saw one that would give him a good brushing. Now George looked quite pleased
with himself and his appearance. Silky soft hair flopped over his eyes.
There were two things I wanted to ask my husband as soon as I could get him
alone.
Brantley showed me into the drawing room, looking at me carefully, I thought, to
see if there were no ill effects from my earlier fall. I saw my main question
was right in front of me.
Miss Gillbank and Judith were seated side by side on a lovely blue-and-white-striped
settee, facing my husband. Thomas stood behind Amelia, his left hand on her
shoulder. John was leaning against the mantel, his arms crossed over his chest.
Miss Crislock was tatting something white and narrow. A low blaze burned in the
fireplace. My husband rose immediately when I came into the room. I saw him look
from me to Judith. I would swear that he was girding his loins, metaphorically
speaking, to spit out the truth. He was smart. He was doing it in public, not in
private. I would not forget his strategy. I found this fascinating. My husband
was nervous. Did he believe I would blast him in front of his family?
He cleared his throat as he took my hand in his. “Andy, I would like you to meet
my daughter, Judith, and her governess, Miss Gillbank.”
I looked him straight in the eye and said, “I don’t want to meet either of them,
sir. They don’t look at all like nice people.” I turned to give Judith a quick
wink. She giggled, then smacked her hand over her mouth as she saw her father’s
face. He had paled. He looked horrified. He was without words.
I heard Amelia gasp.
Then I laughed. “Sir,” I said, “I was jesting with you. Please forgive me.”
I gave him a fat smile, for I suppose I had already forgiven him for not telling
me about Judith or about a second wife. After all, whatever his reasons, they
couldn’t be that bad. “Actually,” I said, still grinning shamelessly up at him,
“I have already had the honor, my lord. In the small east garden earlier this
afternoon. Not only have we become acquainted, we have also discovered we can
bear each other’s company.”
George, who had been sitting very quietly beside me, now wuffed lightly. Judith
leapt up from the settee, only to have Miss Gillbank gently pull her back.
I said, “I’m sorry, Judith, but George isn’t speaking to you. He’s calling out
to John. He adores John. He worships him. It is unaccountable, but there is
nothing any of us can do about it.” I leaned down to pat his little head. I
could hear the surprise in my own voice as I said, “You may be enthusiastic now,
George. Thank you for this magnificent show of restraint and good manners. You
may go leap on John.”
George licked my hand, then dashed across the drawing room, yipping with every
step, to be picked up by John. He raised an eyebrow toward me. “However did you
manage to keep him so polite? He sat there quietly and didn’t demand a bit of
attention until you gave him permission.”
“Brantley gave him instructions this morning when Amelia and I were at the
stables. Whatever he did, it is an amazing result. We shall have to ask about
his specific methods. I think he has shown more magic than you have, John.
“It is a relief,” said Amelia. “He doesn’t look quite so ill kempt as he did
last night.”
“No, Jasper brushed him a hundred strokes.”
Amelia touched her fingers to her own glorious black hair, and I wondered how
many strokes she pulled through hair every night. She said, “So, Judith, you
have already met your new stepmama and George?”
“Oh, yes,” Judith said, her eyes still fastened on George, who had his eyes
closed in bliss, since John’s long fingers were rubbing in exactly the right
place at the base of his left ear. “I did win a shilling off Andy. She hasn’t
paid me yet.”
“However did you do that?” Lawrence asked.
“Oh, dear,” I said. “Perhaps the wager itself isn’t properly spoken of here.”