She looked around, desperate to get away and abruptly slid from her mount, tossing the reins to the hapless groom. No one noticed as she strode away on a nearby path.
Chapter Nine
Aubrey was conversing with Thornton and Blakesley who had rode up with another man, William Smythe, a friend from their club. Blakesley was grousing about the crowds.
“I told you we should have gone to Green Park. At least there we might have got in a gallop.” The crowded grounds disgusted him.
Aubrey nodded, his mind on Lucy, knowing that under the circumstances he was not likely to have any private speech with her. He sighed, seeing that George and Lady Harriet were still on the ground laughing with their acquaintances. Harriet was a tentative rider and took any excuse to get off of her horse. They would probably stroll for a while. All at once he realized that Lucy was no longer on her horse and turned his head, looking for her on the ground. The groom noticed him looking and nodded at a path that led down to the Serpentine. Aubrey excused himself from his friends, ignoring the wink that Thornton gave him. He nodded his thanks to the groom and dismounted, passing his reins to the unfortunate groom who was now holding onto five horses.
He skirted around a small group of ladies who were trying to draw his attention, intent on finding Lucy. It was much less crowded on the path, away from those who thronged the main thoroughfare. He could see the sparkle of water ahead as the path emerged along the water.
As he came around a corner Aubrey stopped and grinned at the sight ahead of him. How like Lucy. Her boots were lying on the ground and she had looped her habit up over one arm. She was standing on a limb of a tree overlooking the path, reaching up to the next branch. A nursemaid and a young girl were standing nearby, their arms waving frantically as they implored her to be careful. He could see a small grey animal above her head that she was reaching for with care. Aubrey moved circumspectly until he was somewhat under her, just in case he needed to break her fall if the branch gave. He could see her trim ankles and her stockinged feet. Her back arched as she reached above her head, trying to coax the small creature, a kitten mewling piteously as it clung to the branch.
“Please be careful, my lady,” the nursemaid begged. The little girl, a pretty thing with blonde hair and blue eyes still glistening from tears was jumping up and down in excitement.
Lucy had finally got the kitten to release its claws from the branch and was cuddling it close to her, one arm looped around the tree. Aubrey judged that he could speak without startling her.
“Hand it to me and then I will help you down,” he said. Lucy just looked at him, apparently aware that he had been there all along. She reached down with the kitten and placed it in his hand. The kitten immediately latched onto his cuff, digging into the broadcloth with sharp little talons. His valet was not going to be happy when Aubrey returned from this excursion.
Aubrey took the kitten over to the nursemaid who opened the lid of the basket that was lying by her feet.
“Oh, thank you, my lord, and my lady. I don’t know what I would have done, but Mary would bring her pet.” Mary was crouching down by the basket peering in at the kitten. Aubrey bent down next to her, aware that Lucy was still in the tree behind him.
“Well, Mary, Lady Lucilla has rescued your kitten. I think you owe her some thanks.” The little girl stood up and with a careful gravity, curtseyed to both Aubrey and to Lucy, then charmed Aubrey by leaning forward and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.
Lucy watched their interaction, pain shooting into her heart and clenching that poor organ in her chest. Aubrey was so kind to the child. The little girl clearly adored him, crediting him for the rescue of her pet even if Lucy had done most of the work. What if, but she shook her head and blinked away the
Chapter Nine
Aubrey was conversing with Thornton and Blakesley who had rode up with another man, William Smythe, a friend from their club. Blakesley was grousing about the crowds.
“I told you we should have gone to Green Park. At least there we might have got in a gallop.” The crowded grounds disgusted him.
Aubrey nodded, his mind on Lucy, knowing that under the circumstances he was not likely to have any private speech with her. He sighed, seeing that George and Lady Harriet were still on the ground laughing with their acquaintances. Harriet was a tentative rider and took any excuse to get off of her horse. They would probably stroll for a while. All at once he realized that Lucy was no longer on her horse and turned his head, looking for her on the ground. The groom noticed him looking and nodded at a path that led down to the Serpentine. Aubrey excused himself from his friends, ignoring the wink that Thornton gave him. He nodded his thanks to the groom and dismounted, passing his reins to the unfortunate groom who was now holding onto five horses.
He skirted around a small group of ladies who were trying to draw his attention, intent on finding Lucy. It was much less crowded on the path, away from those who thronged the main thoroughfare. He could see the sparkle of water ahead as the path emerged along the water.
As he came around a corner Aubrey stopped and grinned at the sight ahead of him. How like Lucy. Her boots were lying on the ground and she had looped her habit up over one arm. She was standing on a limb of a tree overlooking the path, reaching up to the next branch. A nursemaid and a young girl were standing nearby, their arms waving frantically as they implored her to be careful. He could see a small grey animal above her head that she was reaching for with care. Aubrey moved circumspectly until he was somewhat under her, just in case he needed to break her fall if the branch gave. He could see her trim ankles and her stockinged feet. Her back arched as she reached above her head, trying to coax the small creature, a kitten mewling piteously as it clung to the branch.
“Please be careful, my lady,” the nursemaid begged. The little girl, a pretty thing with blonde hair and blue eyes still glistening from tears was jumping up and down in excitement.
Lucy had finally got the kitten to release its claws from the branch and was cuddling it close to her, one arm looped around the tree. Aubrey judged that he could speak without startling her.
“Hand it to me and then I will help you down,” he said. Lucy just looked at him, apparently aware that he had been there all along. She reached down with the kitten and placed it in his hand. The kitten immediately latched onto his cuff, digging into the broadcloth with sharp little talons. His valet was not going to be happy when Aubrey returned from this excursion.
Aubrey took the kitten over to the nursemaid who opened the lid of the basket that was lying by her feet.
“Oh, thank you, my lord, and my lady. I don’t know what I would have done, but Mary would bring her pet.” Mary was crouching down by the basket peering in at the kitten. Aubrey bent down next to her, aware that Lucy was still in the tree behind him.
“Well, Mary, Lady Lucilla has rescued your kitten. I think you owe her some thanks.” The little girl stood up and with a careful gravity, curtseyed to both Aubrey and to Lucy, then charmed Aubrey by leaning forward and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.
Lucy watched their interaction, pain shooting into her heart and clenching that poor organ in her chest. Aubrey was so kind to the child. The little girl clearly adored him, crediting him for the rescue of her pet even if Lucy had done most of the work. What if, but she shook her head and blinked away the
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