Nick pointed to a busy pattern of leaves and flowers.

Charlotte looked at it thoughtfully. “Hmmm. Hedgerow. Nice, Nick, but I don’t think it would suit for the drawing room. A sitting room, perhaps, don’t you think?”

“Are you calling my dogs cowards, Tremayne?”

“What do you think of this one—Kingston Market? I like the blues and reds in it.” Charlotte held up a swatch.

Nick shook his head.

“Mayhap coward is too harsh a word, madam. Careful, perhaps? Cautious? Judicious in placing their trust in the kindness of strangers?”

Gillian glared at the servant even as Charlotte tossed aside another swatch, saying as she did so, “I don’t like this Swakely one at all, though. Much too busy, and it has yellow as a background. It wouldn’t do at all.”

“Cowards, Tremayne?” Gillian demanded.

“This leaf foil is pretty though. It has some nice shades of green in it.”

Tremayne sighed. “Cowards, madam. If I might be so bold as to offer your ladyship a suggestion, his lordship did mention in passing that he had instructed Crouch to attend your ladyship on all your outings. I would be happy to inform Crouch that you desire his presence.”

Gillian had hoped to escape without Crouch, who had voiced considerable opinions the day before about the wisdom of her paying a call on Lord Carlisle. She had finally extracted a promise from him that he would not tattle on her to Noble by agreeing that she wouldn’t visit Carlisle unaccompanied. That was what Charlotte was for.

“What am I for?” Her cousin looked up questioningly.

“Nothing, it matters not. Fine, Tremayne, tell Crouch we’ll be going out.”

“Well, that was fun,” Charlotte said, pushing the samples off her lap. “I think you’ll like our choices. Nick has a good eye for colors. Are we ready to leave? I made a list of things for you to ask Lord Carlisle, Gilly.”

“What sorts of things?”

“Here’s the list.” She handed Gillian a folded-up sheet of paper, then peered over her shoulder at it. “You’ll note the first item on the list is learning the names of Lord Weston’s mistresses.”

“Ladybuds,” Gillian said with a quick look at Nick.

“Ladybirds. Honestly, Gillian! The way you manacle the language is just disgraceful! Now, I’m not certain Lord Carlisle will know all their names, but you know how gentlemen are—they’re worse gossips than we women.”

“Exactly. Um…you have Lady Weston written down here next.”

“Yes, you said he made vague threats about Elizabeth, so he must have known her. Two birds with one bush.”

Gillian blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“You’re killing two birds with one bush. It’s an expression. Haven’t you ever heard it? It means that you are taking care of two things at the same time. I would have thought that even in the Colonies such a common expression was used.”

Gillian opened her mouth to correct her cousin, then decided against it. “Mmmm…Income.” She looked up. “Why am I asking him about Noble’s income?”