Trying not to let her disappointment show, she allowed Lord Wesley to assist her onto the comfortable cushioned seat of the rowboat. It even had a padded back, allowing her to relax.
“Are you ready, Miss Bright?” he asked cheerfully.
“I am. Thank you.”
While he picked up the oars and waited for a footman to untie their boat, she purposefully didn’t look again at Lord Mercer.
As it turned out, Lord Wesley was amusing. With the stone arches of Kew Bridge receding behind his head, he told her about his misadventures of the Season. Apparently, he was a tad clumsy yet so good natured, he didn’t mind talking about it, whether tripping over a lady’s foot on the dance floor or falling down a flight of stairs at Devonshire House.
Her happy smile was genuine when they eventually approached the grassy bank of Syon Park to rejoin their party. It had taken the better part of an hour, what with time spent letting Lord Wesley rest his arms while they floated along. The other guests had done the same, including Lord Mercer who kept his boat not too far off, while he rowed for Lady Emily, Lady Harriet’s friend.
After that, they took a brief tour of the ground floor of the duke’s magnificent home before spending time in the gardens. Northumberland himself was not there, but he’d given leave for Lord and Lady Coxley to play hosts.
Miranda walked with Lady Emily at her side down the path between the cultivated beds. The spectacular flowers gave off a dizzying fragrance.
“These roses!” Miranda exclaimed to Lady Emily. “I’ve never seen such magnificent blooms.”
The other woman nodded, then leaned closer. “Did you enjoy your time with Lord Wesley? He’s handsome, I dare say.”
Miranda looked over to where the men were standing in a group, chatting.
“He is,” she agreed, but her glance went to Lord Mercer and stayed there. He was without doubt the most mouth-watering man in this or any assembly. The rest paled by comparison as far as she was concerned.
“Lord Wesley was good company. And how was your boat trip with Lord Mercer?”
Lady Emily shrugged. “He was as he usually is.”
Before Miranda could ask what she meant, the young lady added, “You know what I mean. If a man is not available for marriage, then it is practically pointless to converse for any length of time. One such as Mercer only wants women for a singular purpose. Thus, he hardly bothers to make himself agreeable.”
Miranda hadn’t found that to be the case. On the other hand, he was simply fulfilling a hand-shake pact with her father, not keeping company with her by choice. Consequently, she had no idea how he comported himself with someone like Lady Emily if he had no particular interest in her.
When it was nearly three o’clock, they were ushered to a picnic set out under two walnut trees. Clearly, it was meant to look artless and easy, but everything had been transported to the spot by harried servants. Not only the food and beverages, but the furnishings, large umbrellas, the table linens, and the dinnerware — all had been packed in baskets and trunks and brought to their patch of grass in wagons to be set out.
Once Miranda reached the shaded area, she closed her beloved parasol, leaned it against the tree, and took a seat where directed.
“Isn’t this fun?” Lord Wesley said, coming over with the other men. “I can’t possibly knock over a pedestal or a wall sconce in this dining room.” With that, he tripped over a tree root that had made a slight bump in the grass and went sprawling, landing practically in Lady Emily’s lap.
She shrieked. “Will you be careful, my lord?”
With his face beet red, he offered his sincere apologies and took the seat beside her.
Miranda hoped Lady Emily softened to him for it would be a wonderful tale to tell their children of how he “fell” for her.
Lord Mercer sat on her other side, and she caught the zesty fragrance of his sandalwood and lime cologne. She nearly leaned over to breathe it in more deeply.
“How are you faring this beautiful day, Miss Bright?”
“Very well.” Recalling how he’d pawned her off on another man, she wondered if he was tired of her already. “How was your trip up river?”
Lord Mercer shrugged, glancing at Lady Emily deep in conversation with the affable Lord Wesley.
“As well as it could be. Mostly silence unlike when you are nearby.”
Miranda gasped.Had he just accused her of being a jabber-box?
Then he added, “The tedium was broken only by the inanity of vapid remarks about her own clothing and her comfort, or lack thereof.” He pretended to look behind them while whispering in her ear, “I was about ready to abandon ship and swim here.”
She nearly spat out her lemonade as laughter caught her by surprise.
