that. I have never met a man of so many parts.’
He laughed. ‘Touché. But what do you say?’
‘I need to think about it.’
‘By all means. But do remember points one to six.’ He stood up and held out his hand to help her to rise, just as a whistle and bang heralded the first of the fireworks. ‘Let us go and view the fireworks and perhaps we shall come across your brother and Sir Ashley.’
They left the shelter of the arbour and made their way towards the river, where cheers and more bangs, followed by brilliant colours of red, green, yellow and blue shooting high into the sky showed the fireworks were well under way. They stood close together to watch the entertainment, a most incongruous couple, the fop and the antidote, and though she was aware of it, he seemed unperturbed. A strange and unaccountable man, she decided. Could she marry him? It would not be the marriage she had dreamed of as a young girl, but she could not expect that, could she? What would it be like to share a bed with him? To see that muscular body without any clothes? To be touched by him in intimate places? Feeling the warmth rush into her face, she dismissed such erotic questions from her mind and tried to concentrate on the fireworks.
It was a splendid display and after the last one had died away, he turned towards her. ‘Before I knew I would meet you here, I ordered supper to be served in one of the booths near the Rotunda and no doubt we shall find Sir Ashley there with your brother.’
They joined the crowds leaving the arena and made their way back to the centre of the garden. It was now quite dark, although the lamps strung along the paths made a ribbon of light converging on the Rotunda. Harry took Rosamund’s arm and guided her unerringly and, sure enough, they found the two missing men already sitting in the booth, waiting for them.
‘There you are,’ Ash said. ‘We had quite given you up for lost.’
Rosamund opened her mouth to a scathing retort and shut it quickly when Harry said, ‘My dear Ash, it was you and Sir Max who were lost. We have simply been perambulating and watching the fireworks.’ He pulled a chair out from the table as he spoke. ‘Miss Chalmers, please be seated. I shall have refreshment brought at once.’
Rosamund looked at Max. He was smiling like a cat who had got at the cream and it made her want to hit him. Taking the offered seat, she refused to look him in the eye.
Now they were once again in company, his lordship resumed his role of tulip, flicking at his cuffs, picking up his quizzing glass and surveying the people passing by the booth and making humorous comments on their appearance. Max laughed hilariously at his jokes, Ash looked at him in disapproval and Rosamund was simply too bemused to react at all. Their recent conversation was going over and over in her mind…Had he really proposed marriage to her? Had he really promised her ample pin money, clothes, jewels, a carriage, the freedom to order the household, all in exchange for giving him an heir?
A baby. A little human being, not a pugdog, not a doll, but a real live human being who needed both parents, not only for a few days and weeks, but for a lifetime of growing up. Supposing the marriage was so awful it had to be ended? What would become of any child then, especially if she had become excessively fond of it? Why had she not brought that up as a point for consideration? No, she decided, he had been jesting.
She realised he had not been jesting the following afternoon when he called on her at Holles Street. She was in her black gown again and had done nothing to her hair except brush it back and tie it with a ribbon while she sat at the escritoire, writing notes. Janet, agog at the sight of him, forgot to ask if she were at home and showed him straight in. Flustered, she rose to receive him. ‘My lord, I did not expect you.’
He swept her a bow. ‘Did you not, madam? I fancied we had unfinished business.’ He looked about at the bare room. There was a sofa, besides the chair she was using at the desk, but that was all. And Janet had disappeared.
‘Oh. Are we still acting our parts?’ she queried, making light of her confusion. ‘I had fancied the curtain had come down on that particular play.’
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