“No, indeed.” Observant dark green eyes flecked with gold and fringed with dark lashes acknowledged Helen from beneath straight jet-black brows. He bowed. “How do you do.”
“My lord.” Maddeningly, Helen felt herself blush as she curtseyed. Diana was right; he was uncommonly handsome. But more disturbingly, there was a wealth of experience in those eyes.
“I must beg your forgiveness, Lord Peyton. We are at sixes and sevens here with Bartholomew, our footman, and a kitchen boy both taken to their beds with a malaise, and Bartholomew,” Mama explained, “remains quite ill.” She gestured to the adjacent upholstered chair. “I have ordered tea. Or would you care for wine?”
“Tea would be most welcome, thank you.” He sat and crossed his long legs. “It is good of you to see me with his lordship away. As you will be aware, there are considerable alterations to be made to Green Park and its environs. I have been sent to explain the process to those who will be most affected.”
“But not to hear our objections?” Mama asked.
A smile tugged at his lips, revealing white teeth. “Mr. Nash appreciates honesty.”
“Of that, I have some doubt.” Mama returned his smile. “I have met Mr. Nash, a remarkable architect who would have scant desire for my opinion. However, I am keen to see what you have brought.”
Jeremy, their sole footman at present, entered with a maid and began unloading the tea trays onto the low table. Helen automatically rose to assist them. She presided over the silver teapot on its warming stand.
“I shall pour while you peruse his lordship’s papers, Mama.” Her mother had reluctantly relinquished the task to her, with the proviso that Helen need not expect to continue the practice as the family spinster.
“If you’ll permit me.” Lord Peyton moved a side table closer to her mother. He opened his valise and removed several drawings.
Toby left his seat for a closer look. “I say, sir, garden design is an interest of mine. I am a great admirer of Capability Brown. Grandfather employed him for the gardens at Walcott, and they are regarded as being amongst the best in England.”
Lord Peyton smiled. “Ah yes, Lord Tobias, Lancelot Brown did indeed create some very fine gardens. I should appreciate your thoughts on these.”
Unrolling the plans, he spread them out over the table. “As you can see there will be a large planting of trees.”
Toby leaned over them. “Will the temples and the library remain?”
“For the present,” Lord Peyton said.
Toby launched into a discussion of the hated return of geometric-styled gardens, reinforcing his argument with references to Virgil and the idyllic images of the Roman Campagna, depicted by the seventeenth-century French landscape painter Claude Lorrain.
Not wishing to distract her brother, but taking pity on the earl, Helen offered him the plate of dainty ham and cress sandwiches. He added several to his plate with a polite nod then turned back to Toby, who had moved on to the literature of Pope to support his view.
“I believe enough has been said about the previous century, Toby.” Mama smiled at him. “We must move forward.”
“It all looks quite wonderful!” Diana said breathlessly and fluttered her lashes at his lordship.
“And you, Lady Helen?” Lord Peyton turned to her.
Coming under his scrutiny, Helen caught her breath at the force of his masculinity. His olive skin was lightly sunburned. Not one of those gentlemen who favored the night and slept past noon, perhaps. There was a faint ray of lines at the corners of his eyes as if he smiled a lot. But the harsh set to his angular jaw and his firm mouth discounted any assessment of softness in his character. His delay in seeking them out had not been explained to her satisfaction. “I hope the man you sought in the park finally appeared, my lord?”
“Not as yet.”
Did he think her inquisitive? “The trees appeal to me. Especially the varied species,” she said, hastily answering his question. “I greatly admire my grandfather’s gardens. And we have a splendid variety of trees at Cherrywood.”
Distracting herself, she added more hot water to the pot as her mother drew his lordship into conversation. Peyton certainly could be charming and had her mother laughing at something he’d read about King George’s stables in Brighton. It was stated that the horses in their heated stables were far more comfortable than the guests. Then, when Toby seized an opportunity to draw him back to a discussion of gardens, she liked that Peyton patiently listened and agreed.
Diana was enamored of him, and eyeing the breadth of Lord Peyton’s shoulders, Helen could quite see why. Was she being too suspicious? He did have a valid reason to come and discuss the proposal for Green Park. And it might well be that Diana’s beauty had drawn him here. No doubt the first of many gentlemen to call once the Season began.
***
Jason returned the plans that Parnell had procured for him to his valise. Plans that gave him an introduction to every house along the Queen’s Walk. However, he would have to become more inventive if he were to discover what lay behind this latest threat to English security.
He glanced into Lady Helen’s large gray eyes and, seizing the silver tongs, took a lump of sugar from the bowl she offered him. Not a great beauty like Helen of Troy, but a curvaceous young woman with a very kissable plump Cupid’s-bow mouth. She favored neither of her tall parents. She had an air of quiet reserve, but he suspected she missed little. He enjoyed watching her neat movements as she presided over the tea tray, finding it oddly soothing.
He stirred his tea and smiled at his hostess. “Lord Kinsey will need to view these. When might he be expected home?”
“My husband has been visiting Alexandria. We hope to see him toward the end of next week. I shall advise his secretary to notify you when he has arrived.”
