Because she insulted him, Purity knew she ought to find a way to apologize. While it wasn’t entirely out of the question for her to pay him a visit if her mother was with her, a moreappropriate response would be a note. Yet she wished that didn’t seem inadequate.
She tapped her chin. Another possibility would be to host a small dinner party and invite Foxford, although having a gathering at her parents’ home might lend his invitation too much import. Tongues would wag.
She paced the garden.
Unless other eligible men were invited, along with other single young ladies.
While she had been introduced at court, enjoying the pageantry of meeting the Queen, her parents hadn’t provided a coming out party at their home. Purity had specifically requested they did not, loathing the spectacle of an assembly to spotlight herself. Despite her skill upon the piano, she thought it pretentious to invite a bevy of gentlemen and force them to listen.
She shuddered, imagining their eyes studying every inch of her upon meeting, watching how she ate, hanging on her every word, judging her piano recital.
Egad!Why did ladies put themselves through such an ordeal?
Nevertheless, a party of eligible single people, all with one goal in mind — to enjoy an evening with good company and mild flirtation — would be acceptable. She could stomach that. It would be like one of the Fenwicks’ parties except without anyone being sent into the hallway.
Warming to the idea, Purity went in search of her father. Fortunately, he was home and in his study. Knowing she could have simply asked her mother, who loved a party and would instantly agree, Purity wished to give the earl the respect he deserved as head of the household.
Tapping upon the door, she heard scrambling noises and a thump. Finally, her father said, “Enter.”
Both her parents were in the room. Her father was behind his desk, tugging at his cravat as if it were too tight, and her mother was in the opposite corner, smoothing her hair.
With a breathless appearance as if distraught, Lady Diamond gave her a salutatory wave.
“Is anything amiss?” Purity asked, hoping they hadn’t received dire news in a letter from Adam.
“Not at all,” her mother said.
“The idea!” her father chimed in.
“What idea?” Purity asked, wondering why they were behaving so strangely.
“Your mother and I were discussing...” he trailed off.
“Getting a dog,” Lady Diamond finished after a pause.
Purity frowned. “We have dogs,” she said, a pack of them at their country house in Derbyshire.
“Not hunting dogs,” her mother said. “A companion dog. A small one, suitable for London, such as the Queen has.”
Mention of a dog made Purity think of foxes, which in turn made her think of Foxford, which reminded her why she’d gone to find her father. However, she had to be polite.
“What did you decide?”
“About what?” her father asked, looking at the state of his desk.
Purity noticed it was messier than usual and stepped forward to retrieve some papers that had spilled to the floor.
“About the dog,” she said, handing her father the loose sheets. Her parents were usually sharp as tacks.
“We’ll be discussing it more later,” her father said, grinning at Lady Diamond.
If Purity didn’t know better, she would say her mother blushed.What on earth?
“Did you wish to speak with me?” the earl asked, finally bringing his full attention to his second eldest daughter.
“I was wondering about a party.”
“Let’s have one,” her mother said at once, making her father smile fondly at his wife.
