While she’d always been forthright and honest, saying whatever came to mind whether wholly improper or otherwise, over the years, she’d developed this quality that left Richard feeling dazzled whenever she went away. It was as if she knew the secret to life and was willing to share it with him, but to be worthy of such, he had to give up something very dear to him.
He snorted at his own foolish thoughts.
Ladies…they’re all full of surprises.
He began to mount the staircase then in earnest, willing his thoughts to return to his future wife, Miss Loery, but it was no good. When Richard reached the top of the stairs, he walked straight to the window and searched for Leticia, certain he’d be able to spot the white and gold of her dress against the green lawn, but true to her word, she’d vanished.
He stood there for a moment longer, surveying the grounds, but his actions proved fruitless. As he shook his head and backed away from the window, Richard tried awkwardly to skip as Leticia had done, but he stumbled, running into one of the enormous, gilded frames encasing a painting of his great-grandfather, the second Duke of Braxton, that hung prominently in the hall. He groaned and clutched at his stinging elbow.
Curse Leticia and her spritely ways.
But even then, he couldn’t stay angry with her long. He was too busy wondering what on Earth she would get up to next.
CHAPTERTHREE
What to do…what to do—
As Leticia dashed out the backdoor of Braxton Manor she made the immediate decision to steer clear of the games that were being set up on the lawn. Gorgeous white tents had been erected, and surely, the ladies would be glad of them today as the sun was beaming brightly. When not seeking shelter from the unseasonably hot conditions, members of thetonwho had been specially invited to take part in the wedding weekend celebration would be able to participate in games of battledores and shuttlecocks, blind man’s bluff, and, of course, nine pins. Braxton Manor had a splendid lawn for bowling. With its location being so close to London, the Estate was not what one would call sprawling, but it did have finely maintained grass and flower gardens.
But knowing that all those areas would be teeming with guests was reason enough to make Leticia venture to otherwise unused areas of the grounds. She headed toward the stables where she imagined it would be just busy enough this time of day, with carriages being brought round continuously, that she could slip in unsuspected and steal away with her favorite horse, Helena. When the chestnut-colored mare was but a foal, Richard named the filly after one of his favorite Shakespearean characters, Helena from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Leticia and Helena had taken to each other at once, and now, whenever she visited Braxton Manor, Leticia made time to ride the beautiful creature.
“Oh, Helena,” Leticia whispered as she skulked through the stables, carefully keeping herself squashed against the wooden stalls, hoping to avoid running into anyone else with every turn. “I’ve come to make my escape.”
“Exactly what do you think you are doing out here, young lady?” A furious masculine voice caught Leticia completely unaware, and she spun on her heel to see who followed her into the stables. Indignantly, both her hands clenched into small fists, and they went to her curvy hips.
“Excuse me?” she said, before realizing to whom she was speaking. “I am—”
“Lady Leticia Hudson—” Viscount Loery finished the statement for her. “I do believe you are a dear friend of the Duke and the Dowager.”
“I am,” Leticia said, holding her head up high.
“And so, because you are such a valued guest, I’ll do you the courtesy of asking once more what you are doing in the stables,” the Viscount said, his cold words slipping off his tongue. He narrowed his frosty blue eyes at her, and instinctively, a chill raced up her spine. Her hands dropped from her hips, but Leticia tilted her chin even higher, determined not to cower in front of this man, even though he intimidated her.
“I was planning to take Helena for a ride.”
“In that dress?” the Viscount asked, nodding toward the gauzy white and gold day dress. In honor of the wedding, she had chosen several gowns that were more formal than others she owned. This was the one she’d changed into so that she might play some of the games on the lawn with the others, but she had to admit that the Viscount had a point. Even riding sidesaddle, it would still be rather difficult to ride Helena in such a costume.
“Lord Loery, I assure you that if you check with His Grace or even the Dowager, they will tell you I have their express permission to ride Helena whenever I see fit.”
The Viscount seemed unconvinced as he lifted a hand to stroke the small beard that covered his narrow and pointy chin. “His Grace knows that you were preparing to steal away with one of his horses?”
“I was doing no such thing,” Leticia replied hotly, her temper flaring at the accusation of theft. “I have permission to ride these horses.” She strode purposefully toward Helena’s stall then and held her hand out to the mare. Helena nuzzled her snout against the palm of her hand, so Leticia turned to give Lord Loery a defiant stare. “You see,” she continued, “Helena and I are well-acquainted.” Just then, the horse leaned forward and licked at the bluebells in Leticia’s hair, and the Viscount lunged, trying to pull Leticia away.
“Lady Leticia,” he cried.
“Unhand me,” she said at the same moment, swatting him away. Once he managed to pull her a few feet away from Helena’s stall, Leticia made a show of taking a sprig of flowers from her hair and offering them to the horse, but now Helena didn’t want them. She turned up her nose at the gift and sauntered toward the other side of the stall. Leticia huffed and looked back toward the Viscount.
“This is highly improper,” Lord Loery said, fixing her with his piercing stare. “Not only should you be participating in the festivities with the other invited guests, but you should probably be inside the Manor with the rest of the unmarried ladies, seeing to my daughter, the bride.” He said the last word thickly as though she needed him to spell out his meaning.
Leticia felt her usually rosy cheeks flush a deep shade of crimson. On the tip of her tongue waited a slew of words she longed to say to the Viscount, but she held them back, knowing that arguing with him just now wouldn’t make the situation better. “Of course, My Lord,” she said, dropping into a stiff curtsy. She glanced over her shoulder at Helena. “And we’ll go for a long ride later,” she said, raising her voice as the horse was no longer facing her. The long strands of the horse’s tail swished back and forth as she twitched as if to indicate she either didn’t believe Leticia would return, or she didn’t care.
“You, minion, are too saucy,” Leticia told the mare as she stepped away from the stable. As if not to let Leticia have the last word, Helena turned tail and came forward, whinnying in a sassy fashion. This, of course, delighted Leticia to no end, and she thought of several other insults she might sling at the horse but thought better of it when she caught the look of approbation on Lord Loery’s face.
I wonder how many people he plans to tell about the unruly niece of Lord and Lady Pearl who would rather spend her time taunting horses than preparing for a wedding.
But Leticia did not allow herself to be bothered by the notion. The spring that had been in her step after she saw Richard was gone now as she dragged herself back toward the Manor, but at least she figured she could search out Harry or even Richard, and they could form a merry party. Perhaps, if she asked them nicely, they might even consent to return to the stables, so she could take Helena for a ride after all.
She entered just as she had left, using the backdoor, but no sooner had she made it through the breezeway then she was accosted by Lady Loery. The Viscountess was far less severe looking than her husband and daughter. Where Laura was as thin as a reed, her mother was almost plump. And where both the Viscount and his daughter had those menacingly clear blue eyes, the Viscountess had eyes that were a soft blue, giving her the appearance of being someone who was much more friendly and jovial than her family members.