Lucinda glanced over to where Marianne was already applying some watercolors to her canvas. Dunstan was standing behind her, pointing out various aspects of the scene before them. Marianne nodded and smiled at him. She was glad her friend had decided that Dunstan was not the man she thought he had been, for if Lucinda was to marry Lord Dunstan, it would be nice for them both to be friends.
She turned her gaze away from them and saw that Tony had wandered down to the water’s edge. His stance was contemplative, a relaxed leg and hand on his hip as he watched the flow of the Serpentine. He made a dashing silhouette and a subject for her picture. She grabbed a pencil and sketched him into her picture. Taking pains to capture all she could in case he moved away. She marked out his broad shoulders to his booted feet. Even from the back, he was a well-built man, his hat at a jaunty angle. She giggled as she drew in his hat, taking pains to get it just right.
Dunstan came to stand behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I think you have made him too tall, but I think Lord Ashton would be pleased with your rendering.”
She could feel the warmth of his hand as it lay upon her shoulder. The temptation to reach up and cover his hand with hers arose in Lucinda. Instead, she said, “Should I shorten his legs?”
“Perhaps you could redo his boots and bring up the foreground a little.”
“Yes, I could do that.”
“Can I interest you in a drink? I have lemonade.”
“Oh, yes, please. I really must thank you, Lord Dunstan. You have thought of everything.”
“Well, I cannot command the weather, but it is a splendid day and that certainly helps. The rest I am afraid I had little to do with. My housekeeper is wonderful at this sort of thing.”
“Do you have picnics in the park often then?”
He laughed a deep, satisfying laugh. “No. I admit, this is my very first attempt at hosting a picnic, but I do hope it will not be my last with you.”
“I would be disappointed if it were.”
“Good.” He held out his hand to her, and she took it, marveling at the fact that neither of them wore gloves. He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, and they walked back to the marquee. He pulled out a chair, and a servant rushed over with a pitcher and poured her a glass.
“Excuse me, I must fetch Lady Marianne.”
“Of course.” The footman came over with a plate of small tarts. His housekeeper really was fantastic. She took one and turned to watch as Lord Dunstan and Marianne walked up to the marquee. Tony was nowhere to be seen and was no longer near the river’s edge.
“They make a handsome couple.”
Tony’s whisper hit her ear just as Lucinda swallowed her first bite of the tart. She took a gulp of her lemonade and turned sharply over her shoulder.
“What are you implying?”
“Nothing, nothing at all.”
“He is simply doing his bit as a gentleman. What has got into you today? It is like you are looking for an argument all morning.”
He sat down next to her and took the rest of her tart, popping it into his mouth.
“I see. Do you think that making yourself abhorrent to me will somehow cancel out our kisses?” It was his turn to choke onthe tart. Good, she thought. He was behaving like an arse and needed to be right royally kicked in it. “It won’t you know.”
Finally, he spoke. “Are you going to marry him?”
“What concern is it of yours if I do?”
“I am your guardian.”
“Yes, you are, but you are acting the jealous fool. I don’t like it. You have made your point on marriage very clear, but you promised to be by my side in all this. If this is the way you are going to act, I would rather the duke accompany me from now on.”
“My brother is too busy to be pandering to you, Miss Sterling.”
“Perhaps I should appeal to Lord Stafford instead?”
He stood, noting the others approaching. She knew he could not leave them and wondered just how far he would go to ruin this day for her and for Marianne.
