Page 43
He gave her a long look. ‘I’ll be in my thirties. Like Lord Granville.’ He looked over his shoulder at Granville. ‘Do you consider yourself in your dotage, old chap?’
‘Good grief, no. I’m barely five and thirty.’
‘Exactly.’ He gave Harriet a knowing look.
Granville laughed. ‘I fear your sister thinks I am so far advance in years as to be beyond the pale.’
Hart laughed with him. ‘My darling sister is, yet again, trying to get me leg shackled.’
‘No, how dreadful for you.’
‘I know. I am barely out of leading strings.’
Granville laughed as Hart continued in the tone of one seriously ill used. ‘Apparently, she has guests who would make perfect wives. Watch out she doesn’t push you into the parson’s mousetrap too whilst you are here,’ he warned with a sage look.
The door opened, and Lady Hannah and Eliza came in. Aunt Bess and Lady Liz arrived with cousin Caro and Charlotte. Lady Liz carried her horrid dog, Sidney, with her and she fondled his ears gently as she moved to sit down. The dog flailed its spindly legs as Lady Liz tried to fold it into the chair beside her, and Harriet had to force herself not to laugh at the sight.
The new arrivals exclaimed over Hart and Lord Granville’s presence, and Harriet brought Eliza and Hannah over to introduce them. Granville looked momentarily surprised but had no hesitation in greeting them enthusiastically.
She pretended not to notice when Lord Granville kissed her aunt’s hand warmly before greeting Lady Liz with slightly less warmth. He gave Sidney, the horrible dog, a wary pat. Clearly, he too had experience with the snappy creature. She admired his caution, but he seemed relatively safe as the dog appeared to be entirely focused on chewing its own tiny foot. She supposed were Sidney not so coddled and spoiled, he would be quite sweet with his little pointy face, spindly legs and tiny feet, but he growled menacingly, and Granville stepped away sharply. Harriet was forced to revert to her original judgement of the creature.
‘Perhaps we should take tea on the terrace,’ Lady Liz said. ‘It is such a lovely day and surely warm enough.’
Harriet maintained a fixed smile as Lady Liz took on the role of hostess. It was nothing new, but it grated.
‘Will Papa be joining us?’ she said as they stood to make the move outdoors.
‘I have every reason to believe he will be with us shortly. He has been much missed, has he not?’
There was a varied and murmured response as all busied themselves in repairing to the outdoors. Harriet wandered over to Eliza as they took up seats on the terrace and sat beside her.
‘Are you enjoying Chiswick?’
‘It’s so pretty,’ Eliza said as she came to sit beside her. ‘No wonder you love it here.’
Harriet nodded. ‘Mama loved it too. She spent a good deal of time here. She often entertained all the Whig politicians here, your brother included. She was a firm supporter.’
Eliza nodded and leaned closer. ‘Are you pleased to see Lord Granville again?’ she whispered.
Harriet gave it some thought. ‘I am not sure pleased is the correct term, though I find I am not wholly averse to his presence.’
Eliza chuckled. ‘Is that an around the houses way of saying yes?’
Harriet’s eyes widened. ‘Wretch!’ she declared, and Eliza laughed more. It did Harriet’s heart good to see her tease. Perhaps it meant that she felt comfortable here, comfortable in their friendship.
‘It’s good to have Hart here. He’s grown up awfully handsome, don’t you think?’
Eliza swallowed. ‘Extraordinarily so.’
Harriet hid her triumphant smile.
Chapter 20
ELIZA
Chiswick
Hart, or The Marquess of Hartington, as she should probably think of him, was most certainly a handsome young man. He was also charming, funny, and extremely good company. They had fallen quickly back into the role of old friends, and Eliza loved walking with him. He told her outrageous tales from university, most of which she was sure were not suitable for the ears of a young woman, but he made her laugh so much she could barely stand.
