tends to forget that not so very long ago travelling about the country was something of a dangerous undertaking, and that journeys that used to take very many hours are now completed in a fraction of the time.’
‘And in far greater comfort, too!’ her ladyship assured her. ‘Carriages are so well sprung nowadays, and there are always plenty of hostelries en route where one can refresh oneself.’
As if on cue the carriage turned off the post road a moment later and came to a halt in the forecourt of a very superior posting-house. The door was thrown wide, the steps were let down, and his lordship stood, hand held out, ready and appearing very willing, to assist them to alight.
‘Why is it, Mama,’ he remarked, guiding them into the inn, ‘that two ladies can travel the same distance, in the very same conveyance, and yet one can look none the worse for her ordeal whilst the other resembles nothing so much as a ruffled hen which has spent much of the day ineffectually flapping about a farmyard?’
‘Odious boy! No need to enquire which of us in your opinion needs to set her appearance to rights, I suppose.’ The Dowager tried to appear affronted but failed miserably. ‘Where may this overheated hen refresh herself?’
His lordship beckoned to a serving-maid, and Robina, having somehow managed to keep her countenance, accompanied her ladyship into one of the upstairs chambers to effect the necessary repairs to her own appearance.
It was by no means the first time she had heard Daniel utter some provocative remark. Her ladyship never failed to take her son’s teasing in good part, and Robina couldn’t help but feel a little envious of the special bond which existed between mother and son. She would never have dreamt of saying such things to either of her parents, especially not to her mother, who, unlike the Dowager, did not possess much of a sense of humour.
That was perhaps why she liked her ladyship so much. Lady Exmouth was such an easygoing soul, fun-loving yet in no way light-minded, though she tried, Robina had frequently suspected, to give the impression that she was a trifle featherbrained.
They had got on famously from the first, and Robina did not doubt that she would have derived much pleasure from the Dowager’s delightful company during the forthcoming weeks, had it not been for the fact that that dear lady would be bitterly disappointed if, by the end of their stay in Brighton, her son’s engagement to the Vicar of Abbot Quincey’s daughter had not been announced.
She ought to feel flattered, she supposed, that the Dowager’s son had taken such an interest in her, and maybe she would have been if she thought for a moment that she had succeeded in capturing his heart. But she flatly refused to delude herself. There was little hope of her, or anyone else for that matter, ever taking the place of his late wife.
After removing her bonnet, she took a moment to study her reflection in the glass as she tidied an errant curl. She was well enough, she supposed. At least she had been assured that she was pretty enough to turn heads, but that did not make her a beauty. Yet, there had been beauties enough gracing the Season that year, she reminded herself, her friend Sophia Cleeve to name but one. So wasn’t it rather odd that Lord Exmouth had displayed precious little interest in any one of them if he was indeed the connoisseur of beauty he was reputed to be?
‘Something appears to be troubling you, child?’
Jolted out of her puzzling reflections, Robina discovered that she was the focal point of a deceptively dreamy brown-eyed gaze. ‘Er—no, not really, my lady. I was just thinking of certain persons I had seen during the recent Season in London, and was wondering how many would be following our example by removing to Brighton.’
Robina salved her conscience by telling herself that it was not a complete lie, and fortunately the Dowager seemed to accept the explanation readily enough.
‘A great many, I shouldn’t wonder. Certainly the Carlton House set, one of whom, as you probably know, is none other than my son’s particular friend, Montague Merrell. We’ll ask Daniel who is likely to be paying a visit to the town, should we? No doubt he’ll enlighten us.’
This, however, he seemed unable, or disinclined, to do, when they joined him a few minutes later in a private parlour. He merely shrugged, saying, ‘You know I’m not one of the Regent’s cronies, Mama. And I cannot say that I’m in the least interested in who’ll be trailing after him this summer.’
‘For a young man who has been considered one of the ton’s most fashionable members all his adult life, you display precious little interest in what goes on in polite society,’ his mother remarked, casting an approving glance over the delicious fare awaiting her on the table.
Daniel was not slow to observe the rapacious gleam in those dark eyes, and obliged her by pulling out one of the chairs. As far as he could recall his mother had always been blessed with a healthy appetite. Which was no very bad thing, he didn’t suppose, so long as one did not permit food to become a ruling passion.
He had not been slow to note, either, that Miss Perceval had not opened that immensely kissable mouth of hers since entering the room; had noticed too that she appeared increasingly ill-at-ease in his company these days. A decidedly sorry state of affairs which must be rectified without delay!
‘Permit me to help you to a slice or two of chicken, Miss Perceval.’ He did so without offering her the opportunity to refuse. ‘You must be hungry after spending so many hours in a carriage. Travelling any great distance often makes one feel peckish.’
‘It certainly has that effect on me,’ the Dowager put in.
‘That goes without saying, Mama.’
‘Rude boy!’ she admonished good-humouredly. ‘Your dear papa did not beat you enough when you were a child.’
Daniel noticed that sweet, spontaneous smile, hurriedly suppressed, at the foolish banter, and was fairly sure that it would be no hard matter to restore the delectable Robina to her former composed state. Perhaps it might even be possible to achieve a closer bond between them before the day was out, he decided, swiftly setting himself a new goal.
‘I dare say you are right, Mama. However, permit me to point out that there is a delicious game pie lurking by your right elbow which appears to have escaped your notice.’
‘Thank you, my dear.’ A flicker of a knowing smile hovered around her ladyship’s mouth, clearly betraying to her son that she knew precisely what he was about. It appeared to be having the required effect too, for their guest began to help herself to the various tempting dishes on offer without the least prompting.
‘I must say, my dear boy, you have surpassed yourself. This is a most marvellous repast you have ordered, catering for all tastes.’
‘Nothing whatever to do with me,’ he surprised them both by admitting. ‘If you wish to express your appreciation, then thank Kendall. He was the one who bespoke this late luncheon to be served in a private parlour when he arranged for the stabling of my greys here two days ago.’
‘Have we very much farther to travel, my lord?’ Robina enquired, deciding that it was high time she added something to the conversation.
‘There’s about an hour’s journey ahead of us, certainly no more. My latest acquisitions will accomplish it easily.’
‘You are delighted with your greys, are you not, my son?’
‘Exceedingly, ma’am!’ he concurred, looking extremely pleased with himself. ‘It was very
