Page 37

“And you.” Her employer jabbed her with a finger.

“We need to squeeze you in somewhere, Travers.” Lady Frinton stared at her own conveyance as if considering putting Lottie in there.

A prospect that horrified her because Guy had made it quite plain he wanted nothing whatsoever to do with her.

Just as thirty minutes of taut silence and betrayed, accusatory looks loomed before her, the battle-axe shook her head.

“Your legs are almost as long as my nephew’s so you absolutely cannot ride with us. Being cramped flares my arthritis.”

Lottie’s inward sigh of relief was short lived, however, as she was presented with a fate worse than death.

“You can sit with that dreadful Connaughlty chit and her equally awful flirty nemesis Miss Maybury in the second carriage.”

“But there are already five young ladies in that carriage, my lady, and I am not convinced I should even go.” It was a long shot, but by Jove, she was going to do her best to wriggle out of this hell if she could.

“You hardly need a companion today when you have your family and friends around you and I am not sure that it is appropriate that I—a servant—should attend his lordship’s birthday festivities.

Like Longbottom…” She grabbed the butler’s sleeve like a drowning man would a piece of floating driftwood.

“I am only here to serve you, after all, and I have plenty of chores I can be getting on with while you are gone.”

“Plenty of chores,” agreed Longbottom in solidarity.

Lady Frinton stared at them as if they’d gone mad.

“When I hired you, Travers, I bestowed upon you just two solemn duties. The first was catering to my every whim and the second was snuffling out gossip. How, pray tell, do you propose to fulfill the latter, gal, if you are not immersed in the vipers’ pit?

That carriage”—she jerked a thumb back at the one where Lady Lynette’s smug face was smiling at the window seat she had procured in the most unladylike fashion—“and with those appalling girls, is where all today’s best gossip will be snaffled.

Therefore, I am tasking you with the unenviable job of being their shadow for the duration of the trip instead. ”

As Lottie would rather swim in stagnant swamp water than spend hours in the company of those dreadful debutantes, she allowed her face to show that.

“But my lady…” Honestly, she would beg on bended knee if necessary.

“I am not one of them and my presence will not be welcomed. I also sincerely doubt any of them would dare let anything slip in front of a servant who they would see as a spy, so—” Lady Frinton held up a palm in front of her face.

“Most of them do not possess a modicum of subtlety and they are all bursting at the seams with one-upmanship, so I suspect you will find that they will be staggeringly loose-lipped. Especially if you behave as a good servant is supposed to and mutely blend into the wallpaper.”

“I stand at five feet and eleven inches, so blending in is—”

“Oh, do stop whining, Travers, and accept your fate with some stoically servile dignity, there’s a good gal.

You are being paid to do my bidding, after all, and handsomely too, so accept that you are my well-compensated eyes and my ears and eavesdrop with impunity.

I shall certainly be all ears when you report all their shenanigans and nonsense back to me later.

” The old lady cackled with delight. “Because mark my words, there will be shenanigans and nonsense aplenty now that Guy has deigned to join us. Those stupid fools will likely stop at nothing today to impress him while sabotaging their competition, and that means we are all in for some fine entertainment!” She cackled some more, then skewered Lottie with her glare.

“Now get in the coach, gal, and stop trying my limited patience!”

“Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do…,” whispered Longbottom as soon as Lady Frinton was out of earshot.

They watched as her nephew solicitously alighted the carriage to help his aged relative into it.

His big body obviously tensed as he braced himself for the ordeal to come and his gaze resolutely averted so that he could not possibly glance toward Lottie even though he must have known she was there.

“Although I don’t envy you your traveling companions today.

” They shifted their focus toward the second carriage in time to watch the shameless Miss Maybury—who had also wrestled herself into the window seat opposite her know-it-all rival—squint into a tiny mirror as she rearranged the tight curls artfully poking out of her ludicrously large but fashionable bonnet.

“I fear there will be shenanigans aplenty and most of them either impertinent or improper. I pity you, of course, but I pity his lordship more.”

So did she. He might have just given her the cut direct, but she understood why. “Poor Guy.”

She hadn’t realized that she had said that aloud until Longbottom grinned. “Oh! Guy, is it now? Are you two courting now as well as kissing?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Her cheeks felt so hot, you could probably fry an egg on one of them and a slice of bacon on the other.

Because Longbottom wasn’t daft and had plainly seen how passionate that kiss had been.

“You witnessed an odd moment, that is all. One that will not be repeated.” More was the pity.

“Of course it won’t.” He chuckled as he winked. “It is patently obvious that there is nothing going on between the pair of you.” Before she could stutter any sort of denial, he yanked open the carriage door. “If you would kindly shuffle up, ladies, you need to make room for one more.”

“ She cannot come in here!” That came from the pompous Lady Lynette, who was displaying every bit of her Mayfair superiority as she sniffed down her nose at Lottie.

“There is barely any space left as it is without one more. Especially one more of her stature.” As that could mean she was either too lowly or too tall, Lottie decided to take offense at both statements but bit her lip rather than show it.

Instead, she politely waited for Longbottom to deliver the bad news.

“As this is where his lordship’s beloved aunt has expressly stipulated Miss Travers sits, I suggest you take that up with her. However, if you would like more space, my lady, there is plenty in some of the other carriages.” He wafted a hand behind. “It would be no trouble at all to help you move.”

From her sour expression, Lady Lynette did not like that answer, but she backed down.

