I could see how this would spiral out of control. Anna inhaled sharply, catching my attention. Frowning, I peered around her to see what had shocked her so. My heart nearly stopped as saw Mr. Richfield standing in the doorway. His hat was in his hand, and his expression resembled one who had been punched.
Why hadn’t he been announced? The only reason I could think of was he must have been met by one of my brothers or perhaps even Father, and had been sent up.
I had to resolve the situation.
In an instant, I knew exactly how to do so. “Maybe you know what the ladies of London prefer, Miss Reynolds, but I don’t think you know the mind of a country lady,” I said, raising my voice. “Who would want a fragile hothouse flower? They are beautiful to be sure, but a single variable out of place and they fade away in an instant. Wildflowers, though, can survive anything. I would much rather have them to brighten my room.”
A relieved smile curved Mr. Richfield’s lips as Miss Reynolds scowled. He nodded his head at me and stepped back. ‘Help,’ I mouthed since he seemed to be leaving. Didn’t he understand I wanted to talk to him and not any of these other ladies? Well, except for Anna and Miss Delan.
He shook his head and vanished from sight by stepping to the side. Mr. Richfield had just abandoned me! How could he ignore my plea for help? The next time I saw him—Words failed me as Miss Reynolds twisted around to see who was there. “Who are you talking to, Miss Forester?” she asked when she saw no one.
“Pardon?” I asked in mock innocence.
Giving me a suspicious look, Miss Reynolds stepped away to speak to her friend, the elder Miss Carter. Miss Delan and Miss Elizabeth Carter moved closer to talk to me, both asking how I was and what had happened.
I was more than ready for the day to end.
THANKFULLY, MRS. KNIGHTON kept the visit short and soon shooed all the ladies away. Mother held a hand to her forehead. “Well, that was worse than I expected,” she said as she sank into her chair. “You held up marvelously, Diana.”
“How long will it last?” I asked tiredly. “Is it over with?”
“Diana, in a community as small as ours, it will be weeks, perhaps months, before this is forgotten. You’re looking tired. Go on up to your room and get some sleep. You don’t have to come down for dinner tonight.”
“No, I will,” I said as I stood up. The sooner things were back to normal the better I would feel. I took a few steps over and bent to breathe in the light scent of the flowers. “I do love them.”
Mother laughed softly. “I believe you would love them even if they truly were weeds.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t let her get away with that,” Sarah said, collapsing onto the window seat in her dramatic way. “Some things just should not be allowed. Fawning over weeds is one of them.”
Shaking my head, I made my way to the door. Pausing, I remembered how Sarah and Miss Sandwood had been plotting earlier. I had to find out what they had been up to. “Sarah, may I lean on your arm going upstairs?” I asked.
“Tell me you’re not serious.”
“Sarah, do as your sister asks,” Mother said sternly. “She has had a hard day.”
Groaning, Sarah pulled herself up. “Oh, fine. After today, this isn’t going to happen again. I do hope you understand that.”
“Then, I would be wise to take advantage of it today, while I still can,” I said, taking her arm with a smile. Managing to wait until we were alone, going up the stairs, I asked, “Sarah, Miss Sandwood wasn’t serious earlier when she tried to imply Mr. Richfield was the one who hit me, was she?”
Instantly, Sarah pulled away. “Is that all this was? An opportunity to question me away from Mother?” she asked. She spun to go back down the stairs. “You don’t need my help.”
“Sarah, please.”
Sighing, Sarah paused and faced me. “It would be a huge coincidence is all she meant. Why was he even out there? He wasn’t coming from the Sandwoods’; he was on his way there.”
“He doesn’t have to stay at the Sandwood’s the entire time he is not in our company,” I told her, feeling uneasy for the first time. “Please tell me you and Miss Sandwood are not planning something.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sarah said haughtily. She paused for one moment, and I waited to hear the bad news. “All Charlotte will do is find out what Mr. Richfield has been doing.”
