He said, drawing her just a bit, "Why, certainly, my dear. It cannot but add to your consequence to be seen with me."
"Do not provoke me, Lyonel. I am vowing not to argue with you today."
"I hope that you can adhere to it," he said, "though I doubt that you will. Lucia, we will return in the after noon." He kissed her and straightened. "Come along, Diana."
"Enjoy yourselves," Lucia called after them. She felt very good. Lyonel was shaping up. Or was he? She was frowning when Didier entered to remove the tea remains. "You know, Didier, Lord Saint Leven is up to something."
"More than likely it is true," said Didier mildly. "But his lordship is fair."
"What does that mean, you old monk?" But Didier just gave her his patented oblique look and she shook her head. "How many years now, Didier?"
"Twenty-one, my lady."
"A deuced long time."
"Indeed." He added as he balanced the tea tray on his arms, "As I said, Lord Saint Leven is a fair man."
Lyonel was patting the by mare's nose. "Her name is Venus. She is spirited, but I assume you can handle her with ease." He waited until Diana had spoken to the mare, letting her sniff her hands, then he tossed her into the saddle. He gracefully mounted his own stallion, Lazar, a black brute with a white mane, a terror to those in the Four Horse Club.
Diana, who had decided to put that awful evening behind her, chatted happily, admiring the scenery, praising the mare, praising Lyonel on his excellent idea for their outing.
Lyonel responded well enough. He wished she didn't look so damned beautiful. No, it wasn't exactly her beauty that bothered him, he realized, it was her shining eyes, her very open happiness.
They were nearing Richmond when Diana asked, somewhat diffidently, "Lucia hasn't let me out of the house. Have you heard anything?"
"DuPres, I understand from Kenworthy, is leaving on Friday to visit friends in Berlin. He, ah, plans an extended stay. As for Charlotte, I will know about that soon. I would imagine that her husband just might take her to visit his estate in Cornwall. I doubt there will be further problems."
"Goodness," Diana said, here eyes dancing. "You are most convincing, Lyon."
"You should know," he said mildly. "You heard it all."
She flushed and toyed with her mare's reins. "Yes, and please, I do apologize. I shall never speak of it to anyone, you may be certain."
"No, you won't."
"I just don't understand!"
"What don't you understand?" He turned in his saddle to look at her.
"How she could do that to you. Why, if I accepted a man's proposal of marriage, I should also be a faithful hound, just like you told her and ---"
"You will strive for amnesia, Diana. I do not wish to discuss what you heard, ever again."
"But ---"
"Enough!"
"You needn't yell at me! I just wanted to agree with you."
He said nothing more, merely clicked his stallion into a gallop, leaving her to frown at his back.
"Come along, Venus. His lordship is in a snit."
They had luncheon in a small inn just outside Richmond, The King George.
When Diana sat back in her chair, replete with cold chicken and warm crusty bread, Lyonel said, "There is a particularly charming place I want to show you."