Araminta didn’t even get a chance to reply before Calliope was chiming in with, “Yes! Isn’t it grand? I’ve always dreamed of spending the Christmas season in London! I daresay I’m going to enjoy Bond Street to its fullest, and I intend to buy gifts for all of you and perhaps even a few for myself.”
“You might want to curb some of those spending habits,” Isadora noted. “Or else reconsider your aversion to marriage. Only a wealthy lord will be able to keep you happy if you are determined to be outfitted in the latest fashions.”
This instantly caused Calliope to scrunch up her nose in distaste. “Father assured us that we were provided for and I would hardly call my inheritance of five thousand pounds that of a pauper. What does it matter if I choose to indulge now and then?”
“Because you seem to “indulge” quite often,” Isadora countered.
Calliope gave an indignant sniff and stood. “Be that as it may, I will return shortly with a new bonnet. Or perhapstwo.”
She nearly stomped out the door, her defiance causing Araminta to shake her head. “Do you really think anyone would marry her?” she asked Isadora.
“I wouldn’t,” Olivia piped up from where she sat; although now she got to her feet—book still firmly in hand. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the library where I can actually concentrate.”
Isadora turned her silver eyes on Araminta. “I feel as though I broke up a party.”
“Not to worry,” she replied. “You’ve lived with us long enough you should know our personalities clash now and again. In truth, if we weren’t sisters, sometimes I wonder if we would even like each other.”
Isa laughed at that. “I was thinking the exact same thing.”
Shortly thereafter,Isadora went to her room to take a nap, so that left Araminta with some time on her own. Since it was early afternoon, she decided to take her horse out for a ride in the park. She had always enjoyed riding as a child, and what a perfect opportunity as it would give her to chance to see and be seen on the infamous Rotten Row.
She headed to her room and rang for her maid to assist her into a deep purple, velvet riding habit and after settling her matching bonnet on her brown hair and pulling on her leather gloves, she grabbed her riding crop and headed to the stables behind the house. Most of their servants had been employed at the duke’s estate, but had chosen to move to London with them, the groom included.
“Good day, Magnus,” she greeted the older man with his shock of white hair with a wide smile. He was brushing down Calliope’s mare when she arrived. “I was hoping you might saddle Destiny for me?”
He returned her greeting. “I’d be glad to, my lady.” He set down the brush on the stall door and after giving the mare an affectionate pat on the neck, he left the pen and grabbed a sidesaddle and began to talk gently to the chestnut mare with the white stripe on her nose. It was his easy manner and patience with the horses that had made Araminta coerce him to join them in the city, even though he had preferred the simplicity of the country. He also didn’t question her sanity when she chose to go riding in all sorts of weather.
She lifted her face to the sky and smiled as the snow softly landed on her face and eyelashes, enveloping everything around her in a blanket of white. “It’s a lovely day isn’t it?” She’d always loved the silence back at the estate, but in London, there wasn’t much that remained still for long.
“I’m not so sure about that, my lady,” he countered. “While I might like a bit of snow, I’m afraid my old bones don’t much care for it. But that’s part of the aging process I suppose.”
“It’s certainly better than the alternative. I daresay I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She winked at him and he chuckled as he led out the mare.
“I appreciate that, my lady. I enjoyed working for the duke and his daughters were no exception.”
As the horse caught the scent of her mistress, she tossed her head with a snort. Araminta removed one of her gloves and rubbed her hand along the velvety nose. The horse’s nostrils flared, absorbing her scent as Araminta cooed softly to her. She led her over to the mounting block and set her left foot in the stirrup and then swung her right leg over the saddle horn.
Once Araminta was perched atop, she donned her glove once more, grabbed the reins and clucked her tongue at Destiny. She offered a farewell wave to Magnus as the mare instantly began to walk.
It was a brief ride to Hyde Park, which was situated just to the west of Grosvenor Square. As she passed through the gates, Araminta wasn’t surprised to see that there were several people in fashionable attire milling about. It appeared that the peerage didn’t allow a bit of snow to deter them from getting out either.
As she started to promenade along the path, she received more curious stares than actual acknowledgement, but she nevertheless kept her chin high and a smile on her face, inclining her head whenever she caught the direct gazes from various passerby and praying that her nose wasn’t already the color of a ripe cherry, although it likely was. While much of the peerage preferred to remain at their estates throughout the winter, the holiday season was particularly festive and many returned to town to celebrate.
Araminta hadn’t been riding long when she heard the approaching trot of another horse. She glanced to her left when someone paused to join her.
“I thought that might have been you, Lady Araminta.”
For a moment, she was taken aback by the charming grin Lord Somers bestowed upon her, showing perfect white teeth. Not only that, but he cut quite a dashing figure with his layered greatcoat flying out behind him as he straddled a black stallion. With a hat sitting on his dark head and his piercing blue eyes flashing with the promise of mirth, he was rather handsome indeed.
“Good day, my lord.” She cursed the breathless quality of her voice and prayed that he hadn’t noticed as she turned her attention back to the road in front of her.
“Ouch,” he murmured. “Did I make such a bad impression last night where that’s all the greeting I should receive?”
Araminta laughed. “What would you expect me to say? We have just met, after all. I don’t know anything about you.”
“Fair point,” he returned. She glanced to see that he was rubbing the side of his jaw. It was particularly distracting to her peace of mind, so she turned her head forward once more. “I should like to rectify that. What would you wish to know about me?”
She thought for a moment and said, “Do you have any family?”