Of course she was, and there was no way for me to stop her. Sighing, I went up the rest of the steps on my own. I had every reason to fear Mr. Richfield would find out what Miss Sandwood and Sarah were up to and develop an aversion to everyone even remotely connected with the situation. He would leave this county as soon as possible. Who wouldn’t if he or she was believed to be a criminal?
And then my heart would break.
Even now, my heart felt heavy as I walked into my room. I tried to convince myself I couldn’t try to control everything, but my head just wasn’t in the listening mood. There must have been something I could have done to prevent this.
Trying to think of what, exactly, that something could have been, only made my head ache even more. Curling up on my bed, I closed my eyes and put aside the problem with Sarah and Charlotte until another time.
JUST AS I SAID I WOULD, once I had slept for a few hours, I was able to join the rest of the family for dinner. My headache had abated, and I was able to join in on the lively family discussions.
After dinner, Father asked to see me in the library alone. Initially, I was worried, but as it happened my concern was for no reason. All he wanted to know was if I had seen anything when I had been attacked. I was sorry to disappoint him by telling him I still couldn’t remember what had happened. He nodded his understanding and sent me on my way.
Another night’s rest did wonders, and I felt more myself. The lump on my head had gone down but remained sore. To be on the safe side, Mother decreed I should stay at home for a few more days before risking the strain of going out.
Sarah, on the other hand, was delighted to be allowed to visit the Knightons and spend the day with the ladies there. Mrs. Sandwood sent her carriage for my sister, and Sarah went off arm in arm with her friend. I watched them go, feeling a twinge of anxiety over what they would attempt out of my sight.
But, I was hardly given time to think about it. The number of visits Mother and I received that day competed with the day before. Several of the visits were from the same ladies, who had the same thing to say and the same questions to ask. Unsurprisingly, the only visitors we did not see were the ladies at Knighton Manor, though Anna did drop in on us for an hour. She claimed to want to escape the crowd at her parent’s home.
And Mr. Richfield did not come. I had expected —hoped— he would because if he was with me, he was nowhere near Sarah’s scheming. And I missed his company. Had the crowd the day before―or what he had overheard―frightened him away?
When Sarah returned, flushed with triumph from a win at an archery competition, I couldn’t get a word from her. She was more than happy to detail the particulars of the afternoon she had spent at the Manor, but she wouldn’t say a word on any other topic. I was afraid of what she was thinking about and dumbfounded when I couldn’t get a rise out of her.
What was she up to?
I was eager to get back to the house party myself and cover over any damage she may have done while Mother and I were not with her. A personal invitation from Mrs. Knighton for Mother and myself to attend the rescheduled picnic was just the opportunity to do that, though it took some convincing before Mother agreed I could go.
Will and James were going along for the picnic as well, making it tight in the carriage as both of my brothers had a habit of stretching all of their limbs out. When we crossed the creek, I found myself the target of everyone’s attention as though they expected a reaction from me. But there was no sudden rush of memory, and indeed, I had nothing to say about what had happened four days previous.
Several black barouches were out and the
y gleamed in the sun, having been shined for the occasion. Servants were rushing to and fro, gathering the needed items for the picnic. Mr. Knighton himself was on hand to help me to the ground. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am to see you on your feet, Miss Forester,” he said as he patted my gloved hand. “We shall have the villain in custody soon enough, don’t you worry.”
“I have no worries.” Well, I did. Just none that had to do with a highwayman. Most of my worries had to do with the tall gentleman striding towards me.
“Miss Forester,” he said, bowing to mother and me. Sarah had already scurried off, while Will and James were speaking to our hostess. “Mrs. Forester, might I be able to persuade you to allow your daughter to ride with me to the picnic site? I shall see her safely there. You have my word as a gentleman.”
Mother nodded as I shifted to face her eagerly, amusement making her eyes sparkle. “Of course. Only I must insist you wait until all of the carriages leave.”
