Page 23 of A Wallflower to Win the Viscount

‘Thank you very much for that fascinating talk,’ Beatrice said, with glum resignation. ‘But we really must be going.’

Primrose bobbed a quick curtsy, scuttled across the stage and down the stairs and raced out of the lecture room, as if escaping the devil himself, while Reginald and Beatrice followed on behind.

‘Well done,’ Lucian said to the earl, slapping him on the back. ‘That was one of the best talks on birds I think I’ve ever heard.’

‘Thank you,’ the earl said, still looking in the direction of the departing Primrose and frowning with confusion.

Feeling decidedly pleased with himself, Lucian strolled out of the lecture room. The Earl of Ashcombe might know all about the mating habits of woodcocks and great tits, but when it came to humans, the man was completely hopeless.

Chapter Seven

‘What a frightful man,’ Primrose said indignantly to Beatrice and Reginald when they joined her in the carriage.

‘Yes, that was a pity,’ Beatrice replied incongruously.

Lucian jumped into the carriage and was the only one smiling. She frowned at him. He could not possibly be amused by what that man did to innocent birds. If he was, it didn’t bear thinking about.

‘Do I take it you were not impressed with the Earl of Ashcombe?’ he asked.

‘No, I was not. I was so tempted to give him a piece of my mind,’ she said, Lucian’s obvious amusement making her even more furious.

‘You should have,’ he replied, his tone suggesting he found this all extremely entertaining.

‘Killing birds is not funny,’ she said through clenched teeth.

‘No, not in the slightest,’ Beatrice said, interrupting whatever inappropriate comment Lucian was about to make. But at least he now had the decency to look slightly abashed.

‘Can we please just go home now?’ she asked, attempting to contain her wrath.

Lucian signalled to the driver, and the carriage joined the traffic moving through the chaotic London streets.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Beatrice said, leaning over from the facing carriage bench and patting her hand. ‘If I’d known what that man was like, I would never have suggested we attend his talk, and I would not have introduced you to him.’

‘No, no,’ Primrose said, attempting to rally herself and to hide any lack of gratitude. ‘None of this is your fault, and it was kind of you to invite me. I do hope I didn’t ruin things for you.’

‘Not at all,’ Beatrice replied, but her expression remained disappointed, suggesting Primrose had done exactly that.

‘Do I take it there will be no visit to the earl’s Norfolk estate?’ Lucian said cheerfully, and both Primrose and Beatrice glared at him, which caused him to grin once again.

‘Hopefully tomorrow’s talk will be more to your liking,’ Beatrice said.

‘Tomorrow’s talk?’ Lucian and Primrose said together.

‘Yes. I’ve heard that Baron Marchwood will be giving a talk, which is certain to be fascinating.’

‘Oh?’ Primrose asked, while Lucian crossed his arms, suddenly no longer smiling.

‘Baron Marchwood is one of the leading lights in the anti-fox-hunting sector,’ Beatrice added, drawing Primrose’s attention away from Lucian’s curious behaviour.

‘Anti-fox-hunting? Oh, yes, that does sound interesting,’ she said.

‘I hear the man is quite the compelling orator and talks with a great deal of passion.’ Beatrice leant forward and lowered her voice. ‘He’s also supposed to be extremely handsome and quite charming.’

‘Oh, really?’ Although, why that should matter Primrose did not know. The foxes were hardly likely to care whether the person saving them was handsome, charming or otherwise.

Lucian shuffled in his seat, looking even more annoyed. Was he opposed to stopping fox-hunting as well as indifferent to people killing and stuffing birds?

‘Apparently the number of women joining the anti-fox-hunting league has gone up enormously since he started giving these talks,’ Beatrice said. ‘Reggie knows him. Don’t you, dear?’