“How odd,” Sedgwick commented. “Depending on the Peer, it could be a favourable appointment or…”
“Or complete Fustian nonsense.” Hugh finished the sentence for him with a deep frown. “Regardless of the work I would be doing, it would be wise for me to take the appointment. I would not be tethered to that position forever.”
“True, true,” Sedgwick agreed. “You are leaning toward taking it then?”
“No. I am no closer to making a decision.” Hugh blew out a long breath. “Although I have little desire to take a position that was offered to me only because my father interfered.”
“If you did not take the position what would be the alternative?”
“I would present cases brought to me by solicitors but—"
He was interrupted when the door opened and a servant appeared to announce, “Excuse me, gentlemen, tea is being served in the drawing room.”
Hugh, Sedgwick and the other men left the dining room to walk down the hall and join the ladies for tea and polite conversation.
Sedgwick chose a large upholstered chair close to the settee and Hugh gladly took the chair next to his. It was only after he was seated that he realized that Lady Priscilla and her friends were missing from the drawing room. A short time later they returned and took their seats on the settee.
The ladies had already been speaking when they sat down. Hugh and Lady Priscilla shared a smile while Lady Sarah continued with her story.
“I would not have believed it myself but I heard it straight from Miss Louisa.”
Hugh turned to engage Sedgwick but Webb had pulled him into a conversation across the room.
“Well, do tell what happened.” Miss Priscilla leaned forward excitedly.
“It seems that Lady Esther encountered Mr Russell and Miss Clara alone speaking in one of the back hallways,” Lady Sarah told them.
Miss Danielle leaned toward Lady Sarah to say, “Miss Clara is thoroughly compromised. Mr Russell will have no choice but to marry her.”
“From what I understand Miss Clara has argued that she had gotten lost and Mr Russell had come upon her and was only helping her find her way back to the ballroom.” Lady Sarah raised an eyebrow and continued. “My mother said that if the Banns are not posted in the next two weeks then it is likely that Mr Russell has refused to marry Miss Clara.”
“Oh my,” Lady Priscilla gasped. “She shall never recover.”
Lady Sarah smiled. “It is not as though she would have done any better than that dull Mr Russell. Her dresses this Season are abominable.”
Hugh tried to think of something to say to the young ladies that might change the subject, before he could say anything though Lady Priscilla suddenly blurted out, "Oh! I cannot believe that I almost forgot to tell you.”
She paused dramatically as she was assured that everyone within earshot was listening. "As you both know, my parents have rented a private box for the Opera for the entirety of the Season."
Lady Sarah nodded. "Yes, of course. Your father always ensures you are in the highest of fashion."
Lady Priscilla glanced over at Hugh making sure to catch his eye seemingly to make sure that he was listening. "Well their last performance of the Season was just last week and I was there of course."
"Of course," Miss Danielle said dutifully.
"But you would not believe what happened at the end of the performance," Lady Priscilla said and then paused again waiting for a reaction.
Lady Sarah leaned forward apparently waiting to hear the juicy tidbits of Lady Priscilla's story.
Hugh wished that Webb would go away so that he could speak with Sedgwick and not have to listen to more silly gossip.
"The performance was quite wonderful as you may imagine. But for some reason as the final scene played out someone in the opera house was laughing. Out loud. Everyone could hear it."
Missed Danielle frowned. "Laughing? Why ever for?"
"Clearly some uncultured heathen had gotten into the opera house," Lady Sarah said with a very unladylike snort.
"It was quite the upset. Everyone could see that Lord Norsely, as well as Lord and Lady Marsfeld, were quite upset by the incident."
Lady Sarah put a hand to her chest. "Certainly, the person laughing was not laughing at Lord Norsely or Lord and Lady Marsfeld."
"Oh no. It was Lord Norsely's companion, that impertinent Lady Julianna Merchant."
"Oh goodness," Miss Danielle said.
Lady Sarah sniffed. "Well, I for one am not surprised. She has always seemed somewhat beneath our touch."
"Yes, as have I." Lady Priscilla shifted into her seat. "And I have even heard that she spends most of her days out in the stables with the horses."
Hugh had known that Miss Priscilla enjoyed gossiping and while it was annoying and disappointing when she had discussed his brother and Miss Beatrice he found himself rather angered that she would be talking about Lady Julianna. Suddenly he could take it no more, Hugh stood up causing both Sedgwick and Lady Priscilla to look over at him.
He bowed slightly towards the settee and said, "If you will excuse me."
Hugh nodded to Sedgwick and left the drawing room.
Chapter Fourteen
Hugh stared out the window feeling restless. He had gotten up early that morning intent on visiting the mews so that he could take an early morning ride in Hyde Park. He had awoken to gray skies and the sound of rain on the rooftop, causing him to forego the idea. If they had been at Eastbridge he would not have minded the rain but riding through the dirty streets of London even the short distance from the mews to Hyde Park was not something that he wanted to do.
