Beforehe could say much else, his friends chuckled.
“Ah!Youmust meanLucyJeffries, a friend ofKatie’s,”Slicesaid. “OrIsuppose she’sLucyTenetnow since she’s widowed.”
“Onlya few guests have arrived as of yet,”Lathamsaid. “She’sthe widowImentioned would be attending.Poorgirl.Hada bit of bad luck the past few years.Herparents forced her to marry by proxy.Afellow namedDirkTenet.Claimedhe was a diplomat.Turnedout to be a jewel thief who was shot and killed while trying to rob a bounty of jewels from the home of aBritishofficer stationed inIndia.”
“She’snot had it easy, as far as thetonis concerned,”Sliceadded. “They’vebeen brutal for the sake of a headline,”Slicesaid. “Shewas labeled by the rags asUnluckyLucy,and thetonnever fails to remind her of it.”
“Poorgirl,”Rowansaid.Hemeant it.Hedid recall the story.Hismother and sisters had written to him aboutLadyLucyJeffries.Fora young woman who’d been ridiculed, she seemed to possess a certain inner strength that he’d found admirable.WhenLathammentioned the proxy marriage, the story had clicked for him.He’donly caught a glimpse of her, but he wanted to know her.Whatwas it about this beautiful woman that attracted trouble?“Isshe the only widow present?”
Itwas an innocent question—oneRowantried to make sound casual, detached.ButSliceandLathamhooted. “Fine.Ihad to ask, althoughI’mgladIcould entertain you boys.”Hegrinned. “So, what’s next on the house-party agenda?”
“We’reexpecting a few more guests throughout the day into tonight.Frankie’splanned an informal dinner, as some guests will probably arrive tired and wish to take their dinner in their rooms.Tomorrowmorning, we’ve organized a fox hunt.”
CHAPTER THREE
THE NEXT DAY
Apiercing meow on her windowsill wokeLucy.Itwas very early.Thesun was barely beginning to rise, and the sky was still dark.Thefire in her room had been lit, so she presumed her maid,Mary, had opened the blue and white striped drapes so she’d awake early.Shehad enjoyed yesterday when everything was still more casual.Frankiehad planned an informal dinner for the guests who’d arrived yesterday.Giventhat she was tired from travel,Lucychose to enjoy a light dinner in her room and retired early.
Squinting, she rubbed her eyes and stared at the window across from the bed, marveling at the gray and white striped tabby perched on the window.Thekitten must have climbed the nearby oak tree to get there.Katieopened the window and let the kitten in, hugging it close and kissing it.
Aknock sounded on her door andMaryentered the room. “Milady,LadyKatieSorenasked if you would break your fast with her this morning.Asyou requested,Ihave your dark red riding habit pressed and ready in case you decide to ride.AndI’vealso made sure your yellow muslin was pressed and ready.”
“Thankyou,Mary.Bythe way, this little kitty was on my window ledge.Doyou think you could find some bacon in the kitchen and perhaps some cream so he gets something to eat?Iwould prefer giving it something from the kitchen than having it catch a bird,”Lucysaid. “He’sprobably the offspring of one ofKatie’sbarn cats.Oncehe’s had a good meal, please secure a small basket, line it with a warm blanket, and take him to the barn where the other cats are located.”
“Milady, you have a tender heart.Iwill be happy to do that,”Marysaid. “Iwas told to make sure you knew that the women will be in the drawing room for tea while the men participate in the fox hunt.LadyLathamsent you a note, andIrealized thatIhad forgotten to give it to you last evening.”Themaid extracted it from her pocket and handed it toLucy.
DearestLucy,
Pleasejoin the women in the drawing room for tea and biscuits at nine o’clock.Themen will probably be attending the fox hunt.Ofcourse, if you’d like to participate in the hunt, you’ll need to meet in the stable at seven o’clock.
Sincerely,
Frankie
Ohyes.Ofcourse, there would be a fox hunt.Shecringed, thinking about the small animal that would have its life snuffed out for the sake of the men’s amusement.Whydid house parties offer these abominable activities?Itwas unconscionable to think of a small, harmless fox forced to run for its life from a pack of dogs and men on horseback.Andthe injuries were horrible.Lucynever believed that the fox died instantly; rather, they died bite by bite, being forced to endure such horrific pain. “Doyou know anything else about the fox hunt?”
“Notreally, milady.Iheard it would be early,” her maid said. “Areyou planning to hunt?”Themaid’s voice sounded incredulous.
“Ofcourse not.Iwas just wondering soIcould stay out of the way.Iplan to ride and will go in a different direction.Although,Icannot countenance what they do to animals in the name of sport,”Lucysaid.
“Theyare wild creatures, milady,”Marysaid. “ButIunderstand what you are saying.Idon’t believe in hurting animals for pleasure.”
“Iagree completely.Oh, can you deliver a note toLadySoren?”Shequickly penned a reply, tellingKatiethat she had decided to take an early ride and apologized for missing breakfast but would see her later for tea with the other ladies.Shealso let her know about the little kitten.
“Yes, my lady.”
Anhour later,Lucymade her way to the stable.Shewas dressed in a deep red riding habit with a matching cape.Shecarried a folded tapestry bag beneath her arm.
“Goodday,” she said, smiling at the stableboy. “Doyou have a horseImight be able to ride this morning?Andcould you please point out the direction the hunt will be going in,Iwill be careful to ride in the opposite direction,” she asked sweetly.Shenoticed other riders were already coming into the stable and claiming horses and hoped there was one left.Shehadn’t reserved it, so she prepared herself for disappointment.
“Yes, milady.Wehave a beautiful, dappled mare that hasn’t been reserved for the fox hunt.”Heshowed her a lovely horse that was at the end of the stable. “Hername isDolly.Sheisn’t being used for the hunt because the sounds of the dogs and horns upset her.”
“That’sperfect—not that she gets upset.It’sperfect that you still have her available,”Lucysaid with relief.Atleast as amarriedwoman, a footman didn’t need to ride with her and protect her virtue…even though, technically, she was still “virtuous.”Thetonconsidered her a widow—andTheTonTattlerhad made sure everyone knew the inside story of her proxy marriage. “Dollyis lovely.Wouldit be permissible for me to take her out now?”Lucyasked. “I’djust like to get some distance from the hunt to keep her from being spooked by the noise.”
“Thatsounds like a clever thing to do,” the youth agreed. “Bythe way, my name’sCharlie.”
“Thankyou,Charlie.Myname isLadyLucyTenet.Iappreciate your helpful advice and assistance.”Lucyhated using her married name.Especiallygiven what kind of man her late husband turned out to be.Shetried to persuade her father to help her petition for an annulment so that she could go back to her maiden name.Lucyfar preferred being known asLadyLucyJeffriesand would rather live as a spinster for the rest of her life with her maiden name than carryDirkTenet’sname as a widow.Herfather kept putting her off, claiming that these things take time.Asan earl,Lucyfelt sure he could have already taken care of the matter.Lucywas determined to liberate herself from her married name one way or the other.Withor without her father’s help, she would speak to her solicitor about it in theNewYear.Besides,Lucyhad a feeling her mother was behind blocking the annulment.Hermother most likely feared being embarrassed among her set since the annulment would be reported on inTheTattler.Theonly good thing to come out of that marriage was the financial independenceLucyhad gained.
