"It is marvelous!" Laura gasped. "I have never seen anything like it."
Talman looked to the baroness for an echo of this sentiment. "Where are the stables?" she asked.
"They are west of the main building. We must have that ride soon. Let us go and greet some of the other guests now."
A few of them had spotted Talman and came forward. Some of them were known from London and smiled expectantly to see the baroness among them. Others were unknown, but all were from the very tip of the ton.
"There is someone here who is eager to see you," Talman mentioned a moment later. "Ah, there he is. He has spotted you."
Laura looked and saw the unmistakable form of Lord Hyatt quickly advancing from the direction of the fountain. The sun struck his golden hair, giving him an aura of romance. She knew he and Talman were good friends, yet she was surprised to see him here. She was especially surprised that he was eager to see her. But of course that was mere civility. She noticed, however, that it was herself he spoke to first.
"Laura, how delightful to see you again. I am happy you came. Baroness," he added, with a smiling bow. In the confusion of meeting, Olivia did not notice for a moment that he had called her cousin "Laura," when he had called her "Miss Harwood" before.
Olivia took his eagerness as a compliment to herself. "Now you must not ask to paint me again," she said coyly. "I am still recovering from those tiresome sittings. Though the garden would make a fine backdrop for me, would it not?"
"Very colorful," Hyatt agreed. He no longer expected any acumen from the baroness. His sole reason for doing her outdoors was that he wanted a touch of wilderness for her. This formal French arrangement was suitable for no one but a queen. "Shall we enjoy a stroll through these marvelous grounds?"
"I see what you are up to!" the baroness said, though Hyatt had directed himself to Laura. "You are looking for another backdrop for me. I told you, no more posing."
"I would not dream of subjecting you to that indignity again, Baroness," he assured her.
"Not this visit, in any case. I have come to ride. Lord Talman is going to show me the stable," Olivia said. "I shall be riding this afternoon."
She had not met more than half of the guests, but Talman was still infatuated. He welcomed the opportunity to get her to himself and agreed to go to the stables at once.
Hyatt offered Laura his arm. She smiled with becoming modesty and placed her fingers on it gingerly as they strolled toward the fountain. She glanced around, hoping to see Meadows.
"There is a lovely, refreshing breeze. I was just enjoying the spray on my face, imagining I was at the ocean," he said.
"This is a far cry from the ocean. So formal and rigid. Not that it is not lovely," she added hastily, lest he took the comment for disparagement.
He said, "It is not my preferred style, but of course a great showcase. One would not want to miss seeing it. It is one of the wonders of England."
"Is Mr. Meadows here?" she asked.
"What brought him to mind? Was it the words 'one of the wonders of England'?" he asked, with a teasing smile.
"Good gracious, no. It is just that Olivia is being a trifle difficult. He is a great help to me in watching her."
"He's not here. You may rely on Talman's vigilance. He won't let her stray far. How does it come you didn't know whether Meadows was coming? He is a great and good friend of yours, I think?"
"He often escorts us in the evening, but we did not go out last night, so we didn't see him."
His next question seemed irrelevant. "He does not call when you are remaining at home, then?"
"No, not usually." She pondered his remark. It almost sounded as though Hyatt was trying to discover the degree of closeness between Meadows and herself. Or perhaps he was trying to learn Olivia's feelings for Meadows, on Talman's behalf.
"I thought, as you two have been friends forever, that there might be a match in the offing."
"Oh, no! We initially thought he and the baroness-
but that was before she turned into a ninny-hammer." It was her he was curious about!
They reached the fountain and stopped. Hyatt said, "Just close your eyes and you will feel the spray from the fountain, carried on the breeze. It is more refreshing than ale."
She closed her eyes and felt the echo of water on her face. "Lovely," she murmured. Her lashes formed fans on her cheeks. In this romantic spot, she looked quite beautiful.
"I thought you would like it," he said in a soft voice.
She opened her eyes and said, "Oh, Lord Talman told me his mama has a copy of your Country Life folio. May I see it?"
Her eagerness appeared genuine. "I see the butler has just come to ring us to luncheon, but after lunch I would be happy to show it to you.”
"What will you paint next, Lord Hyatt?"
"Won't you call me Hyatt? I have already assumed a friend's privilege by calling you Laura."
"I hope we are friends. But you didn't answer my question."
"And you did not call me Hyatt," he said, with a quizzing grin.
"What will you paint next, Hyatt? You have already done high life and low life."
"What remains?"
"Middle life. You could do the bourgeoisie."
"That was my plan. We think alike, you and I, Laura."
The butler sounded his bell. Hyatt took a closer grip on her elbow and led her inside at a fast pace.
"You must be very hungry," she laughed, as they sped past less swift diners.
"I am, but it is not the food that causes this gallop. I want to rearrange the place cards."
He seemed to know his way around the mansion very well. With never a wrong turn, he sped down corridors and around corners until they came to the dining room. He went up and down the table, glancing at cards, and exchanged two.
"Is it some lady you want to cajole into posing for you?" she asked, looking to see what he was up to.
"Certainly not. The lady has already had the good sense to refuse. It is only her charming company I want. And I promise not to coerce you into posing."
She looked at the card and saw it was her own that he had moved to place beside his.
"Perhaps you shouldn't do that," she said. "The duchess might notice."
"She wouldn't notice if we all sat on the floor. Her butler makes the seating arrangements. Danson won't mind. I'll tip him the clue that this is your seat for the rest of the weekend. Do you mind?"
"No," she said, blushing up to her ears.
The other guests began straggling in, and the gentlemen drew the ladies' chairs. Soon they were all seated, with two empty places remaining near the head of the table.
"Where is my son?" the duchess demanded. "It is unlike him to be late for lunch. He knows I hate cold food. Find him, Danson, and serve the soup. We will not wait for him."
Laura looked up and down the table and noticed that the other empty seat was Olivia's. She cast a guilty look at Hyatt, who beckoned Danson and whispered in his ear, "The stable. Tell 'em to get a move on."
Danson nodded and left. The soup was just being removed when the tardy couple entered, flushed from their dash.
"Sorry, Mama, folks," Talman said, drawing Olivia's chair.
Olivia just smiled at the party and sat down without apologizing. It was an inauspicious beginning to what Laura feared was going to be a bad weekend.
Chapter Twelve
Laura was free of Olivia for the afternoon, at least. Lord Talman took the baroness riding. His aim was to impress her with the extent of his future estate; hers to find a secluded spot to meet John Yarrow. She did enjoy riding for its own sake, however, especially on the prime goer supplied from the Castlefield stable. Olivia could be an amusing partner when things were going her way. She was more at home on horseback than in a polite saloon. Any little roughness in manner could be ascribed to the exigencies of riding. With an escort catering to her every whim, the ride was a success all around. Olivia found the very place for her tryst with John.