He was. Not to the carriage, but to the little glimpses he got of her mouth every time she lifted the veil.
The footman looked in. “The young ladies are coming. Shall I open the champagne, my lady?”
“Certainly,” she said.
Geoffrey stared out the window and spotted them at once. Mrs. Pierce was smiling proudly, and Rosy’s steps quickened as she floated to the carriage in her hoop skirt. Diana hadn’t been lying about that gown. It looked exactly like a dollop of whipped cream. Or perhaps a hot-air balloon. But, to his surprise, Rosy was maneuvering it masterfully.
As the two ladies approached, Geoffrey jumped out to help them in and then belatedly remembered that he and Rosy would be in the other carriage. Neither of these carriages were built to hold more than one lady in a hoopskirt and headdress with overreaching feathers. So his conversation with Diana would remain unfinished. What a pity. He still hadn’t asked her about their morning conversation.
“It was wonderful, Diana!” Rosy gushed as she hurried up to them. “The queen asked me how I was liking London, and I said what you told me to—that I liked all the sights, but I missed being at home, where I could be comfortable. Then she kissed my forehead and said I would do well in the Season and that she would make sure of it!”
“That’s quite a coup!” Diana said. “We’re so proud of you, aren’t we, Eliza?”
“We are, indeed.” Eliza turned to Geoffrey. “You should have seen her, Your Grace. She held her head high and didn’t once falter in her steps.” Eliza smiled approvingly at his sister. “And she’s already made her first conquest: Devonshire’s heir, the Marquess of Hartington.” She flashed Diana a knowing look. “A handsome and well-spoken young man only a year or two older than Rosy.”
Rosy blushed, as she should, given that Hartington was as wealthy as sin, and probably was sin’s boon companion to boot. Hartington was definitely the Prince Regent’s friend, an alarming connection in itself.
“Rosy, I should caution you—” he began.
“Let her have her triumph for today, will you?” Diana whispered. “Tomorrow you may do all the cautioning you like.”
He saw Rosy staring at him with hopeful eyes, waiting for him to impart some wisdom. Damn. Much as he hated to admit it, Diana had the right of it. “I should caution you not to wear that gown when next you meet him. You might very easily knock him over.”
Rosy laughed gaily and touched his arm with her fan. “La, you are so silly sometimes, Geoffrey. My hoops are not as formidable as all that.”
How he wished they were. Then he wouldn’t even have to worry about her suitors.
“They’re coming to tell us we must go,” Mrs. Pierce said, “so we should probably enter our respective carriages and leave.”
“Of course.” He held out his arm to Rosy. “Shall we?”
“I want to ride with Diana. I haven’t finished telling her all about how it went.”
A long-suffering sigh escaped him. He’d already shared his equipage with Mrs. Pierce once. Must he do so again?
Then it dawned on him. He could ask her about Diana now that he knew more about the sisters’ situation.
And why would you want to do that?
Damn. He didn’t need to focus on Diana right now. He needed to focus on Rosy. “You can tell me all about how it went.”
She cocked her head, and her plumed tiara threatened to fall off. “You’ll really listen?”
“Of course.” He was paying for this nonsense; he might as well learn if he’d received his money’s worth. “Besides, you’ll have to tell Mother everything anyway, so just make sure Lady Diana is around when you do.”
That was the only way he got her into the carriage.