‘Do not try. He has experience, he has address. Your advantage is that you know the real person.’

‘I did know. I am sometimes less sure, and at other times …’

‘Pah! The chit has not changed her character in two months.’

‘A butterfly is nothing like a caterpillar.’

‘And she is not an insect. Now, since Newbold has set her to wondering, what are you going to do next?’

‘I am due to act as one part of an escort to view the wild beasts at the Tower of London, ma’am.’

‘Goodness me. Hardly the ideal location for romance, I would have thought, but there.’

‘I did not offer to go for that reason.’ Lord Henfield felt chastised without cause.

‘No, no, of course you did not, though walking in Kensington Gardens on Saturday afternoon might be a good idea.’

‘It would if I could think of anything to say.’

‘If you make the offer then you have until Saturday to think of something. That ought to be plenty of time, by my book,’ replied her ladyship brightly.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

If Lady Elstead viewed Tuesday’s excursion as some form of trial, the two young ladies foresaw nothing but pleasure. They were to see one of the most famous sights of the metropolis, with fierce beasts they had only ever seen in illustrations, and their escorts were personable young men. Henrietta, whilst still having no plan whatsoever formulated to advance Lord Martley’s cause, hoped vaguely that several hours spent entirely in his company would prove to Lady Elstead that her antagonism was unfair, and that in fact he was ‘a very good catch’, which term made her giggle, since it made her think of fishing. She was appreciative of Charles offering his additional escort to make the outing acceptable, but was not as pleased by the way in which her aunt greeted it as if divine beneficence. Caroline was patently smitten with Lord Martley, but if nothing could be done to make that union come to fruition, might she be persuaded by her mama that Charles Henfield was just as good, if not better?

The gentlemen arrived promptly and were both astonished to find that they did not have to wait for the younger ladies, although Lady Elstead was delayed by mislaying her gloves. Once these were found, and her ladyship’s barouche brought round from the stables, the party set off, Henrietta armed with the latest edition of Mr Feltham’s The Picture of London, which, it assured the purchaser, described ‘all the curiosities, amusements, exhibitions, public establishments and remarkable objects’ to be found in and around the capital.