morning, Father?’ she asked, almost afraid of the answer.
‘Freddy’s with him,’ answered the Reverend with a meaningful nod.
‘Is something wrong with Percy?’ questioned Temperance who very rarely missed any furtive conversations involving her father.
‘He was feeling a bit out of sorts when we got home last night,’ the Reverend explained. ‘I think he’s missing Blackmore. Freddy’ll bring him round in no time.’
While Patience was relieved to know the curate was in safe paws, it meant that not only Percy, but Freddy too was unavailable as a diversion. She was quickly running out of options.
There was a sudden lull in the conversation. ‘I told you he wasn’t dead,’ a loud whisper announced into the unexpected silence from right outside the dining room door.
They clearly had unwanted eavesdroppers.
Patience abruptly had an idea, and without giving herself time to think it through, she took a deep breath and spoke to the anonymous listeners. ‘Mayhap the twins, Anthony and Prudence would like to accompany us to Sydney Park,’ she suggested loudly.
Any protest the older members of the family may have made were completely drowned out by the enthusiastic stampede that followed Patience’s proposition.
∞∞∞
To say that her two oldest sisters were aghast at her suggestion was an understatement. Indeed, Temperance had spent the entire two hours prior to the Marquess’s arrival ringing a fine peal over her head and tearfully predicting that Patience would remain a spinster for the rest of her life. Patience thought it better not to confess to her volatile sister that remaining unwed was still her dearest wish.
Grace on the other hand confined herself to favouring Patience with reproachful glances and the occasional trembling lip. What the deuce they would say if they knew the truth, Patience had no idea.