The weather was not the only thing weighing on his mind that morning though. Hugh was highly annoyed that he allowed himself to react so poorly to Lady Priscilla's gossiping the night before. While he abhorred the tendency of London's social elite to delight in the misfortune of others, he well knew that it was normal behaviour all year but especially during the Season. It had been rude of him to stand up and leave so abruptly and he hoped he had not offended Lord and Lady Alderside.
Lady Priscilla had seemed quite astonished when he stood up to leave and he felt a pang of remorse for that. He had been angered and acted upon it but she most likely had no idea why he had left. It would be ridiculous of him to ruin his chances of a courtship with Lady Priscilla all because she was doing something everyone around was doing.
That thought suddenly causing him to sit up in his chair. Perhaps if he could spend some time with her without her companions he would be able to learn more about her. He selected a new piece of paper from his desk to write a note inviting Lady Priscilla to go riding with him in Hyde Park. Once he was done he put on his coat and left the house. He went directly to the family residence off Grosvenor Square directed Fletcher to deliver the invitation to Ridgewood Hall and then sought out his sister to ask for a favour.
"Henrietta, I cannot thank you enough for agreeing to come with me," Hugh was saying several hours later.
Henrietta shook her head and laughed. "I am glad that you asked me. I have not gone riding in weeks. I am rather looking forward to it."
"Are you not going to thank me profusely as well?" Matthew asked.
"No, not at all," Hugh told him. "I did not ask you to come, you invited yourself."
"And it was a good thing too," Matthew assured him. "Now we have an even number. Henrietta and I will be talking to each other which will make it much easier for you to talk to Lady Priscilla."
"I suppose you are correct," Hugh admitted, although begrudgingly.
"You suppose? You will not be alone with her but she will be forced to endure your sparkling personality." Matthew bowed theatrically. "You can thank me at the wedding."
Henrietta giggled while Hugh rolled his eyes and then turned around as they heard someone approaching.
Hugh was surprised to see a carriage appear around the corner. He thought his note had been rather clear that he wanted to ride horses even go
ing insofar to direct her to indicate in her reply if she needed a horse to ride.
Before he could discuss it with either Henrietta or Matthew the carriage door was opened by one of the footmen and Lady Priscilla emerged looking beautiful and somewhat out of place on the riding trails of Hyde Park. She was wearing the most magnificent and elaborate riding habit he had ever seen. While the question of if she had understood his invitation had been cleared up he wondered if she would actually be able to alight a horse in the habit.
Behind him, he heard Matthew say quietly, "What on Earth is she wearing?"
Henrietta had hushed him whispering loudly, "I do not know but be quiet."
"Good afternoon, Mr Repington."
Hugh was about to ask about the carriage when one of the footmen led a chestnut horse out from behind the carriage. A second footman hurried out with a large wooden box setting it down next to the box. "Lady Priscilla, we are ready."
"Good," she said and moved toward them her riding habit fluttering behind her. The pricked its ears back briefly as she passed but the footman calmed the horse while the other footman helped Lady Priscilla to mount the horse. After several minutes of arranging and rearranging, Lady Priscilla was seated in her saddle and they set off with Matthew and Henrietta in the lead.
"Oh no," Lady Priscilla suddenly gasped.
"What is wrong?" Hugh asked looking over. As far he could see there was nothing amiss, both horses were moving along at the same pace and Lady Priscilla looked well seated in her saddle.
"Water is being splashed upon my riding habit," Lady Priscilla said as though her predicament was the same as rotten tomatoes being thrown at her.
"It is merely water, I..."
"No! Stop it!" She cried out and leaned over as if to brush something off of her skirt.
One of the fluttery pieces on her sleeve floated out over the horse's head which caused the horse to come to a sudden and complete stop. It happened so fast that Hugh could only watch as Lady Priscilla tried to sit up in time to grasp at the pommel but she had already left her seat when she stretched out her arm. A second later she landed flat on her back in a mud puddle that the horse had managed to avoid on the side of the trail.
Hugh scrambled off his horse amid screams from Lady Priscilla. "No! My riding habit!"
By the time Hugh got around his horse and hers she was sitting up and looked horrified. "I am covered in mud! What am I going to do?"
A moment later Henrietta hurried up beside him. "Oh dear, Lady Priscilla, are you unhurt?"
Henrietta was being very kind and caring but Hugh could tell she was trying not to smirk. He could not blame her. Lady Priscilla was quite the sight still sitting in the puddle of mud.
"Perhaps we could get you up out of the mud," Henrietta suggested, holding out her hand to help the other young lady up.
"No, do not touch me. I want to go home."
"I understand," Henrietta her voice soothing. "We will get you back on your horse and we will set off right..."
"No," Lady Priscilla said again. "I want to go home, now."
Henrietta stood up and stepped away, irritation showing clearly on her face.
"You..."
"Someone needs to fetch my carriage straight away." Lady Priscilla gave a stern look from her place on the ground.
"I would be happy to," Matthew offered, the only one among them still seated on a horse.
For a moment, Hugh wanted to say he would go but he realized it had more to do with not wanting to wait with Lady Priscilla for the carriage. He only wanted to be away from her.
"Are you sure you do not want me to help you out of the mud? There is a tree stump right here that you could sit on to wait," Hugh offered.
