Page 39 of A Gentleman's Reckoning
“On the contrary, I am delighted to have you accompany us,” she replied, descending the stairs at his side. “I am sure Mrs.Buxton is gratified to do something more restful than accompanying two troublesome young ladies around London.”
He grinned at that. “I am not certain Mrs. Buxton ever rests. As for two troublesome young ladies, I must dare to contradict you.”
He opened the door to the carriage, where Margery waited inside. She shot her a look of resignation, but Geny was not fooled. She knew her friend well by now, she was almost certain Margery returned Mr. Thompson’s feelings—or was well on her way to doing so.
As they started toward the British Museum, Geny turned to her. “I must tell you—Matthew is home from Eton. There was an outbreak of measles there.”
“Oh dear.” Margery’s fair brow puckered. “Do you fear he has been exposed to it?”
“I don’t believe so. My father sent our footman to bring him home, and he didn’t seem to think Matthew was at risk since they began the quarantine early.”
“I am glad for you that you have his company then,” Margery replied, squeezing Geny’s hand.
After a brief silence, Mr. Thompson opened the conversation. “I have longed to see the Marbles ever since I learned that the earl had sold them to the museum. Now I can combine two pleasures in one.”
“And what is the other pleasure?” Margery asked, clearly without forethought. He gazed at her with a gleam in his eye, and she caught herself. “Never mind. I do not wish to know.”
Geny laughed quietly and looked through the window as they passed the streets of London. Mr. Thompson managed to coax an unwilling conversation out of Margery by allowing her to argue with him. Geny remained quiet, letting them have their pleasure until the carriage deposited them in front of the museum.
“There is a frieze along this wall from the Parthenon,although I believe it’s only a partial.” Mr. Thompson led them in the direction of the exhibit. “I hope you will not think me too high-handed in directing the tour, but I did some research in advance and this was the suggested route for best enjoying the Marbles.”
“Thank you for arranging a pleasant day for us,” Geny replied, catching Margery’s eye. “Very considerate of Mr. Thompson, was it not?”
Her friend returned a look that told her to leave off teasing. It was only fair, she supposed, because her heart was not in the right condition to endure any teasing on the subject of Mr. Rowles. She had not yet told Margery about the kiss, and she wasn’t entirely sure she would. It felt so private. Then again, if she would have to mourn what could not be, she would need the support of her closest friend.
They followed the stretch of marble frieze along the wall, and Geny leaned in to examine more closely the marble, which was expertly crafted though much of the detail had been eroded from the faces. Beyond the frieze were statues of people and horses in various poses. Many were missing limbs or heads, and one statue of a horse’s head had been cut off above the neck. She wondered when they had been destroyed, and whether it had happened in transport or during centuries that had passed.
“Lady Eugenia, what a pleasant surprise.”
Geny turned to find that the voice had come from Miss Lucy Purcell. They frequently met at society events, although Geny never encouraged a friendship to grow between them. A nearby gentleman turned back, and upon seeing Geny, acknowledged her with a bow. It appeared Miss Purcell was walking with Lord Amherst, the Duke of Rigsby’s son—the one whom her father had encouraged her to spend time with.
“How do you do, my lady,” the marquess said with a deep bow. He stood upright, and Geny was able to have a clearer look of him. Her opinion of him did not change since the last timeshe’d seen him five years ago. If anything, age had not been kind to him.
“It is indeed a pleasant surprise, Miss Purcell,” she replied, greeting both with a curtsy. “How do you do, my lord. I believe you have only just returned to England?”
Margery and Mr. Thompson had moved on, likely assuming their presence would not be welcome to Miss Purcell or Lord Amherst. They would be right, but Geny did not care for such pretension. She did not know why she was so different from the rest of her set regarding who was considered proper to know and could only credit it to her mother’s influence.
“I see that you have been seized with the notion to visit the Marbles as well,” Geny said, determined to be amiable and conversational. Her father might not be able to force her to marry a man of his choosing, but there was no reason to act churlishly toward someone whose company she did not particularly enjoy.
“Indeed, indeed.” Lord Amherst continued, “I had hoped to bring you to see them, but I did not receive a response when I left my card at your residence and therefore had no chance to invite you.”
An awkward silence fell as even he realized his blunder, and a dull flush spread from his neck up to his cheeks. He had just announced to the woman he was walking with that she was his second choice. Geny would have found it funny had she not felt some pain for Miss Purcell. She might not wish to deepen their friendship, but nor did she wish her ill. She searched for something to say that might bring harmony back to their conversation.
In end, it was Miss Purcell who smoothed over the blunder. “My lady, will you be attending the opera tomorrow night? I have not seen you lately. What have you been keeping yourself occupied with?”
Lucy Purcell was a gentleman’s daughter, and although shehad no claims to the peerage except through a distant cousin, she was extremely wealthy and ran in the same circles as Geny. Therefore, she did not suffer the same fear as many young ladies of appearing too familiar. In truth, Geny had not attended society events lately because her father had not been there to force her too.
“I have been busy with the foundling asylum. As you know, it is a project dear to me. However, I will indeed be attending the opera. My father returns tomorrow morning from our estate and has expressed a wish to go.”
“I hope you will allow me to come and visit you in your box,” Lord Amherst said, dipping his toe back in the conversation.
“Of course you may,” she said, perfectly aware that it was precisely what her father wished for, even if it was not what she did. She turned to Miss Purcell, adding, “And I hope you will come too.”
There! She had succeeded in showing favor to Miss Purcell and tempering the marquess’s thoughts in her direction by making it clear she had no designs to share a private conversation with him. If she could help it, she would not be forced to refuse a proposal she did not encourage or wish for.
“Excellent.” Lord Amherst looked around. “But, may I ask, with whom have you come today?”
Geny cast her gaze over the exhibit and found Mr. Thompson and Margery on the far end. She pointed in that direction. “I am with Mr. Thompson and Miss Buxton standing there.”
