Dizzy Dilemmas (9 page)

It did
not take more than a minute for the judges to confer and deliver their verdict. “After much deliberation,” Gideon began.

“
Not that much deliberation,” Glenmore stated. “It took you no time at all.”

“Quiet and let the man speak,
” Trevellyn hushed him.

“After much deliberat
ion,” Gideon began again with a stern look at Glenmore.

“You have already said that,
” Trevellyn told him and received a glare in his turn.

“After a short deliberation,” Gideon began again but rushed on to avoid further interruptions. “I declare the race a draw!”

“Very diplomatic of you!” laughed Glenmore.

“No it is true.” Dizzy supported their decision. “You crossed the line together
, gentleman and must therefore share the honours. Our word is final.”

“Fair enough.
” Ross offered him hand to Marcus who shook it vigorously. “We will have a rematch tomorrow.”

By mutual accord the four of them set their mounts off at a walk, making their way towards the pa
rk gates and Dizzy found she was riding beside Marcus. “Do you ride in the park every morning at this time, My Lord Duke?” she asked.

“
Most mornings, yes. Bacchus here needs to gallop off the fidgets. Your brother is a regular at this time of morning too,” he replied.

“
He did not tell me that you normally come to riding at this time!” Dizzy said, almost through clenched teeth.

“
Is it a problem?” he asked perplexed.

“Yes!” she almost yelled then moderating her tone said, “I mean no! Oh Bitterballens
!”

“You seem inordinately fond of that word I must say. Do you have a particular liking for meatballs from the
Netherlands?” he enquired with a smile.

“It is my favourite word for it rolls of the tongue does it not and as a true lady is not permitted to vent her annoyance in curses as you men are, I fe
el it is a wonderful substitute,” she told him frankly, hoping to shock him a little but only invoking a laugh from him. “Besides they are truly delicious.”

“That is a very fetching
outfit you are wearing. It brings out the colour of your eyes,” he said admiringly.

“I told you yesterday not to flirt with me!” She cast him an annoyed glance and huffed.

“I was not flirting. I was complimenting” here he hesitated for an infinitesimal time, “your seamstress!”

“I shall be sure to pass on your compliments. I can give you her direction if you wish. Perhaps she has a shade of brown to match your eyes.”

“Alas dear girl, according to my valet, brown is a colour I cannot wear. It makes me sallow!” he joked.

“That is a shame for you have amazing eyes that definitely suit you!” Dizzy spoke impulsively before thinking.

“Why thank you!” Marcus laughed.

“
I speak objectively, Your Grace, just as one would comment on a painting say or a piece of sculpture.”

“A quick recovery, sweetheart but I think I shall treasure i
t as a compliment just the same,” he told her with a smile that could only be described as a smirk. “And as such I feel you really ought to call me Marcus.”

“I really think I ought not! And you should defin
itely not call me sweetheart!” she retorted.

“Why not? Would you
r fiancé object do you think?” he asked her.

“My
fiancé?” she looked puzzled.

“Mustapha Mummy? Do not tell me you have forgotten the man of your dreams.”

Dizzy laughed but quickly adjusted her expression to one of demureness. “You mistake, your Grace, Mustapha has not spoken.”

“You mean he has not proposed? How remiss of him
,” Glenmore said

“No Your Grace, I mean he has not spoken! Not a word! Not a
proposal or anything other!” she corrected him.

“Perhaps the mummified
cat has his mummified tongue!” he mused. “Though if that is the case then you may be waiting a very long time for him to ask for you hand in marriage.”

“
I shall bear it with fortitude and patience,” she assured him.

“
His silence is my good fortune though for I know he will voice no objection to my calling you sweetheart.”

“I however will voice very strong objections. Having agreed we neither wish to marry the other nor give t
he gossips food for fodder, we are to remain on nodding terms only. Sweetheart definitely does not fall under the umbrella of ‘nodding terms only’,” she pointed out to him.

“Then permit me to use your name and I will not use any term of endearment
,” he told her.

“You may call me Dizzy, everyone does!”

“I do not wish to be like everyone. Your name or sweetheart?” Marcus persisted though he knew he was unlikely to get her to tell him her real name through such tactics. “There are plenty of other names I could use but I suppose it should be something beginning with ‘g’ should it not though I have to tell you that it is a letter that does not lend itself well to terms of endearment! So names such as sweet-pea; dearest heart; darling girl will not do. How about pickled gherkin or my little gooseberry, or golden goose? Do you wish for a few more before making your choice?”

“Glenmore
please stop,” Dizzy begged with a laugh. “I beg you do not call me by those names. I really do not want to be called a vegetable, fruit or fowl! Besides you cannot win. We both know that to use any but the most formal address in public will cause all sorts of speculation that you, even more than me, are desperate to avoid. Save your breath.”

“In public my tongue may be bound by convention but in private it is a different matter is it not? If I am not to be made free with your name then I shall call you
my little gherkin,” he informed her.

Dizzy shrugged. “
We are on nodding terms only, Glenmore so I cannot think when you expect to have a chance to annoy me with that silly form of address.”

“We are talking now, my little gherkin and I am sure we shall be sharing this park for many mornings to come until the end of the season. Just think my precious gherkin; two days ago we were strangers but fate has thrown us togeth
er three times since then and therefore we can assume there will be many, many more occasions when we will be occupying the same space and I shall call you my gherkin delight,” Marcus grinningly informed her. “Unless you tell me your name, that is.”

“You are not very good at this are you?” She looked at him in exasperation. “We have agreed to ignore not annoy each other!  We can
disregard each other with impunity and no one will raise an eyebrow. Why have you now adopted this approach of looking for opportunities to not only meet but to vex me with that ridiculous name?”

