Page 65 of The Secret Life of the Elusive Governess
The Duke rolled his eyes at the mention of thetonand huffed under his breath.The ton-a group of nosey, vain and pretentious lot they are, minding and butting into everyone else’s business but their own.
As the line of parked vehicles was long, the party had no other choice but to alight where they were and walk to the grounds. The Duke was out first, the Duchess second but Caroline and the children had to wait for Lavinia to extract her headdress and put it on—an act that took over seven minutes.
Moses' foot was tapping in annoyance while she fixed it one way and turned it the other. When she finally declared it on, Moses almost sighed in exasperation.And Hadrian’s Wall has finally been erected.
“Are we ready, my dear?” Moses was tempered while offering her his arm. Lavinia grasped her reticule and without a word, looped his arm with hers. Caroline and the children then came out.
As they walked off, Moses called over his shoulder, “Nicholas, Lord Dalton has some wonderful stables. Perhaps I can persuade him to give permission to see them. Will you go with me to see the race horses if I do?”
“Yes, Father! Of course, I will!” Nicholas broke from behind his parents and ran to grab his father’s other hand while Josephine stayed with Caroline. With a quick look over his shoulder, Moses smiled at her then turned around.
Edward, a smart fellow, had constructed the grandstand at a comfortable distance where his guests could get an easy view of the courseaway from the mess of the raceway tracks. The grandstand had a foundation of dark grey stonework and at the top was a wide-open and roofed veranda for the viewers. It was high enough that the dust from the horses’ hooves wouldn’t be an irritation while giving a generous view of the racetrack. At the side was a staircase that led to the pavilion and Moses directed them towards it.
“Well, then, let’s get our seats first.”
* * *
A horse race was a standardtonevent. From the time in the 1700s when the light and hardy stud Arabians bred with English mares and the thoroughbred came into existence, horses provided much more than banal transport to the peerage of the continent. The love of the sport drew both men and women alike.
Queen Anne had established regular race meetings at her park at Ascot back in 1711. In England, the fad had become so strong that jockey clubs had sprung up like grass and it was not unusual to see men bet inordinate sums of money on this racehorse or that one, which usually led to bankruptcy.
“Your Grace, Duke of Barley and Your Grace, Duchess of Barley.” A man in a fitted livery uniform approached them. “On behalf of Lord Dalton, welcome to the park. He has reserved five seats in the grandstand for your party.”
Oh Edward, your clever mind just had to go and make my life just that much harder.Moses groaned.
Edward had rightly assumed that he would be bringing Caroline with him so he had gone and prepared seats for all of them. At the mention of five, and knowing what it meant, Lavinia’s lips had thinned while she turned away.
“Thank you, Mr.—”
“Hardy, Lord Dalton’s butler,” He introduced, “Please, let me show you to your seats, Your Graces.”
Climbing the stairs of the grandstand took little time and Moses noted that Caroline had let the whole party go before her. Emerging into the large veranda, Moses smiled at the scene before him. The track was large with a wide stretch of dirt a generous hundred feet away from them. Both ends, the beginning and the finish line, were marked with colored flags.
“Refreshments are available, Your Graces,” Hardy said, “As soon as the races begin a servant will be placed here to supply any food or drink you might desire. And Your Grace, My Lord has granted you full access to the stables. Have a good day.”
He bowed and left while Moses gave a wry shake of his head.Sly old Edward.
“What a wonderful view,” Moses said while ushering Josephine and Caroline into the end seats and then Lavinia inside. “Nicholas and I will be at the stables until shortly before the races. Come, son.”
* * *
Caroline sat and folded her hand on her lap while taking care to watch Josephine. The little girl’s wide blue eyes were roaming over the whole crowd and she was bracing herself for the questions to come.
While the child was still looking out, Caroline quickly glanced at the Duchess and felt afflicted. The emotions inside her were tumultuous. She loved the attention and care Moses was giving her, but she hated that, essentially, she was stealing someone’s husband.
If Moses had broken his vow about not kissing her, she had destroyed her statement about not being an agent for the Devil. All last night she had been tormented and the feeling had not given her any ease in the hours that followed. She loved Moses but the situation was just not right.
“Your Grace?”
Caroline snapped out of her musing to see a man, tall, dark hair styled in an unruly Bedford Crop, with blue eyes, come close to the Duchess. He was dressed in a dark waistcoat and coat with tan breeches and Hessians.
Trying to be unobtrusive, Caroline sat with her eyes trained forward and did not move them, even when she sensed the Duchess looking at her.
“Forgive me, my good sir,” the Duchess said, and her strained tone caused Caroline to look up. “I do not recall your name.”
This is strange. Why is Her Grace’s face taking on such a pallor if she cannot recall the man’s name? Natural embarrassment shouldn’t produce this.
In fact, the Duchess’s actions were in full contradiction to her words. Her skin had paled and she was fanning herself with a white-knuckled nervous grip. Caroline even heard her almost stutter once or twice.
