The Suitor List (7 page)

"We shall return shortly, and do not fear, I shall not
allow any harm to come to her." Sir Samuel returned to
Augusta with a renewed bounce in his step and offered
her his arm.

The man was so impatient, honestly, he had to be reminded that Augusta needed to collect her bonnet and
pelisse before leaving. They stepped outside onto the
walk.

"We need only travel down the street here and turn
left" Sir Samuel gestured with his hat before replacing it
upon his head. "My aunt lives down only a few houses
more."

Not that Augusta found walking distasteful, but it really was not conducive to eliminating the pain in her
head. Sir Samuel did seem empathetic to her discomfort
and reassured her that with the short stroll and their engaging conversation, they would arrive in no time at all.

"We hardly had a chance to speak last night," he reminded her, then chuckled. "Not that there was enough
time. You had more than your fair share of admirers."

"I do apologize." Augusta remembered he had attended the Sutherland dinner. He sat where it was impossible for them to speak, and she could barely see him
throughout the duration of the meal.

"There is nothing for it." He shrugged. "Can't imagine
what you could have done any differently. Ah-here we
are now. Sir Samuel motioned to an arched opening
with a tall, sturdy iron gate.

Ivy, originating from beyond the gate, clung to the
building. The greenery seemed to creep out and around
from the outer edges, toward the street, softening the
starkness of the smooth surface.

"We'll go in through the side entrance" He fished
about in his vest pocket and pulled out a key. "We'll let
ourselves in, the Baroness won't mind." With a wellpracticed turn, the deed was done and moments later
the iron gate swung open.

"Is she at home?" Augusta took a tentative step into
the lush green courtyard.

"I believe so. One can usually find her tending her
garden."

Augusta's gaze came to rest upon a person wearing a
large hat, who squatted low to the ground tending to the
plants, and who was seemingly unaware of the creak of
the gate as they entered.

"Samuel, have you returned so soon?" The gardener
did not stand or glance in their direction.

"Aunt, I have brought a guest," Sir Samuel announced.

"Without any warning?" The hat came off with one
hand; in the other were a pair of clippers that disappeared
into an apron pocket. The woman turned to regard them. "Look at me-I'm in no condition to receive guests"
She pulled at her gloves, removing them, and brushed at
the skirt of her hopelessly soiled apron. "I daresay I believed you had better manners than that"

There was no shame in her partaking of her hobby in
the privacy of her home. Augusta wished the Baroness
would not feel as if she had done something improper.

"Lady Augusta, will you allow me to present my aunt,
the Dowager Baroness Vernon?" Sir Samuel motioned to
the woman who resembled a gardener. "Lady Augusta is
feeling poorly and I suggested she stroll through your
magnificent garden and see if it does not set her to feeling right once again."

"Might I suggest you head toward the kitchen corner?
It's at the far end, and just to the right," Lady Vernon
said. "That particular spot does wonders for easing
one's mind. Just continue down that path."

Sir Samuel walked Augusta forward and urged her to
move on at her own pace.

"Thank you" Augusta stepped in the indicated direction, hesitating long enough to hear the woman call
out to her.

"If you will be so kind as to excuse me, I will take
this time to change out of these work clothes into something more appropriate."

"I shall be fine, my lady" Augusta reassured her. She
released Sir Samuel's arm, indicating that she would
venture off on her own.

Lady Vernon whispered to her nephew, "Samuel,
would you be so good as to inform Mrs. Crumb that
I would like a tea tray brought out for us?"

Augusta glanced back to see the two of them soon
leave the garden and disappear into the house. She continued her stroll toward the kitchen corner as directed.

Augusta had taken only a few steps into the garden before she felt immeasurably better. The cooling breeze,
the delightful floral scents, the beautiful flowers surrounding her ...

This garden, lying behind the townhouse ... it
should have been shady-but somehow the sun filtered
down to the plants that appeared to be perfectly content
and thriving in their various pots and planters.

A single white tulip sat among the twenty red ones,
growing in a rectangular container. A dozen pink hollyhocks stood erect in the corner flanked by two enormous ferns.

She passed pink and white roses mingling with delphiniums that must have hid one wall. Lobelia tumbled
out of pots, covering the feet of the long spiked flowers
of mignonette.

Augusta began to feel as if she were truly walking
down a path in the country. She glanced to her left and
saw...

"Are those really bluebells?" A flower so familiar to
her, it brought to mind the woods near Faraday Hall, the
path she would take to visit the Wilbankses at Yewhill
Grange. The tall, thin trees with their new spring leaves
so very green, and the dense carpet of bluebells at their
roots ... but this was not spring and this was London,
not the country.

The scent of mint drifted in the air before her, tempting her to continue to find its source. By the time Augusta
came upon the profusion of mint that scented the air, she noticed planted nearby the many sprigs of parsley
and the woody stalks of the massive fragrant rosemary
bush among the so very many other herbs that would be
employed by the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" Lady Vernon, approaching
from the house, looked distinguished in a modest cap
and lilac morning dress.

"I feel as if I have been walking in the country for
hours." Augusta wondered exactly how much time had
passed.

"It hasn't been as long as that" The Baroness chuckled. "There is a tea tray on the veranda table. Will you
join me?"

"I have arrived unannounced. I do not wish to take
up more of your afternoon than I already have" Augusta walked alongside the Baroness.

"Nonsense. You are already here and the tea is waiting. Please let us sit." Lady Vernon gestured toward the
small round table with a sweep of her arm.

"Very well." Augusta moved toward the table, taking
the chair that faced the flowers. "You do have a most
amazing garden, Lady Vernon, with almost magical healing qualities."

