“Good afternoon, Lord Pleasance. Did you not? I cannot imagine why.”
Lord Pleasance chuckled as Frederick grinned, fully aware that this was the first time that he had stepped out into the fashionable hour ever since he had come to London.
“What was it that brought you here?” Lord Pleasance asked as Frederick let his gaze move around the park and take in the seemingly hundreds of people who had decided to come to Hyde Park. “You, who dislike great crowds and find it to be much too overwhelming… why then come to the fashionable hour?”
Frederick shrugged.
“Because it is a pleasant day,” he said, by way of explanation. “And ever since I received your invitation to the dinner party, I have thought that I ought to make myself known in society alittle more.” His shoulders lifted and then fell. “I am meant to be enjoying myself, am I not? And perhaps being overly cautious is holding me back a little.”
“Mayhap it is.” Lord Pleasance chuckled and then slapped Frederick on the back. “Goodness, this will be an exceptionally busy day for you, will it not? You will not only be present in Hyde Park but then you will come to dinner also! That will be a lot of people within your sphere in such a short time.”
Frederick shrugged but laughed, aware that his friend’s gentle teasing was nothing more than that.
“I am certain that I shall manage.” Tipping his head, he lifted one eyebrow. “Might I ask who else is coming to this dinner party? Is there anyone else of consequence?”
“Anyone that you are already acquainted with, you mean?” Lord Pleasance grinned. “Yes, Lord Sheffield is attending, Lord and Lady Jefferies and Lord Gibson. You are acquainted with all of them, yes?”
Frederick nodded, a feeling of relief spiraling through him.
“Yes, I am.”
“There are also a few new acquaintances who will be attending,” Lord Pleasance continued. “You will not know them, I think, but the introductions can be made this evening.”
Nodding, Frederick smiled.
“Very well.”
“Ah, but there is one of them now!” Lord Pleasance exclaimed, gesturing to someone behind Frederick. “The family, I mean. Lord and Lady Follet and their daughter.”
Frederick turned his head and, much to his astonishment saw none other than Miss Fairley, the lady he had embarrassed recently. She was walking a few steps behind a gentleman, a lady, and another young lady, her head dropping forward and her gaze fixed on the ground rather than looking to either side. Frederick’s stomach dropped.
“You see them?” Lord Pleasance smiled as Frederick nodded slowly, silently wondering if he had heard Lord Pleasance correctly. “The daughter, Miss Fairley, has recently become acquainted with my wife and, subsequently, we were all introduced. I think them very pleasant people and–”
“You are aware that they have twodaughters, are you not?”
The smile on Lord Pleasance’s face fixed in place, his eyes rounding.
“I beg your pardon?”
“They havetwodaughters,” Frederick repeated, emphasizing the number. “There is an elder Miss Fairley and a younger Miss Fairley, though both are out.” He searched his friend’s expression, seeing the shock mounting there. “I confess that I have never been introduced to Lord and Lady Follet nor their elder daughter, but I am acquainted with the younger.” Pausing, he studied his friend’s face. “You did not know?”
“I was not introduced to the younger, and they made no mention of her,” Lord Pleasance said hurriedly, his eyes flaring wide. “That means that I have one extra person for dinner, does it not?”
Frederick offered him a small smile.
“I believe it does.”
“But that…” Lord Pleasance closed his eyes and then blew out a long breath, clearly attempting to calm himself. “I think I must return home. Everything will need to be altered!”
“Should you like me to introduce you to the younger Miss Fairley?” Frederick asked, as his friend nodded. “That way, you will be acquainted with her, at least.”
“I do not understand why I was not introduced to her at the time,” Lord Pleasure exclaimed, throwing up his hands. “Unless she was dancing or the like?”
Frederick thought about this but then shook his head and shrugged. He did not want to tell Lord Pleasance that theyoung lady was a wallflower, for that would bring her shame and embarrassment and she had already endured enough of that. No, he decided, he would say nothing and hope that Lord Pleasance would not ask any further questions on the matter. At the same time, a needle of concern pressed into his heart. Why would her parents not even think to introduce her? Yes, he knew that she had been a little clumsy with Lord Gibson, but that surely could not be enough of a reason to reject her? His heart squeezed and his brow furrowed as he thought of what she would think when she realized that her parents had accepted a dinner invitation from a new acquaintance and had not thought to introduce her to him.
Mayhap she knows of it already,Frederick thought to himself.All the same, I must introduce Lord Pleasance to her. It would only be right.
“Shall we?” Gesturing to the young lady, he saw Lord Pleasance nod, and together, they made their way across the park towards her. Much to Frederick’s relief, neither her mother nor father turned to look back at them, leaving the path open for them to speak only to Miss Fairley. Frederick saw the moment when she glanced at them, the moment she recognized his face, given the way that her eyes flared, but, at the very next moment, she looked away again, clearly not expecting them to be at all interested in her.
