‘Pridham has told me that Miss Fairchild will not be attending this evening.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me,’ said Freddie easily. ‘Jane Grisham called on Lya earlier this week and heard that Mr Pridham had kicked up a dust about our sitting together for so long at last Monday’s ball. He is keeping her very close for a while, but Jane has promised to carry any messages we may have for one another.’
‘You might wish to change your mind, then. About attending tonight’s assembly.’
‘No, I thought I might as well look in. Gore Conyer and Henry will be there, so we will have a merry time of it.’
‘While Natalya sits at home alone.’
A faint flush coloured Freddie’s cheeks. ‘Oh, well, it is not as if my sitting at home, too, will do her any good. Better that I am seen out and about in Bath, then the Pridhams might think there was nothing so very serious in our meetings after all and relax their guard.’
‘I believe they are taking the matter far more seriously than that, Freddie. Have you not considered that it might well have been Pridham who set those fellows on to you?’
‘That would be a hare-brained thing to do. He must know that no true gentleman would allow himself to be frightened off by a few threats. However, I will take the carriage tonight, just for your peace of mind, dear Uncle!’
With that he hurried away, seemingly far less concerned with the events of the day than Tristan.
After a week’s confinement in Sydney Place, Natalya was allowed to go abroad again with her friends, on the understanding that she was always accompanied by one of the Pridhams’ trusted servants, who was given strict instructions never to allow their young mistress out of their sight.
Mr Pridham had informed Natalya of his interview with Lord Dalmorren and stressed to her that he would in no wise countenance an offer from Mr Erwin. Natalya listened to him in silence, eyes downcast, but was so incensed by his manner that she made no effort to convince him that she was not in love with Freddie.
When she had asked him what he had told Lord Dalmorren about her parentage, his angry response that there was nothing to tell was so full of bluster she was more convinced than ever that there was something shameful in her past. Something so bad that no man would ever want her, if he knew of it. The thought was so lowering that when she next met Freddie, at the Grishams’ picnic party, his protestations were like balm to her wounded spirits.
The picnic was an annual event, traditionally held on the first fine Monday in June, but this year a spell of early warm and settled weather had encouraged them to bring it forward to the end of May. The Grishams invited all their friends and acquaintances to join them and on the appointed day, old and young alike gathered outside their house in Royal Crescent. From there they would make their way together to Lansdown Hill by carriage or on horseback. By the way Mr Pridham had frowned up at the clear blue sky when they left Sydney Place, Natalya guessed her uncle and aunt would have preferred to stay away, but they had accepted the invitation some weeks ago and it would have been difficult to withdraw without offending the Grishams. Thus it was that Natalya was allowed to ride out on her beautiful grey mare while the Pridhams were accommodated in one of the open carriages.
Natalya noticed Freddie riding into the Crescent on a rangy bay hack. He was accompanied by Lord Dalmorren on the black mare that she thought more suited to the hunting field than on the cobbled streets of Bath. When their eyes met, Tristan touched his hat to her, but did not approach, and she saw him frown as his nephew trotted up and greeted her with unfeigned delight.
In the happy confusion of arrivals, it was a simple matter for Freddie to draw Natalya a little away from the others for a private word. He was outraged by her uncle’s refusal to agree to an engagement and fumed for some moments over her incarceration.
‘What with your uncle’s attitude, and the threats, I am tempted to elope with you this minute, if you’d agree!’
‘Threats?’ She looked at him closely. ‘Is there something I do not know?’
He hesitated. ‘I had not meant to tell you, Lya, but I was warned off!’
She listened in growing horror as he related the incident and, when he had finished, she reached out and touched his arm.
‘Oh, Freddie, then you might be in danger if you are seen too long in my company!’
‘Dash it all, Lya, I am not going to be bullied into staying away from you.’ He saw her anxious frown and said quickly, ‘Forgive me, I should not have said anything. I do not set any store by it, I assure you. In fact, it is very likely that I misunderstood the fellows and I have it all wrong. A couple of ruffians, making empty threats. And quite unnecessary, too, since Tristan had already called upon your uncle and he refused even to consider an offer from me.’ He grinned. ‘Is it any wonder, when Tristan told me of it, that I was too angry to think of anything other than running off with you?’
‘No, indeed! I was angry, too, at first, when Uncle Pridham told me he had rejected your suit. Indeed, I felt so rebellious that I could not bring myself to tell him I had no intention of marrying you! Nevertheless, I am appalled that someone should threaten you.’ She shivered and cast an anxious glance over her shoulder. ‘Perhaps it would be best if we