"No. Please just leave me alone."
Hugh did as she asked stepping back across the trail where Henrietta had tied up the horses.
"Well, this went rather well," Henrietta told him.
"Is it quite unladylike to be sarcastic," Hugh said lightly.
"Did you really expect it to go better?"
"I had hoped so, yes." He shook his head and then smiled. "At least I know this will not be spread about London." It was unlikely that she would spread gossip about herself.
"Oh, I am sure some version of it will be spread about," Henrietta looked across the trail at the petulant young lady in the mud. "Only the version that you will hear about will be quite different. Unfortunately, Lady Priscilla will the only person that will not be blamed for her predicament."
"Yes, you are most likely in the right." Hugh nodded and sighed.
Chapter Fifteen
"It is your move, Lady Julianna,” Miss Diana said.
Julianna looked up to see you both miss Diana and Lady Amelia looking at her. "I am sorry I cannot seem to concentrate."
She had accepted the invitation to the card party hoping to have an enjoyable evening. It had not occurred to her that Lord Norsely might be in attendance. Since the incident at the opera, she had not exactly been avoiding him but she had not sought him out either. She felt fortunate that she had not seen him at any of the social events she had attended in the last week. He had already been involved in a card game when she entered the room so she was unsure if he even knew that she had arrived. Of course, she had taken care to bring as little notice to herself as possible.
"Are you all right?" Lady Amelia asked.
"Yes, "Julianna said with a sigh.
"Are you upset because Lord Norsely has not said hello?"
Julianna shook her head. "No, that is fine."
Julianna sincerely did not mind that Lord Norsely had not come over to greet to her.
It had been hard for her to not think about what it happened at the opera. Lord Norsely had been so upset with her that evening. She had not meant to make him angry and she had not meant to laugh at all, for that matter. He had immediately been offended and told her and no uncertain terms that she had embarrassed him. He had curtly added that it was not likely that he would take her to the opera again anytime soon.
Of course, her thought had been that it was unlikely she would want to attend the opera with him anytime soon, but she decided it would be improper to share that thought with him. He had been so angry with her that he had left her to ride in the carriage back with his parents.
Julianna had not minded that so much as his mother was quite tickled, she had also found the death of the main character quite amusing at the end of the fifth act.
And while she did not care to actively search out Lord Norsely or have him search her out, she knew her parents were still expecting her to be gracious. That is if they did meet again. It was that meeting that was making her so distracted.
Lord Norsely was sitting at a table across the room playing Vingt-et-un with several other gentlemen which she was grateful for, as it prolonged their eventual meeting.
"Oh look. I believe that is Mr Repington, is it not?" Miss Diana asked.
Julianna had been trying to concentrate on the game but immediately looked across the room to the door to see who Miss Diana was referring to. She looked at the men that had just walked into the room and Julianna did not see Mr Repington among them. It took her a moment to realize that the Mr Repington Miss Diana had been referring to had been Matthew Repington, not Hugh Repington.
She turned back feeling disappointed and annoyed.
"Shall we move to another table? Perhaps try another game?" Miss Diana suggested.
"That is a wonderful idea." Lady Amelia scanned the room and pointed to an empty table in the corner. "How about that table over there? I believe it is set up to play Faro."
"I am in favour of that," Miss Diana said standing up. "I had the best luck the last time I played."
"Do you agree, Lady Julianna?" Lady Amelia asked still sitting at the table.
"Yes. Faro will be a nice change." Julianna began to follow them across the room realizing halfway across the room that they would be passing by Lord Norsely's table. As they passed the table t
he men looked up most of them smiling and nodding. Julianna glanced over at Lord Norsely who to her surprise made a point to smile and nod. She smiled back at him relieved that he seemed to have forgiven her after the incident at the opera.
They had barely sat down at the table when Matthew Repington and Mr Webb walked up. "May we join you?"
"Yes, of course," Miss Diana said happily.
Mr Repington sat down across from Lady Amelia. "I have not played Faro in a very long time. I am surprised that it was even offered."
"I have seen it a few times this Season. It is Lady Halswood's favorite game," Miss Diana explained.
"I do find it rather fun and I do not really care whether it is in fashion or not," Lady Amelia said.
"Neither do I," Julianna agreed with her.
Someone said something at a nearby table causing the ladies there to laugh.
"I am not surprised by that at all." Julianna recognized the person speaking to be Lady Sarah.
Miss Danielle leaned in toward the table and said, "Who would be? What I am surprised by is the fact that after her behaviour at the opera that she is still getting invited to parties and balls. I will be in high dudgeon if she is allowed vouchers to Almack's."
"I shall have my mother contact the patronesses of Almack's to enquire about it," Lady Sarah told them.
"Shall we get started?" Matthew suggested brightly reaching for the wooden box.
Julianna smiled gratefully at him. "That sounds lovely."
Matthew began setting up the game while Lady Amelia, Miss Diana, and Mr Webb conversed gaily clearly trying to lighten the conversation. Julianna was not upset as much as she was annoyed that Lady Sarah and Miss Danielle had upset everyone else at the table. She could take the rude comments about herself.
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