Page 28 of A Spinster to Reform the Duke
“My goodness… it is a painting box. Have you ever seen one so beautiful, Rebecca?”
“Never,” Rebecca said with a giggle as she came to stand beside her sister, delighted to see her so happy.
“This is for Lady Rebecca.” The delivery boy’s words made her turn round and step back to him. He had a second parcel in his hand, this one bearing little instruction of direction at all on the covering.
“Who is it from?” Rebecca asked, only to receive a shake of the head from the boy.
“It was sent from a shop in Bond Street. The sender did not leave his name with them.”
“Thank you,” Rebecca said as the boy was ushered out of the house by the butler again. As she turned to the hall table and unwrapped the parcel with intrigue, she was aware of Eliza’s distraction, hurrying away with the painting box in her hands and calling to their mother.
“Mama? Mama! Look what Lord Herberton has sent.”
It gave Rebecca the peace she wanted to open the parcel. Inside, beneath the brown paper, she found a delicate box. Lifting the lid, silver glinted in the daylight, urging her to reach in with eager hands and pull out a silver inkwell.
“Oh my,” she gasped at its beauty. The silverwork was fine, mirroring feathers and quills, with a perfect inkwell in the middle of a little tray.
It is a perfect gift for me.
She searched high and low for a card within the paper, but there was nothing, leaving her to rest it down on the paper again, marveling at its beauty and the mystery sender.
“Who keeps sending me these gifts?”
There was only one thing she knew for certain. They were rather good at gift giving.
* * *
“You seem almost as eager as I am.”
Timothy looked at Alexander with a narrowed glare, making his friend hide, pulling the rim down of his top hat.
“If looks could kill, I’d be on the ground of this park with a top hat over my face,” Alexander said with a laugh.
“I am not eager. I merely wish to talk to her after what was written of us in the scandal sheet,” Timothy said, looking around Hyde Park again. When Alexander had told him he was to attend the promenade that day with Lady Eliza, Timothy had hastily invited himself along, even before Alexander had asked for his company. “You are sure she will be here?”
“Yes. Eliza said she was to accompany her along with their mother. Here they are now.” Alexander pointed behind Timothy, urging him to look backward and spy through the trees that were turning pink with blossom, where there were three ladies quickly approaching them.
Lady Eliza and Lady Birkston were in deep conversation, whereas out in front was Lady Rebecca, making what appeared to be a beeline for Timothy.
“She seems as eager to talk to you as you are her,” Alexander whispered with mischief in Timothy’s ear.
“Go and charm your love, Alexander, I have an apology to make.” Timothy walked off, meeting Lady Rebecca with a determined pace, as Alexander crossed to greet Lady Eliza and Lady Birkston. “Lady Rebecca,” he bowed to her with the words.
She seemed so flustered, her cheeks so red and her hair quite wild, as if she had been fussing with it, that she barely remember to curtsy, choosing to do in a hurry before meeting his gaze again.
“Did you read the scandal sheet?” she asked, her voice betraying her panic.
“I did.” He nodded firmly and offered his arm to her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, looking down at his arm.
“You would think I had offered you a dead bird to hold,” he said with a laugh. “Is my arm so awful to you?”
“Do you not think we have inspired enough whispers this week?” she whispered to him, making an appearance of looking around the two of them.
“I ignore gossip, my Lady, it is the best way to deal with people who know nothing of my business. Besides, we need to catch up with my friend and your sister. If we are alone without a chaperone, that will certainly make even more people gossip about us.” His mischief worked for Lady Rebecca hurried to take his arm, and they continued after Alexander, Lady Eliza and Lady Birkston, following the path through the park. “I see the news has upset you greatly.”
Timothy meant to begin this conversation with an apology, but there was something about the horror of Lady Rebecca’s response that made him falter.