“Naturally,” Mr. Richfield said, holding his arm out to me. He guided me to a rather handsome looking gig. A single brown horse was in place to pull the light, two wheeled vehicle. “I believe we are waiting for the Sandwoods to make their appearance and then we shall all be off.”
From the barouche a few yards from Mr. Richfield’s gig, Anna waved to me from where she sat next to Miss Delan. It was difficult to tell from the distance, but I believe she winked as Mr. Richfield helped me up into the curricle. Unable to hide my blush, I settled myself in my seat as my escort hurried around to climb up beside me.
“Comfortable?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you,” I said, smiling at him. Was my imagination playing tricks on me, or did he blush? No, I couldn’t possibly have seen that. “And thank you for the flowers you left for me. They were beautiful.”
“You’re kind to say so. I’m pleased you liked them.” He seemed nervous for some reason. “I should have thought to find something better, but they seemed like you, so that’s what I picked—.”
He was rambling, and that was not like him at all. “They were perfect,” I said, impulsively reaching over to put my hand on his. I jerked my hand back the instant I realized what I had done, but I had his attention now. “No one has ever given me flowers before.”
I hadn’t meant to say that, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment.
“Then, I am glad to have been the first,” Mr. Richfield said sincerely. I lifted my gaze and met his eyes. For some reason, I giggled. Which made him laugh, and then we were both laughing as though one of us had told a hilarious joke.
What was wrong with me? And him?
“Richfield!”
Our laughter broke off as Miss Reynolds approached. My forehead creased in a frown at the informal way she addressed Mr. Richfield. “Miss Reynolds,” he said pleasantly. “Are you ready to enjoy the picnic?”
“I thought I was to ride with you today,” Miss Reynolds said with a pout. “It was agreed yesterday, was it not?”
My breath caught in my throat. What was she saying? How could she make up such a story and then proclaim it so rudely? Surely, she knew as well as I that Mr. Richfield was not the sort of gentleman to offer a ride to one lady only to take another.
Mr.Richfield put his hand on my arm, as if to keep me in place though I hadn’t made a move to leave. “I am sorry there was a misunderstanding, Miss Reynolds. I have set arrangements to escort Miss Forester today. I’m sure one of the other carriages will have a place for you.”
I waited for her to protest and try to get her way. For a moment, she stared at me with narrowed eyes. Then, she spun on her heel and stalked away. The Sandwoods, fortunately, came rolling into the yard then. Miss Sandwood didn’t even wait for the carriage to come to a complete stop before she leaned out of the window. “We are here!”
“I’m so glad you decided to announce it to us all,” Miss Reynolds said loudly, over her shoulder. “Otherwise, how would we have ever known?”
Miss Sandwood didn’t give any indication that she had heard, but several of us had. Anna’s head had come around, and there was a dangerous look of annoyance on her face. Beside me, Mr. Richfield became tense, losing the look of merriment on his face. I bit my lip in an attempt to keep from snapping something that would result in Mother sending me home.
Why was Miss Reynolds so unpleasant? She went out of her way to behave in such a way, and I couldn’t understand it. Her jealousy of me, I could comprehend, but what had Miss Sandwood done to earn Miss Reynolds’ dislike?
“Charlotte! Come sit with me!” Sarah said. I flinched at the sharp note in her tone.
As Charlotte hurried to where Sarah was, Miss Reynolds was climbing up to sit with her mother and her close companion, Miss Carter. None of those ladies behaved as if they wanted to be there. “A shame the other ladies are not as enthused about this picnic as your sister,” Mr. Richfield said, shaking his head.
“Perhaps Miss Reynolds is not feeling quite the thing.”
Shaking his head, Mr. Richfield glanced at me. “If that is the case, she has not been ‘feeling quite the thing’ for as long as I have known her. And it’s a shame for her father is an entertaining companion to have.”
