The Suitor List (18 page)

"Lord Fieldstone!" Augusta announced upon his arrival.

Richard quieted, the momentum of his arm stopped,
and he made a quick bow. "If you will both excuse me "

The Viscount entered and Richard left, closing the
door behind him. Augusta was trapped in the room with
Lord Fieldstone.

It was happening.

"Lady Augusta," he addressed her.

"Lord Fieldstone," she returned, acknowledging him. Augusta had never noticed his overly stiff and formal
bearing-everything about him seemed uncomfortable. "Won't you please be seated?"

These situations were always so awkward. Why did
he not simply ask the question so she would know her
answer? For at this moment, Augusta had no idea.

Lord Fieldstone sat at one end of the green-leafed
sofa and Augusta sat at the other, leaving enough room
for two more people to occupy the space between them.

"Lady Augusta," he began. "I spoke to your father,
His Grace, earlier, and explained my position."

"Oh?" she commented quite dumbly. The room was
growing warmer.

"You are the most charming lady of my acquaintance.
You have wit, intelligence, and beauty beyond compare"
He stared pointedly at her to assure her of his sincerity.

Stop. Please just stop talking. She did not wish to
hear what he had to say.

"Even compared to the lovely Lady Charlotte I find
you far more amiable, and you would exceed any expectation I could ever hope to find in my future viscountess."

Augusta's heart raced. Was this what she wanted?
What she had dreamt of for herself? The panic she felt
told her no.

She did not want the rank nor the flattery, which she
did not think empty. Augusta was quite certain that
Lord Fieldstone had meant every word.

Still, she did not think she could accept him.

He went on and on about duty and responsibility.
Where were his sentiments of love? Had he no true
affection for her as a woman?

And then she realized with complete relief that she
harbored no warm feelings for him.

None at all.

She did not wish to marry him, and when he askedif he ever got around to asking-the answer would be a
resounding no.

"I must be honest as to my intentions," he continued.

"As much as I have come to admire you."

Augusta remained silent and allowed him his say.

"I had hoped to find a bride and marry this year-you
would be more than adequately qualified. Through no
fault of our own, I believe, very strongly, that we simply
do not suit."

What was that he said? Did he not wish to marry
her?

"As I have mentioned before, you are all that is"

"The combination of our personalities .. " Augusta
clarified, thankful that she would not need to turn him
away. "I am quite at a loss to explain as to why ... but I
quite agree with you, my lord."

He looked as relieved as Augusta felt.

"I, too, find you all that is proper and agreeable." She
glanced away to give herself a moment to gather her
thoughts. "I must confess there is something that prevents me from forming a strong attachment"

"I thank you for your understanding." He inclined his
head and stood. "Now I must bid you farewell and take
my leave. I thanked your father for his hospitality earlier and now that we have discussed matters between
ourselves, I can leave with a clear conscience."

Augusta stood to walk him out the door.

"It is unfortunate, indeed, that we did not make a better impression on one another." She smiled at him.
Something, it seemed, he was incapable of doing. "I believe we understand one another quite well"

"And if, by chance, you are to attend the Season next
year, may I bespeak a dance at Almack's when we
meet?" Viscount Fieldstone did not lack in charm, that
much was for certain.

"You may, indeed, my lord" She could hardly refuse
such a gracious gentleman the request. "I would be more
than happy to make your acquaintance once again."

"Until the next time we meet, then." Lord Fieldstone bent low over her hand and then straightened. He
displayed such a wide smile that it transformed his entire somber countenance.

Augusta found it so shocked her, it defied expression.
She had no idea that leaving her would give him such
joy.

Most of the guests had finished their tea and departed, leaving Charlotte in the company of Sir Samuel
in the Oriental Parlor. Sir Samuel immediately stood
when Mrs. Parker stepped into the room.

"Will you not sit?" he asked her.

"Is there any tea left?" Aunt Penny settled into a chair.

"Yes, of course" Charlotte poured a cup for her aunt,
who appeared uncharacteristically distraught.

"Have you seen Muriel?" Aunt Penny took the cup
and saucer, trying very hard to keep the porcelain set
from rattling.

"We were denied Lady Muriel's company when she
stopped by earlier." Sir Samuel glanced at Charlotte with what seemed to be a worried expression. Aunt Penny's
nerves had not gone unnoticed by him either. "I'm sure
she's much too busy with her studies ... Hadrian's Wall,
I believe."

"I had not realized you knew of my younger sister's
interests." Charlotte regarded Sir Samuel with great fascination.

"Yes, we had quite the discussion about the Roman occupation in northern Britain," Sir Samuel replied. "From
what I gather, she's more interested in people from the
first century BC than those of us in the nineteenth cen

"She's
still young." Aunt Penny's tone was one of
tury."Toounderstanding.

young
to
care?"
Sir
Samuel
wondered.

'At the moment, yes. I have every confidence that in a
few years her interest will turn to young men, as most
young ladies' do" Mrs. Parker sipped her tea and closed
her eyes as if savoring its effects. "How were the guests
this afternoon?"

"There seems to be a general pleasantness in the
house" Charlotte tried to sum up her observations.
"They keep well-occupied and have plenty to distract
themselves, with or without Augusta's presence."

"All the ladies are appreciated by the gentlemen," Sir
Samuel added. "However, you will notice that every
gentleman who addresses Augusta has a distinct spark
in his eyes whenever she is present. She clearly remains
the favorite. Present company excluded"

"I wonder if any more of them have been excused
since this morning." Charlotte had not had a chance to speak to Augusta or Muriel to learn of the present
number.