“As Lady Frinton expressly stipulated that I should also be here in this second carriage, it would be ungracious to go against her wishes.” She shuffled a reluctant two inches closer to her precious window seat. “You can try and squeeze in here.”

With gritted teeth, Lottie bobbed her thanks and did her best to wedge her lengthy frame into the smallest gap possible.

Knees and elbows clenched in as far as she could clench them, she clasped her hands in her lap and stared at them.

Doing her very best to merge into the upholstery as the carriage lurched forward.

Feeling—in her sensible gray traveling dress amongst this crowded box full of the finest, most fashionable, boldly colored expensive silks available—very much like a common pigeon in an aviary of exotic birds.

Despite taking up more than her fair share of the limited space, Lady Lynette wiggled her bony elbows to eke herself out a little more the moment they started moving.

“I sincerely hope Rochester Castle is worth all this discomfort. If it is naught but a ruin, I shall be most aggrieved at the inconvenience.”

“Oh, it is a ruin,” said Miss Maybury, “but a pretty one.” Then with a superior expression, she couldn’t resist staking her prior claim some more. “Being a local, I have visited here frequently with the Wenningtons. Our two families have always enjoyed a special friendship.”

“As do we.” Not to be outdone, Lady Lynette was keen to embellish her acquaintance to their hosts too.

“Mama and I have often taken tea with Lady Wennington in her Mayfair house. And the occasional dinner, of course, during the season. Have you ever attended a season, Miss Maybury?” They all knew she hadn’t.

Miss Maybury’s father was a country squire and not aristocratic enough for the ton.

“The odd ball, here and there.” Miss Maybury flicked that blatant falsehood away with a superior chuckle.

“But I confess high society holds little appeal. Like his lordship, I detest all the ludicrous pomposity of the ton. I much prefer life here in Kent than all the competitive and shallow silliness of London.”

“Is that because you do not feel able to compete in London?” Miss Yates had now decided to enter what Lottie’s brothers would call the pissing contest. Lottie might be more than a little envious of the heiress’s beauty and status here today, but she could not help but admire her forthrightness.

Miss Yates had clearly judged both the awful Miss Maybury and Lady Lynette and found them both wanting.

“Compete with what?” Even Miss Maybury’s fake laughter made her sound like a donkey.

“All the ladies there falling over themselves to secure a husband with a title? Much like yourself, Miss Yates. Why on earth would I do that when I have an eligible and titled gentleman right here on my doorstep already?”

“It is too bad that he shows you no particular favor though,” said Lady Lynette, reaching opposite to squeeze Miss Maybury’s hand in mock sympathy.

“Know that I take no pleasure in saying that I witnessed he has displayed no particular partiality toward you so far. In fact—and please do not think me cruel in mentioning this, Miss Maybury—I thought he looked more disinterested than thrilled at your overt attempts to flirt with him this morning.”

As catty barbs went, that one was so sharp and so sudden, everyone in the carriage except the maligned Miss Maybury and her tormentor took in a sharp intake of breath.

But rather than take offense or appear wounded by the uncalled-for comment, Miss Maybury laughed—brayed—instead.

“That is because Guy”—she covered her mouth with her gloved fingers as if his Christian name had accidentally slipped out—“I mean, his lordship and I have known each other for a decade and are such good friends we usually do not bother with the formalities. In private, at least.” She managed to say that with a knowing smile, as if they didn’t bother with more formalities in private than merely using each other’s names.

“There is so much local speculation about the pair of us hereabouts, it is embarrassing. Although hardly a surprise since we have always been instinctively drawn to one another. Some have even said the frisson between us is palpable, hence we are feigning disinterest so as not to fuel the rampant gossip further.”

Lady Lynette scoffed. “I witnessed no hint of any frisson this morning.”

“Guy is a private man who keeps that side of himself to himself. He would never dream of public flirting.” Miss Maybury smiled her secret smile again.

“Which is precisely why I tease him with it at every available opportunity. Let it all build up within…” She now looked so smug, Lottie almost rolled her eyes.

Miss Yates, to her credit, did roll hers.

“Then wait for his feelings to erupt the next time we are alone.” Miss Maybury stroked her empty ring finger.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, ladies, but I suspect a proposal is imminent.”

“If you are such a certainty as his future viscountess, why has his mother invited all of us here?” Miss Yates was nobody’s fool and said exactly what Lottie wanted to.

“If she was satisfied that you and he were a match made in heaven, she wouldn’t have thrust fourteen other eligible ladies at him to take his pick from, would she? ”

That cold dose of reality thankfully shut Miss Maybury’s flapping jaws like an insulted vise. But as one mouth closes, so another always opens.

“I take issue at the idea of a man picking me when, in my case, the shoe is very definitely on the other foot.” Lady Lynette sat higher on the carriage bench as if she was about to chair a meeting.

“I have several excellent beaus currently courting me in London. Most have titles and all have fortunes, and at least two of them would make me a very suitable husband should I deign to accept them. However, it is always prudent to weigh up all the options before one makes such an important decision. That is why I accepted Lady Wennington’s invitation.

If I feel that the viscount passes muster, I will give his suit due consideration. ”

His suit! The arrogance of the woman was staggering when Lady Lynette was the one throwing herself at him.

“As will I—if I can be the one of the fifteen of us to convince the viscount to turn his head my way,” said Miss Yates with refreshing honesty. “So I suppose all that is left to say on the matter is may the best woman win.”

“Oh, I will win.” Miss Maybury’s secret smile was back with a vengeance. “By hook or by crook, he will be mine.”