Page 37 of Guilty Pleasures

“He is fascinated by antiquities, as I am sure you are well aware. I believe he read every paper your father ever wrote, for he quite admired him.”

“Papa says you draw very well,” Elizabeth put in, “and know Latin and Greek, and have been to all sorts of wild places. Have you been to Abyssinia? That is where the Nile is, am I not right?”

“Yes,” Daphne replied, smiling. “You are right, and yes, I have been there.”

“You must come to tea on Sunday and tell us all about such places, for we know nothing of them. Anne and I are not very studious girls. Papa thinks we are frivolous, which of course is one of the reasons he so admires you, Miss Wade. He says you are a sensible person.” She laughed, adding merrily, “From Papa, that is the highest of compliments.”

Lady Fitzhugh put in, “We would enjoy having you to tea very much, Miss Wade, even though my daughter is inclined to jump straight to an invitation without considering the previous obligations of the person she invites.”

“Oh,” cried Elizabeth, “that is true. I had not thought of how your Sunday afternoons are not free. You would have to ask the duke for permission to come, and that is a difficulty, I am sure, for he is a bit intimidating. A duke has to be, I should think.”

“Not at all, Miss Elizabeth!” Mrs. Bennington put in. “He may seem a bit so, but once you have spoken with him a few times, you find he is quite amiable. His tenants think him a good and just landlord, and Mr. Bennington regards him very highly. Why, he had Mr. Bennington, Miss Wade, and myself to dine with him two weeks ago, and he was all ease and amiability. Was he not, Miss Wade?”

“Yes, he was,” Daphne admitted. And far too charming for my peace of mind . “Asking him for permission is not necessary, and thank you, Lady Fitzhugh, I should like to come very much.”

“Excellent. Edward deems you to be a nice, steady young woman, and I vow you would be quite a favorable influence upon my daughters.”

“I believe it would be the other way about,” Daphne said, “for it has been expressed to me of late that I am far too severe and sensible, and it is your daughters who would provide the favorable influence.”

“Then it is settled,” Anne declared. “You must come to tea, and tell us all about the duke.”

“Oh, yes!” cried Elizabeth. “Tremore shall make far more interesting conversation than Abyssinia! We have met him, of course, but Papa is so tiresome, for he refuses to take us with him to the hall when he calls on the duke. And you are of no help, Mrs. Bennington, for you tell us nothing of him.”

“I know nothing,” the older woman assured. “I almost never see his grace. Our suite of rooms is well away from the family quarters. The duke is a very private sort of man, and even Mr. Bennington tells me very little.”

“Papa is the same, so I fear we must turn to you for information, Miss Wade, for you have surely seen more of the duke than we have. Of course, we attend the annual fete up at the hall, along with the rest of the county, so we see him there, and sometimes catch a glimpse of him riding by on that big, black gelding of his when we walk in the park at the hall, but that is all. He never gives parties or balls, and he never comes to the local assemblies. Oh, how I wish he would. Perhaps he might even engage me for a dance. How wonderful that would be!”

“Then you would be the one to swoon,” Anne put in, “and embarrass us all.”

“Now, Anne, that is enough idle chatter,” Lady Fitzhugh broke in. “We came here with a purpose in view beyond your mooning over his grace. We must get you fitted for that new gown.” She turned to Daphne. “Miss Wade, we look forward to seeing you on Sunday, and you as well, Mrs. Bennington.”

As Lady Fitzhugh and her elder daughter left the group, the shop assistant stepped forward and asked the other three women how Mrs. Avery’s establishment could be of service.

Elizabeth shook her head at the shop assistant and said, “I’ve spent all my pocket allowance already this month. I cannot purchase a thing.”

“Nor I,” Mrs. Bennington told the girl. “I only came in because of Miss Wade here.”

“Then we can only hope you intend to purchase something, Miss Wade,” Elizabeth said, “for both Mrs. Bennington and I are being so dull.”

Daphne pointed to the pink silk concoction in the window. “I want that.”

“Oh, yes!” Elizabeth cried. “It is a perfect color for you, and would look ever so nice. It appears to be about the right size and if it could be made to fit in time, you could wear it to the assembly rooms on Saturday.”

“Oh, Miss Wade will be needing it for more than our little assemblies here,” Mrs. Bennington said, moving her stout form out of the way so that the shop assistant could take the dress down from the window. “She is going to Chiswick shortly to spend the winter with Lady Hammond. And the season in London with her as well.”

“London!” Elizabeth cried. “Can it be so? We are going to Town as well. We leave after Twelfth Night, for Papa has business to attend, and we shall be staying through the season.”

“I shall be leaving earlier than that,” Daphne answered. “December twenty-first is the last day of my stay at Tremore Hall before I go to Lady Hammond.” As she said it, Daphne felt an odd pang of what almost felt like homesickness, and she pushed it aside at once. Tremore Hall was not her home.

“Oh, how wonderful to be companion to a duke’s sister!” Elizabeth said. “I should love that.”

“Not companion, dear,” Mrs. Bennington corrected. “Miss Wade is a friend of Lady Hammond.”

“Even better. I shall dare to call on you there, Miss Wade. I saw the viscountess once at Brighton, when Papa took us there for a holiday to go sea bathing. She is beautiful, isn’t she? As you are a friend of hers, you shall be moving in very high circles.”

“I know, and I confess, I am a bit intimidated by it,” Daphne admitted. “I have not been much in society.”

“Nor have I, but we shall not be daunted, Miss Wade. We shall brave the season together and you shall introduce me to all your toplofty friends.” A mischievous smile lit her face. “If we make fools of ourselves, we shall console each other.”

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