“Who knows; revenge, payback;
a determination to learn your given name; or just for sheer devilment but whichever, my little pickle, I find the season is more amusing for it and can therefore promise you that I shall enjoy it,” he smiled broadly as her scowled at him.

“You will grow tired of it quicker than I, Glenmore, but
a word of advice. If you slip up and the mamas and their marriageable daughters think you are showing an interest in me, albeit mistakenly, then they will triple their efforts to secure an introduction. Twisted ankles and dropped kerchiefs will appear mundane compared to what they will cook up to gain your attention and even force you into a proposal.” She hesitated before adding “Perhaps I should drop a judicial word here and there to let it be known you are on the lookout for a wife.”

“You would not be so underhanded
,” he said confidently

“Why ever would you
assume that? Do not suppose I am bound by some mistaken sense of honour for I assure you I am not. You cannot expect me to be all demure and nice when you accused me not two days ago of using tricks to get myself noticed.” She was convinced she had just bested him and so smiled.

“No, demureness is the last thing I would expect but you are too sensible to play underhand.”

“How so?” she asked

“Because that would allow me to play by the same rules
and believe me, my delicious gherkin, you would be no match,” he grinned at her.

“Oh please! I am the youngest of five children! I am a match for anyone, believe me
!” Dizzy chuckled. “Besides you are forgetting my secret weapon.”

“What’s that?”

“I am the clumsiest person you will probably ever meet. It is dangerous to be around me as you have already discovered to your cost. Are you truly prepared to take the risk? Think what happened to your clothes? How much worse could it be next time to your very person?” she asked him.

Making a great show of looking around, Marcus then whispered conspiratorially “My time behind enemy lines taught me to be vigilant. You do not scare me my feisty gherkin.”

“Brave words,” she laughed “but others have expressed a similar lack of concern, Glenmore. Alas it always ends the same with them whimpering away; usually bleeding!”

             
At the gates of Hyde Park, Trevellyn turned to take his leave of Lady Dizzy and was not surprised to find both her and Glenmore laughing together. With a not inconsiderable amount of will power he prevented himself from grinning like an idiot as he remembered the conversation he had shared with his wife the night before in which he had voiced his opinion that their friend was attracted to Lady Dizzy, although he was as yet himself unaware of it and would fervently deny it should anyone be tactless enough to mention it. They had then entered upon a wager whereby each had specified a time period in which a betrothal announcement would appear and as Ross’ time slot was the sooner it pleased him enormously to see them already on seemingly good terms despite the unfortunate incident of two nights before. Erica would be furious to lose another wager to him especially with the forfeit they had decided upon and that thought made him want to grin all the more.

             
It was not until they were half way home that Dizzy questioned her brother. “Why didn’t you tell me that Glenmore rides in the park every morning?”

“Because you did not ask
,” he responded. “When have you ever wanted to know who I see riding each morning? Besides he isn’t the only one. Would you like me to list the others I usually see? There’s Horace Gingham, David Hanford… ”

“Alright!” Dizzy interrupted. “But knowing that he accused me of using nefarious methods to gain his attention would surely have alerted you to the fact that I would rather avoid him.
I would not have gone riding today with you if I had known.”

“You seemed to get on well together yesterday when we met at the museum and again today you had plenty to say to each other. I should just forget about that f
irst incident. I am sure he has,” Gideon assured her.

“I do not want him to get the mistaken impression that I am pursuing him. Admittedly we were at the museum first yesterday and had no knowledge that he was going to be there but
today in the park is different. You should have told me,” she said.

“You make too much of it, Dizzy.” Gideon replied. “Everyone sees everyone all the time during the season as you very well know. We all attend the same events and converse with the same crowd on a daily basis. It is inevitable that you will keep bumping into Glenmore.”

“Funny how we are half way through the season and I was blissfully unaware of his existence until two days ago and yet now I cannot turn around without falling over him,” she stated.

“He only arrived in town a little while ago
and he has steered clear of most of the balls and soirees and with having no female relatives to squire around, he is able to avoid all the merry-go-round of visits and such like. So it is not after all surprising you did not meet. ”

“Let us hope he continues to avoid the social whirl then and I ca
n be comfortable again.” Dizzy said ignoring the pangs of regret she felt at the thought of not seeing him again just as soon as may be.

             
She spent the remaining journey home lecturing herself on being a sensible, full grown woman and not some giddy, young girl prone to fall into infatuations with every handsome face and fine figure. All she needed to do was to remember his arrogant, insufferable attitude on their first meeting and forget how enjoyable and humorous she had found their subsequent conversations.

             
Later that morning Georgiana put in an appearance at the family London residence, ostensibly to ask Dizzy whether she was pleased with the saddle she had designed but also to invite her to accompany herself and Genevieve on an alfresco luncheon the following afternoon.

“
Gideon told me you were heartily sick of the traditional ‘at homes’ and suggested I might be able to help by introducing you to some of our friends. Grandmamma strictly forbade me from inviting you in the past but as she has had nearly two whole seasons to find you a husband without success, she will have to allow you more freedom, especially as we have Gideon’s blessing. Having failed to get Genevieve to accept any proposal of marriage and with my own nuptials being as she so often refers to them as ‘hole in the corner and of short duration’ she felt that part of the problem was our association with the Society. She therefore felt the need to keep you away from forward thinking individuals who might influence your opinions on the whole marriage business,” Georgiana said. “This afternoon’s event is strictly by invitation only and all those attending are scholars, writers, scientists; that sort of thing. Not to sound too conceited, the ladies and gentlemen who attend are intelligent and witty so I can guarantee you will have a thoroughly enjoyable time. You may also find it useful as some of them have published their work and will be happy to share their experiences and any advice they offer you will be invaluable should you ever wish to see your own novels in print.”