‘Miss Hamilton,’ Phipps said and took his hat off to her. ‘Have you been to visit Miss Langton? How is she?’
‘Still quite unwell, I believe,’ Amanda replied. ‘I believe she will not be able to accompany us to the picnic tomorrow, sir.’
‘How unfortunate for her. I hope you will not let it spoil your pleasure in the outing?’
‘I had already invited Miss Field,’ Amanda said. ‘It would be a shame to disappoint her—and indeed, I am looking forward to it.’
‘Then I shall not cry off,’ Phipps said gallantly. ‘I fear Shearne will be a little put out, but he can hardly cancel the affair when so many have been invited.’
‘No, indeed. I am convinced that Miss Langton would not like to think that her friends had been disappointed simply because she could not attend,’ Amanda said. ‘Are you taking her that lovely posy? I should think it must cheer her up.’
‘It is but a poor tribute,’ Phipps said, looking conscious. ‘But I thought it right to visit and enquire how she goes on.’
‘Yes, I believe her mama must be pleased to see all Miss Langton’s friends make such a gesture.’ Amanda inclined her head. ‘We shall see you tomorrow then, sir?’
‘Of course. I shall call for you, as we had decided,’ he murmured. ‘I believe we shall have a pleasant day.’
Amanda agreed and they parted. She was thoughtful as she walked home, because although the lieutenant was always charmingly polite to her, she could not bring herself to believe that he had any intention of asking her to marry him. As yet she was not sure what he intended for Cynthia—he had not given her any indication that a proposal from him was imminent. Amanda knew that her friend had received any number of flattering offers, some from determined fortune-hunters, but some from very acceptable gentlemen.
‘I have not yet found the right person,’ Cynthia had confided to her once, but that had been before the Marquis of Shearne had joined her court. It must be frustrating for her friend to be forced to retire to the sickroom at such a moment.
Some people found Miss Langton proud and cold, but Amanda knew that she could be charming and considerate to people she liked—it was only that she had perhaps been reared to remember her position. Amanda herself had received nothing but kindness from Cynthia and her sympathy was all with her at this time.
Amanda felt for her, because it was unlikely that the marquis would dance attendance on her in the country and Lady Langton was determined to carry her off there as soon as she was well enough.
She could only call to see her friend as soon as she was well enough and hope that her admirers would not be put off should there be a few blemishes from the illness. Amanda had one or two small scars on her body, but she did not regard them; she’d been lucky that only one tiny one had marked her face at her right temple and hoped that Cynthia would be as fortunate. She was so beautiful that she would be distressed should the illness leave her scarred, especially on her face.
* * *
‘I have been so looking forward to this,’ Jane Field said when she arrived at Amanda’s house the following morning. ‘When I heard that Miss Langton had a chill I was afraid the picnic would be called off.’
‘Oh, no, I am certain it could not,’ Amanda soothed her. ‘Lieutenant Phipps assured me that it would go ahead—and the marquis could not disappoint so many people, of course.’
Amanda was certain she must be speaking the truth, but she could not know how close the expedition had been to being cancelled. Had Phipps not insisted that it must go ahead when he spoke to Shearne the previous evening, the ladies might indeed have found themselves disappointed. However, his offer to take over the arrangements if the marquis should feel it too much trouble reminded that gentleman of his social duties, and to all appearances he was the gracious host when the company assembled in the park later that morning.
Phipps had arrived punctually and driven them to meet up with Brock’s carriage, and that of the Misses Ramsden, cousins to the beautiful Miss Langton. Lord Johnston, having taken up Lady Hamilton, drove behind Phipps and Amanda, looking glum, for he had hoped to drive her himself.
However, once the party had assembled and the carriages were removed by servants, leaving the ladies and gentlemen to enjoy their picnic, he attached himself to Amanda’s side and would not yield to any other’s claims.
The gentlemen had decided on a spot close to the river, a pretty place close to a bend where the willows hung down to caress the water. While the ladies sat in the shade of a tree, some of the gentlemen indulged in an impromptu game of cricket.
A stray ball chancing to fly Amanda’s way, she shot up her hand and caught it, to cheers from the bowler who declared that Shearne was fairly caught and out. He glared in Amanda’s direction, for she was not officially playing.
‘Perhaps Miss Hamilton would care to take my place in the field since I have no aptitude for catching and she is clearly proficient.’
Amanda ignored the veiled sarcasm and got to her feet, declaring herself willing to take his place. She was used to such games, having played with her brother for years, and soon proved herself worthy, preventing the new batsman from running as often as he might have wished.
‘I say, Miss Hamilton...’ Major Brockley applauded her as she once again made a splendid catch and Phipps was also out ‘...you should play for our team at home.’
Laughing at the compliment, she shook her head and was ready to retire, but when she turned to look she saw that one of Cynthia’s cousins had come forward and was claiming that she was good with a bat. The gentleman handed it over to her and then proceeded to bowl a gentle underarm ball, which was contemptuously sent flying into the river and lost.
A few groans went up, because no one had thought to bring a replacement, and the game broke up.
‘It’s time we had our picnic.’ Lady Hamilton beckoned to them. ‘Come, gentlemen, the food is ready...’
Amanda rejoined the party of ladies under the sheltering tree, as did most of the gentlemen. It was only as she reached for a small pastry that Amanda realised that Jane Field was not with the other ladies. Looking round for her, she saw that the young girl had wandered some distance from the others—and, to her dismay, Jane was not alone.
The sight of Shearne standing so close to Jane sent shivers down Amanda’s spine. There was something so predatory about his manner that she feared Jane might be in danger—especially if they disappeared round the bend and were lost to sight.
She put down the pastry and was about to rise, when she saw that Major Brockley had also noticed. He looked straight at Amanda, inclined his head and set after the others instantly.
Phipps sat down next to Amanda, leaning towards her to speak softly so that only she might hear. ‘Do not be alarmed, Miss Hamilton. Brock will see that your friend comes to no harm.’
‘Thank you. Her mother entrusted her to our care...’
‘And she ought to be safe. I fear our host is a little put out because the lady he desired to please could not come today. Miss Field would not have received a second glance had Miss Langton graced our party.’
‘Miss Langton is quite unwell. Her mama thinks she may need to take her home in a few days.’
‘That would be a pity,’ Phipps said and raised the glass of cooled wine to his lips. ‘I dare say there will be several disappointed gentlemen when they hear that she has left town.’
‘Chills can be very draining...’
‘Yes, indeed. I am sure...’
‘I am sure Miss Langton will be pleased to receive visitors in the country when she is feeling better.’
‘I imagine so. Shall you visit her?’