balancing on a small step and hanging on to the back of the curricle for dear life? Did a tiger constitute a chaperone? Why would anyone need a chaperone in the middle of London, surrounded by everyone else in Society who had decided taking the air at Hyde Park was just the jolliest thing anyone could do at this hour?
Dany hadnât had time to ask those questions of Mari, although she had tried, even as her sisterâs maid was none too gently pushing her toward the door.
Sheâd ask Timmerly, but heâd only smirk at her in that obnoxious way he had, and make her feel twice the fool. Wasnât it bad enough that heâd positioned his smug self at the head of the stairs, pretending not to notice her for the past ten minutes? Honestly, some kind soul should bundle up all the rules of Society in one...
âBlast! Why didnât I think of that sooner?â she asked herself as she turned to the stairs, having remembered the thick tome her sister had handed her, commanding she commit every word to memory. The title, as she recalled, was nearly a small book in itself, and contained such words as Circumspection , Comportment , Proper . Dany had waited until Mari departed the room before kicking the offensive thing beneath the bed-skirts. Her big toe had hurt for three days.
Sheâd just put her hand on the railing when a footman called up, âMr. Timmerly, sir, the hero baron has pulled to the curb. Miss shouldnât keep such a fine pair of bays standing.â
âMiss Foster,â the curmudgeonly old family retainer intoned gravely, âif youâll excuse my boldness, the foyer lies the other way.â
âYou enjoy this, donât you?â she accused as she headed for the curving staircase leading down to the foyer.
âYou might wish to be more gentle with the countess, miss, now that sheâs in a delicate condition.â
Dany halted with one foot already hovering over the first step, her right hand thankfully clutching the iron railing or she would have pitched face forward to the marble floor below. âMy sister is not â Dear God, perhaps she is. It would be just like Mari not to know.â She looked at Timmerly. âWhat do you know?â
âIt isnât proper to discuss such things with young ladies.â
Danyâs mostly unpleasant day was growing worse by the moment. âIt isnât proper for young ladies to plant butlers a facer, either, but if you were to apply to any of my family they would inform you Iâve never put much stock in proper .â
The butler cleared his throat, clearly fighting a blush. âIt is sufficient to say that Mrs. Timmerly is certain weâll be welcoming the Cockermouth heir before the kingâs birthday.â
Dany counted along her top teeth with her tongue until she got to nine (she might be young, but she wasnât entirely stupid). âOh, that isnât good. That isnât good at all.â
Timmerly straightened his shoulders and puffed out his chest. âI beg your pardon!â
âOh. Sorry. Itâs the greatest of good news, isnât it? The earl will be over the moon when he returns.â Unless he believes his wife had taken a lover. âIâll be going now, not that you care a button what I do. Mustnât keep the horses standing.â
The footman was just opening the door for the baron when Dany went flouncing past him. âYouâre late,â she told him before he could say the same to her, which the briefest glance at his expression warned her he was about to do. âWeâve a new problem to discuss.â
âO happy day,â Cooper said, following after her, and then standing back to allow his tigerâreally, the livery wasnât so badâto assist her up onto the seat of an admittedly fine yet sober curricle. No yellow wheels for the baron Townsend, clearly. And the bays were near to extraordinary.
âYouâve a lovely
Major Dick Winters, Colonel Cole C. Kingseed