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Just then, Mr. Branok’s bald head swiveled round until he made direct eye contact with Lark. He sent her a clear look of intolerance, then shifted to face Mr. Chumley again—all the while still blocking Lark’s view.

Lark couldn’t believe it. This was not the way she’d hoped her first interaction with the naturalist would be. How utterly humiliating! What was even worse was that she was not to be blamed in the slightest. It was the gentleman next to her. He simply could not keep his mouth closed, so what was she to do? She glanced round for aid, but Aunt and Uncle were still both focused intently on Mr. Chumley.

“We have a lovely estate set up for us,” he was saying. “The very best. Quite large…”

“Are you joined by your parents?” the gentleman whispered to Lark next. “Or your husband perhaps?”

Lark closed her eyes with barely restrained patience.

Just as she’d suspected. This was why the man was paying such close attention to her. He must be aware of her wealth, what with her being able to afford an excursion like this, and was now in search of adding to his.

This was exactly as it had been her entire life—exactly as it had been when she’d had her heart broken at the tender age of eighteen and exactly as it had been only a week before when one Sebastian Drake, a fortune hunter and supposed gentleman, had proposed to her after a mere week of knowing her, simply to benefit from her prosperity.

This was why she despised being wealthy—and why she would never marry. Certainly, wealth had its perks, and she knew how fortunate she was because of it. But she would rather be ignored during this entire excursion than to be paid attention to merely because of the fortune to her name.

Well, this gentleman had no idea whom he’d chosen to target. But he would soon enough.

As quietly and succinctly as possible, she discreetly shifted toward him and replied, “No. I am not joined by my parents but my aunt and uncle. As for the other matter, I do not have a husband. However, I will save you and I both the time and embarrassment by informing you that I intend to never have a husband. Now, if you will excuse me, I must end this conversation before we disturb Mr. Branok further.”

The gentleman pulled back. “Mr. Branok?” he whispered with a look of confusion that swiftly shifted to amusement.

“Yes,” she said, ignoring whatever it was he found humorous and tossing her head in the bald man’s direction. How could this man not know who was in his presence? Surely he’d seen the advertisement.

“Are you not aware that he is the esteemed and talented naturalist?” she continued. “I should hate to upset him more due to the incessant whispering of a gentleman who clearly does not take bird observing very seriously.”

“Madam,” the gentleman began, shaking his head, “you are mistaken…”

But she stopped him at once. Pulling a finger to her lips, she signaled to him as one would a disobedient child, then she faced forward with a frown, attempting to ignore the bemused look across his features.

What sort of gentleman found it humorous to be chastised? Clearly one with whom she did not wish to be acquainted.

“Let us now move on to introductions,” Mr. Chumley said, finishing his explanation of the schedule. “Then we may all proceed to the carriages.”

The group nodded in response, and Lark forced her eyes to remain off of the man still smiling beside her.

“You all know me, Mr. Daniel Chumley, and my lovely wife,” Mr. Chumley began, then he shifted to the peacock couple, who nodded at his words. “Mr. Charles and Mrs. Marie Shepherd.”

Mrs. Shepherd raised her arched eyebrows in greeting, and Mr. Shepherd bowed ceremoniously.

Next, the red-headed gentlemen nodded as Mr. Chumley introduced them. “Mr. Michael Kay and Mr. Joseph Kay are, indeed, brothers, as I’m certain we all already established. And then we have Mr. Stephen Gibbon.” The man with the small mustache tipped his head in greeting. “At the back of the room are Mr. Francis and Mrs. Harriet Haskett with their niece, Miss Lark Fernside.”

A few eyes turned to look at Lark, no doubt at the introduction of her being single. Even Mr. Branok shifted his rotund body from in front of her, his eyes focusing condemningly at her.

Blast and wretch. Of all the people to have annoyed, why did it have to be him?

She smiled nonetheless, praying for another chance to make a good impression.

Then Mr. Chumley continued. “Next, we have Mr. John Dunn, who has traveled from Somerset. Welcome, sir.”

Lark looked to the man beside her, expecting him to bow in response to Mr. Chumley’s introduction, but when Mr. Branok bowed instead, she stiffened.

Mr. Dunn? The bald gentleman was Mr. Dunn? But then, if he was not Mr. Branok, who…

Slowly, her eyes shifted to the gentleman standing beside her. He was already watching her with a happy, knowing smile.

Chapter 4

Lark could hardly breathe, her head spinning.