Was he? I had sudden desire to become better acquainted with Mr. Reynolds, to know how different he was from his daughter. I watched as everyone split up into the open carriages. In no time at all, we were moving, with Mr. Richfield and I leading the way.
Finally, the picnic could begin.
AS IF TO COVER OVER the negativity Miss Reynolds had brought up, Mr. Richfield spoke as soon as we were on the road. “I suppose the proper thing now would be to discuss the weather.”
“Oh?” I glanced at him. Why would we need to discuss the weather? Previous days had rainy but had since cleared, allowing for the picnic to happen. “To what end?”
“Is it not the accepted topic of conversation?”
“I suppose,” I said slowly. Surely we knew each other well enough we could find something else to talk of. “What exactly would you like to say about the weather?”
He glanced over at me, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Only that I am delighted the weather is fine today,” he said a mock note of seriousness in his voice. “I would have lodged a formal complaint if it had not.”
I wasn’t sure where he was taking the conversation but I decided to play along. “Oh? And to whom would you have taken your complaint?”
“You’re right. I had not thought it through.” Mr. Richfield glanced over at me. “Who would you recommend?”
A giggle at the ridiculousness of our conversation bubbled up, and I struggled to keep a serious expression on my face. “Well, on the one hand, it is Mrs. Knighton’s party, but I’m afraid even she does not have control of the weather.” I tapped my chin with my finger. “She would have taken her complaint to her husband, but I fear even he would not have been able to do a thing about it.”
“Indeed.” Mr. Richfield nodded. “I suppose you mean to tell me it would have been a useless endeavor then.” He heaved a large, dramatic sigh. “And, it would seem we have taken the topic of weather as far as we can.”
“It seems that is the only conclusion we can come to.” I nodded, biting my lip to keep from grinning. “What do you propose we discuss next?”
“Now that is the question. Your health, I’m afraid, would be a dangerous topic to consider. Local events seems to be focused on your recent...encounter with the highwayman, which connects back to your health, so I’m afraid that is another subject off the list.” He glanced once more at me. “What are your opinions of the trees we are passing?”
I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at that. A delighted smile appeared on Mr. Richfield’s face, proving he intended for me to laugh. I didn’t dare glance back at the other carriages, for I was sure everyone’s focus was on him and me. It felt like no time at all and we had arrived at our destination.
The site of the picnic was one we had been to many, many times, so I knew
it well. Servants had already been there, and blankets were spread out, along with food and equipment for games like cricket and shuttlecock. There was a pond with a path that wound around and through the trees.
I heard the loud chatter of the others as they came towards the site. It wouldn’t be long before I would be asked yet again about the attack. “Shall we take a stroll around the pond?” Mr. Richfield asked. “I swear I shall not leave you to be bait for a highwayman.”
“Is that what James did? Will is such a bad influence on him,” I said with a laugh.
“If you’re not feeling up to it—.”
“I am more than ready for a walk.” I had no doubt it wouldn’t be long before others joined us on the trail, and sure enough, by the time we reached the edge of the pond, the others were spreading out around the bank of the water.
“Your father is anxious there has been no news concerning the highwayman.”
Startled by the sudden change of subject, I glanced up at him. When had he spoken to Father about it? “I thought as much, though he hasn’t said anything to us concerning the matter. I’ve never seen him so furious with James about leaving me alone. I tried to convince him it was partly my fault, but—.”
“That isn’t true, of course!” Mr. Richfield exclaimed, interrupting me. “You mustn’t think that.”
“That may be. But if I didn’t at least try to take some of the blame, my siblings would never forgive me.”
Mr. Richfield chuckled. “I see.” He fell silent for a few steps. “Are you looking forward to the ball?”
“Yes, of course,” I said sincerely. What an odd question! “It has been some months since we last had a ball. Sarah, naturally, is in raptures over the idea. She is always a popular partner for all the dances. She scarcely sits down or catches her breath.”
A Chaotic Courtship Page 15