Delia didn’t care about either of them, although soon, she would be dressed for a ball and have to deal with all the discomforts that ensued. Today, she’d heard the wordgardensand wanted to get to them as swiftly as ever she could, not letting Frances linger by the shops on Milsom or Bond Streets.
Not soon enough for Delia, they had written their names in both assembly rooms’ ledgers and were striding across Pulteney Bridge. On Great Pulteney Street with Palladian architecture on either side, Frances walked behind with another guest and a chaperone.
“I can smell them already,” Delia declared, skipping for two steps despite holding Lord Perish’s arm.
“Smell them?”
“The gardens. Thank goodness you are holding onto me, or I vow I would hasten onward in a most unladylike fashion.”
He laid his other hand upon hers where it rested on top of his sleeve. “Then I shall anchor you here.”
She glanced at him, her mouth suddenly dry. More than anything at that moment, she wished they were in a position for him to kiss her again. She’d thought about it and nothing else until she fell asleep the night before.
For a few minutes, Delia could hardly recall why she had dreaded this house party the entire way from London. For now she was strolling with a dash-fire gentleman, going to view a very fine garden indeed.
“The Vauxhall of Bath,” Lord Perish quipped after he paid the entrance fee for their entire party of five.
“Is it?” she asked.
“Some call it that since it has nearly the same pleasures.”
When he said “pleasures,” she shivered.
Entering through the Sydney Hotel, they went out the rear through a conservatory to the orchestra area with a covered patio, encircled by wide arches and columns.
“This area does remind me of Vauxhall Gardens,” Delia said, when they encountered two semi-circular rows of supper boxes coming out from either side of the hotel. Despite only attending Vauxhall once, she hoped she sounded worldly and properly social.
On the gravel paths, they walked through the groves of trees and the tended flower-beds in full July bloom.
“It is glorious,” she declared, breaking free from him to run into a patch of dog rose and honeysuckle flowers. When a weeping willow caught her eye, she lifted one of its draping branches, barely stopping herself from brushing it against her cheek like a lover.
After touring the Hermit’s Cot and the Cosmorama, which by some mysterious technique allowed them to view lifelike scenes of faraway lands, Delia was ready to dive into the Labyrinth,purported to be twice as big as the one she’d got lost in at Hampton Court.
However, Frances put her foot down.
“Dear cousin, I have been dragged for acres, and with your enthusiasm, I would gladly stay longer. However, if Lord Perish checks his pocket watch, I think he shall find it has gone past the time we were to meet Lady Osbourne’s other guests in front of the hotel.”
Lord Perish did so. “I’m afraid Mrs. Stallwell is correct.”
As they retraced their footsteps, he added, “Perhaps Lady Osbourne’s schedule will allow us to come again.”
Chapter Six
Rupert thought Lady Delia an odd duck, indeed. However, if they’d been on horseback, he would have enjoyedThe Ride, as the wide track around the park’s perimeter was known, and happily spent another hour.
Once again at Lady Osbourne’s estate, they had time to rest and change before dinner. Taking off his boots, Rupert stretched out on his bed and closed his eyes, feeling lazy after the long walk throughout Bath.
The house party was a waste of time, but surprisingly, he had enjoyed himself in the company of the plant lady. She’d named nearly everything they’d seen in Sydney Gardens, until he thought her a little freakish.
That night, he was disappointed not to be partnered with her for dinner or for parlor games. But over the course of the week, they returned to Bath more than once, getting lost in the maze and enjoying a private tour of the Roman baths and the abbey. And when they had unscheduled time, Rupert tried to find Lady Delia to go riding, but she would vanish like morning mist.
It was vexing. Not that he cared one way or another.Except he did.
Each time he was thwarted and found himself riding alone or with others, the more he desired to go withher.
By Lady Osbourne’s design, their first week was intended for each of the gentlemen to spend time with each of the ladies. And while his dinner partners for the next three nights didn’t suffer from the affliction of Miss Elizabeth, with tongue enough for two mouths, they were bland. Rupert thought each one pleasant butuninteresting compared to the conversations he’d had with Lady Delia.
It occurred to him on the night of their first ball, to be held at the Upper Assembly Rooms, that Lady Delia had genuinely sparked his interest. Not knowing which of his recent dining partners had been his intended match, Rupert felt a measure of glee at having outsmarted Lady Osbourne.