"There was an unpleasant occurrence earlier." Mrs.
Parker paused before saying, "Mr. Allendale fell into the
pond."

"He's not with us anymore, is he?" Sir Samuel choked
when he realized how dire his statement sounded. "I
mean he'll be leaving Faraday Hall soon, I expect"

"Well before supper, I imagine." Mrs. Parker, looking most somber, rested her cup and saucer in her lap.
"I would not wish to think ill of my own niece, but I
cannot think the incident was an accident."

"Gusta is so naughty!" Charlotte could not help but
scold her sister. "If only she would control her temper."

Sir Samuel coughed to disguise his sudden laughter.

"If she cannot"-Charlotte resigned herself to the
possible outcome-"I doubt there'll be anyone left to
keep us company for tea tomorrow."

Augusta collapsed onto the green-leafed sofa in the
Citrus Parlor and leaned back, taking in a great breath
of relief.

Thank goodness.

She felt immensely relieved by Lord Fieldstone's departure and grateful for his honesty. He was a man who
knew his duty but would not be dictated to by anyone.
He was quite a gentleman to admire, and she did admire him, but she had no wish to marry him.

Thank goodness.

"I say, is that you in there, Lady Augusta?" Sir Benjamin Pelfry entered the Citrus Parlor. Once he stepped
inside, his attention shifted from her to the decor and he turned to take it all in with his eyes wide. "What a
magnificent room!"

"Do you think so?" All at once the conversation
she'd had with her sisters came back to her. It could not
have been more apparent that Muriel had been correct
about Sir Benjamin and his fascination for citrus. "It is
rather magnificent, isn't it?"

There was a wild look of fascination on his face. Why,
Augusta wholly believed that he had no notion she occupied the same room.

"Sir Benjamin?" she uttered, then tried again, a bit
louder, "Sir Benjamin?"

"How robust these specimens appear! The illustrations are so very lifelike! The vibrant colors! And so
perfectly circular!" He crossed the room to the wall and
ran his fingertips across the images. "Oh, so real, one
can almost see their tender, delicate leaves. They cannot withstand a frost, you know."

Sir Benjamin became quite oddly animated at the
discovery of a roomful of illustrated citrus. How perfectly deviant he sounded. Muriel had not exaggerated
his obsession.

Goodness. And Augusta had thought she might marry
him?

Perhaps it would be best if Augusta were to give him
some privacy while he continued to expound the
virtues of the fruit.

Augusta closed the door behind her when she left and
followed the corridor down to the Grand Foyer. She regarded the pitiful display of oranges on the trees flanking
the arched window.

She plucked the remaining fruit and headed toward the back of the house. Once outside, Richard came
around the corner, from the parterre, and approached her
just as she pulled the door closed. Once he spotted her,
he removed his hat, tucked it under his arm, and called
out to her.

Augusta welcomed him and observed that the two oranges balanced in the crook of her elbow and the one
she held in her hand did not go beyond his notice. "Will
you be so kind as to accompany me?"

He gave a shallow bow and did not question her regarding their destination. Augusta pulled the rind from
the orange and allowed it to drop at their feet. Richard
bent to retrieve it.

She stayed him with a hand to his arm and smiled.
"Please, leave it." She motioned him down the path, to
the left.

"If that is your wish." He could not have understood
but did as she bid. "Pardon me for intruding into your
personal matters, but might I inquire if you and Lord
Fieldstone came to an agreement?"

Augusta could hear the interest in his voice. She had
been smiling ear to ear, which might have given him
the wrong impression, but the outcome did so please
her. "Yes, we did." She allowed another piece of rind to
fall from her fingers.

He glanced at her for permission to retrieve it. She
gave none and he allowed it to remain. They stepped
past the remnant.

"Am Ito finally wish you happy, then?" He did not say
this with a smile, as if he actually was happy for her. Poor
Richard must have felt confused all the way around.

"Lord Fieldstone and I have come to the understanding that we do not suit. I believe he has left Faraday
Hall." She scattered several pieces of rind during their
stroll.

"Do not suit-you are not to marry?" Richard quieted, apparently shocked at the news. He exhaled as if
relieved. "I thought for certain ..."

Not only did it feel wonderful knowing she was not
marrying the Viscount, Augusta thought it sounded
splendid when Richard said the words out loud.

"Gusta, what are you doing?" It appeared that her
companion had had quite enough. He stopped before they
had reached their destination and reprimanded, "Your
father will not approve of your littering the grounds. He
does employ a substantial gardening crew but to intentionally-"

"It's a trap," she finally told him.

Richard stood not twenty feet from the knot garden
that sat between the greenhouse and orangery. At the
door of the orangery she dropped the final bit of rind
and placed all three peeled oranges together to one
side.

"A trap?" He stared at her and apparently could not
think of what to say.

Augusta stepped back from the orangery doors to admire her display.

"As in catching a husband? That does not seem to
make any sense at all."

"Not catch a husband, dear Richard. To eliminate
one of the suitors."

It took him a moment but he appeared to understand her intent. "And which of the unlucky gentlemen do
you wish to rid yourself of?"

"Lord Ce-treese."

Richard furrowed his brows and, once again, looked
quite puzzled.

Richard accompanied Augusta back to Faraday Hall,
where she bade him stop in the Oriental Parlor while
she penned a short note.

"Do you know how many of your suitors remain?"
Richard asked. "And how many have fallen by the wayside?"

"Check with Moo," Augusta told him. "We both know
she's keeping meticulous accounts on every one of
them."

"I know she has a record of each suitor and the day
of their demise. She has categorized their downfall in
excruciating detail. I had thought you might also have a
tally of your own."