Page 62 of The Lost Lord
“You shall have both,” Miriam declared. And she would have Richard for her husband in truth, despite his flaws. After all, she had her own imperfections. A tendency to believe people’s words too easily, for example. They had made a good pair against all the odds. Now all they needed was for theThetisto arrive—and they were in no position to act when it did if they remained here in the countryside. To Mrs. Kent’s great displeasure, when Richard and Edward returned the next day, she and her nurse’s bags were packed and waiting to return to London.
* * *
“Areyou certain you can handle an outing?” asked Mrs. Kent, aggrieved at the prospect of having two ladies to care for. Richard had gone to the wharf for news of their ship and to investigate additional warehouses. Edward was in session at Parliament.
“It’s only an afternoon garden party. It’s not done, of course. Yet, seeing as it’s the summer and every sensible person is still in the countryside, I intend to take the risk.” She laughed. “Everyone knows I’m terrible at this countess act anyway. No one will be shocked to see me out and about while pregnant with an entire litter of babies.” Harper wrapped her lace shawl around the enormous bump of her stomach. Pink tinged her cheeks and forehead.
“If you are a poor example of a countess, my lady, I tremble to imagine encountering an excellent one,” Miriam demurred.
Harper waved away her feeble objection. “All you need is to learn the ranks, and that takes time. Besides, it’s not fair to keep you and Mrs. Kent cooped up here with me. If I’m trapped inside this lovely cage for another minute, I’ll go mad.”
Lady Briarcliff had indulgently corrected her many errors for the past week. No wonder Richard had been pained by the misuse of his courtesy title in America. No wonder her countrymen had been so keen to escape the nobility. The ranks added a layer of extra difficulty to navigating this new and powerful social landscape. After all this was the first time since attending boarding school that she had been expected to socialize outside of her small circle of friends and family in New York. It was entirely too complicated.
As were her feelings about Richard. Miriam missed him. Their three-day sojourn to the countryside had offered little opportunity for her to interact with him. Last night, she hadn’t had the courage to go to him. Tonight, she promised herself that she would.
Away from the elegant townhouse, the sticky city air stank of dead animals and stale urine. The ride was not a long one. Within a half-hour the driver had deposited them at the doorstep of an even grander house than the Northcote’s. Two footmen assisted her down from the carriage, one on each arm as the lady leaned heavily on them. Once on the ground, the countess rearranged her lace shawl to conceal her stomach to the extent possible. The way she waddled up the steps made Miriam bite back a smile.
“She shouldn’t be out and about,” hissed Mrs. Kent at her side.
“It’s not your decision.”
“Harper!” shrieked a woman’s voice in a distinct American accent. Ahead, the countess had disappeared into the depths of the grand foyer. A sulky naked statue with an artfully placed fig leaf dominated a niche. Miriam let her gaze trail over the statue’s bunching muscles as Harper awkwardly embraced a red-haired woman.
Miriam’s heart stopped. Lizzie.
But it wasn’t. The countess turned to her, beaming. “Adeline, I bring you a fellow countrywoman. My soon-to-be sister-in-law, Miriam Walsh.”
“No. How on earth did Richard Northcote land such a lovely wife?” Adeline asked as she examined Miriam from head to toe. Miriam pulled her spine up a fraction straighter. In the carriage ride over, Harper had told her they were going to Lady Fairmont’s house. Why hadn’t Harper introduced her by her title?
Miriam curtseyed.
“There’s no need for that,” Adeline laughed gently. Embarrassment flamed over her face, and Miriam stumbled as she tried to right herself.
“He certainly doesn’t deserve her,” Mrs. Kent muttered, catching Miriam at her elbow. Miriam clasped her gloved hands behind her back. Although her feelings toward Richard had changed, Mrs. Kent’s remained the same. It was a measure of how greatly her perspective had changed that now Mrs. Kent was the one who objected more to Richard. They could not go on in this peculiar half-married détente. The choice was hers to make, and despite her misgivings, Miriam chose to be with Richard. If only she could find the courage to tell him.
Adeline bounced lightly on the balls of her feet as though she couldn’t contain her excitement at their arrival. “Come this way, I’ve situated the other ladies in the garden.”
“I love gardening,” Miriam offered shyly. “I have one at home.”
“Where is home?” inquired Adeline. Judging from her fine linen gown and the soft lace decorating the bodice, she had to be very wealthy.
“New York. Or London, now. It isn’t settled yet.”
“I’ve heard Richard is under consideration to receive a title,” Adeline replied.
“It’s true. I don’t know much about these things.”
“They make it all so needlessly complicated, Mrs. Northcote,” Adeline observed as they traipsed through a parlor and out to the rear of the house where French doors opened upon a flagstone patio. Another flash of red hair made Miriam’s pulse pick up for a moment, but it was another false alarm. This lady was nearly the mirror image of Adeline.
“This is my sister, Beatrice,” Adeline offered them wine. Harper wrinkled her nose in refusal. “You’ll find us overrun with Americans today, Harper. You and your sister are some of the only true Englishwomen here today.”
“Did someone say my name?” a sultry voice asked behind them. Miriam turned to find a Viola, with her dark hair curling over her shoulder. Harper leaned into her affectionately.
At Miriam’s side, Mrs. Kent gasped.
“I’m fine,” Miriam said hastily. “Honestly, Harper, had I known ladies could be so welcoming and forthright, I…”
Miriam trailed off as she found her footing and caught sight of a third Titian-haired woman across the patio, with her back turned as she gazed out over the lush green expanse. It couldn’t be. She was imagining Lizzie behind every tree and bush. Twice now, she’d been wrong. Miriam forced herself to focus on