They both laughed. The corner of the Baroness's
eyes crinkled when she smiled. She had the most kindhearted manner about her, making conversation easy
and her company enjoyable.

"Do you take sugar in your tea?"

"No, thank you" Augusta looked around, wondering
about Sir Samuel's whereabouts. "Will your nephew
not be joining us?"

"He has indicated that you are not to have tea without some sort of exquisite tidbits from a certain confectionary shop-of which the name completely escapes
me" Lady Vernon laughed at herself and poured a bit
of milk into each cup before pouring the tea. "He has
gone to fetch them himself. I have every confidence he
shall return shortly."

"He shouldn't have gone to the bother." Augusta
could not imagine what had possessed him to deposit
her with his aunt and dash out for biscuits, no matter
how delectable.

"Are you certain you are feeling quite well?" The
Baroness handed Augusta her cup and saucer.

"I am-as Sir Samuel put it-transported. I assure
you." She sipped from the cup.

"I do not mean to pry, but it has come to my notice that
my nephew holds you in great esteem. He has spoken
quite highly of you"

"I cannot imagine what he could say. We only met at
the Sutherland's last night. And, unfortunately, we were
not able to converse"

"Ah, so you do not know much about him." The
casual comment sounded anything but.

"I'm afraid not" Augusta wondered what it was she
should know about him.

"He is the eldest son of the Earl of Hampstead, grandson of the Duke of Cubberleigh, and is in line to inherit
both titles. He has two younger brothers, and a younger
sister."

"I am the eldest of three sisters, and I have a younger
brother."

Lady Vernon chuckled. "He understands that he will become duke one day and wishes to conduct himself
accordingly-to marry someone who will be a suitable
duchess." She glanced at Augusta from the corner of
her eye. "Before this morning he had not even mentioned any young lady of interest."

"If by that you mean that he has taken notice of
me ... all I can say is ... I am deeply flattered" Augusta
considered that Sir Samuel might very well be vying
with Lord Fieldstone for the top of her list.

"I would expect the daughter of a duke to be much
more forthright. At least as self-assured as a young man
who will come into such a title." Lady Vernon paused to
draw in a measured breath. "I do have one small reservation."

Did the Baroness consider her family unsuitable? Or
their connections perhaps? Could she have an objection
to Augusta herself? She had been in Town not even a
week; even she needed more time than that to tarnish
her reputation.

Augusta had thought she and the Baroness were getting along splendidly-only now to discover that Lady
Vernon did not like her at all?

"Do not mistake me, it is not you I have my doubts
about. It is Samuel"

"Sir Samuel has been all that is kind. I assure you my
aunt would never have permitted me to leave the house
with him unless his character was above reproach"

"Yes, I completely agree" Lady Vernon's face relaxed, and Augusta got the feeling that this might not
be as serious as she had first feared. "I understand how
you might agree my nephew is suitable parti. He is handsome, intelligent, and very considerate-especially
to those of whom he is fond. All characteristics a woman
would wish in a husband."

Then what was the difficulty? Augusta had no idea.
She looked upon Lady Vernon, waiting to be enlightened.

"What concerns me is that Samuel is only sixteen."

S ixteen years old? Augusta hoped she did not look as
astonished, as shocked, as she felt.

"Only just sixteen, I might add, this last April," the
Baroness amended. "I realize that he might appear to be
a man of twenty years, but the fact remains, he is not.
And I cannot help but think that he may be a bit young
to marry. There are fortune hunters and women who
would take advantage of his situation." Lady Vernon
glanced at Augusta. "Well, of course not YOU."

Sir Samuel was roughly the same age as her younger
brother, Fredrick, who still attended Eton. She could
not possibly marry someone that young. Could she?

"Do not allow Samuel's lecture about family and duty
to influence you. I'm pleased that he finds those qualities
admirable, but I am concerned, nonetheless, that he
needs a bit of Town bronze that only attending a few Seasons will give him" She gazed kindly upon Augusta and
continued. "I must compliment his taste and agree wholeheartedly of his choice. You are the first lady in
which he has shown serious interest."

"You are most kind, Lady Vernon." Even though Sir
Samuel was much younger than Augusta had thought, she
could not eliminate him on his age alone. "I thought I
might find a husband who is intelligent and thoughtfulage and appearance are merely superficialities. Both will
alter in time."

"Goodness!" Lady Vernon brought her hand to her
throat. "You are far wiser than your years. When one is
young it tends to be difficult to see what lies under the
charm and attractive facade of a young gentleman"

"I must confess that even I am carried away when
there is music and dancing. I tend to forget what I am
doing in London and cannot help but enjoy myself."

"And why should you not?" The Baroness giggled
at Augusta's admission. "I have heard talk of a rush to
throw last minute parties because of your late arrival.
Even rumors of certain gentlemen who plan to return to
Town solely to make your acquaintance."

How had Augusta missed this bit of news?

"One might speculate that arriving at the end of the
Season would be a detriment. It has, however, not worked
out as such. Can you tell me if this was intentional, and
who, may I ask, contrived such a plan?"

"My father and my aunt, Mrs. Parker."

"Mrs. Parker ... ah, yes. I believe she was widowed
at a very young age, was she not? I seem to remember
meeting her before she married many years ago, when
she was known as Miss Penelope Darling." Lady Vernon
sat in quiet contemplation for a moment. "I have not had
the honor of meeting His Grace"

"I wonder if there should be an occasion where I
could introduce the two of you?"

"I cannot imagine so. I lead a very quiet life and very
rarely socialize outside my house even though I am curious and so enjoy hearing of the world beyond these
walls" She glanced toward her lush foliage lining the
walls and spilling from pots everywhere. "What else do
I need except the pleasure that my garden gives me?"