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would be very welcome. You can advise Mary and me on how to achieve the latest London fashions; it is some months since I have been to London, so I am sadly out of date.”
    “I’m n ot sure I could advise you I have had only a little experience of London society and I am afraid that although I did notice the fashions, with everything else going on I should not rely on me to be a definitive source of information. Instead I rely on you to restrain my impulse purchases. I am guaranteed to receive a scold every time I return from shopping,” Sophie grinned at her brother.
    “Does he not like you spen ding his money?” Isabelle asked a little surprised. She would not have thought that the Earl would be stringent with Sophie.
    “More I do not like to see each piece of ribbon or lace that has been purchased and given the in depth story of what lace or ribbon was rejected and why. That is when the scold occurs,” came the long suffering reply.
    Isabelle smiled. “I’m no longer surprised at you not wishing to take your brother shopping Lady Sophie, what a disobliging creature he is!”
    Tom opened his mouth to retort, but James intervened. “I would leave it Standish; I learned a long time ago that when women and shopping are involved, you will never win! Better to admit defeat and stay silent. It is far easier that way.”
    Sophie smiled at James, “ I knew you would understand. Would you meet us afterwards? I should not wish to put you through standing outside every shop we enter.”
    “I shall and I may even buy you pastries or a Bath bun if you like,” James smiled at Sophie.
    “Oh yes, pastries would be lovely!” Sophie touched James’s arm and smiled up at him.
    James returned the smile before turning to Tom. “I was going to book a box tonight at the Theatre, would you both like to join us?”
    “Yes, we are moving into a house in Laura Place this afternoon, so a trip to the theatre would be an enjoyable escape for us both.”
    “How long have you taken lodgings for?” Isabelle enquired. The usual period for Bath was for at least six weeks, but she had not thought it was the Earl’s intention to stay that long.
    “I’m not sure yet, I have not made any firm plans. It will depend on when I’m needed back home. My steward is keeping me informed of estate matters regularly,” was the non-committal reply.
    Isabelle assumed that he was probably keeping any plans flexible because of the Arnolds, but she could not help feeling a little unsettled not knowing how long she would be in his company. She knew these were not healthy sentiments and tried to push them to the back of her mind. It unnerved her to think she enjoyed the company of a man like the Earl so much. She turned back to Sophie and concentrated on making plans for their shopping trip to prevent her dwelling on anything else.
    I sabelle and Mary joined Sophie later at the White Hart and walked into the town with serious shopping on their minds. They found that sharing the experience with a shopper as pleasant as Sophie made the trip even more enjoyable. Isabelle was able to put her concerns about Sophie’s attachments to the back of her mind as Sophie made her purchases. Her choices were directed because they were James’s favourite colour or because he liked feathers rather than flowers. By the end of the trip Isabelle was sure that Sophie thought a great deal about her brother.
    They met James outside the pastry shop in Milsom Street and entered the throng. The shop was always busy, but they managed to make themselves comfortable at a small table. James ordered a large selection of pastries and tea. He reported that he had secured a theatre box for the evening, so their time was spent discussing what they would wear, who may be at the theatre and how the performance would be.
    They walked slowly back to their homes. Sophie was to leave them when they reached Laura Place as the move to her new lodgings had been undertaken while she had been