“What do you say, Miss Linfield?”
She glanced up, realizing she’d been too deep in her thoughts to follow the conversation and now all of them were staring at her. The tips of her ears grew hot. “My apologies. I was woolgathering.”
“My brother asked if you’d care for a drive in Hyde Park,” the earl supplied, his eyes narrowing with concern as he looked at her.
“Hyde Park?” The idea was startling. That was where people went to see and be seen. How could she be included among them? And to do so with Daniel? “Now?”
“I can return later if you prefer,” Daniel said. “Or we can do it another day if you’d rather.”
“You should go now whilst the weather is fine, don’t you think?” Caroline lifted a brow at Beatrice as if to encourage her.
“Unless you need me.” Beatrice couldn’t think of a good excuse not to go, nor was she certain she wanted one.
Was it wrong to be so tempted to claim an afternoon like this? One she could hold tight and remember, no matter what direction her life took?
“Not at all. Enjoy yourself. Sunshine is such a rarity in London.” Caroline glanced toward the window.
“I’ll fetch my things and join you directly,” she told Daniel as she rose, careful not to hold his gaze overlong for fear he would guess her wild longing.
“Excellent.” Daniel smiled again.
Good heavens. How she wished he’d stop doing that. It was impossible to function when he did.
Chapter Eight
In short order, Beatrice and Daniel were riding in his barouche toward Hyde Park with Sally accompanying them.
“Would you care to share what’s on your mind?” he asked after they’d driven for a time.
“What makes you ask that?” She thought she’d hidden her feelings. How alarming to realize she hadn’t.
“Your brow puckers when something is bothering you.”
She immediately pressed a gloved finger to her brow to smooth it.
“Too late. I already noted it.” The teasing glint lingered in his golden eyes, causing her breath to catch. “Now you must confess.”
Beatrice smiled despite herself. “Caroline suggested I attend a dinner party with her and the earl.” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, wondering why on earth she told him that as she’d have to tell him the reason behind her worry.
“And?” he prompted.
To her surprise, she found herself telling him her concerns. At least the part where she felt as if others would take one look at her and know she didn’t belong.
“But you do belong.” Now he was the one who frowned. “Your mother was the daughter of a baron. No doubt she attended dinner parties and balls and other social events before she married your father.”
“If she did, she never spoke of it.”
“Would that have been because she didn’t want to upset your father or make him think she missed that world?”
She blinked at the question, never having considered it. “I suppose that might be true.”
“Or perhaps she preferred her new life in your village, helping the community.”
“I believe she did enjoy her time with Father and liked to think their work made a difference.”
“Don’t you think she’d be pleased to know you are enjoying some of the same activities she did before her marriage?”
“I suppose. Although she always encouraged me to place the needs of others above my own.”
“All the more reason you will prove delightfully unique to those you meet. The people of the ton tend to focus on themselves and their own pleasures far too much.” He paused with a glance at her, his expression filled with regret. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to refer to what you went through.”
“Not at all.” But she couldn’t halt the heat flooding her cheeks at the image of the ‘pleasures’ some men found in brothels. “I knew what you meant.” Once again, she was reminded of how thoughtful Daniel was.
“In any case, I think you’ll enjoy yourself. And how can you make a decision about how you would prefer to spend your life if you don’t experience more?”
Beatrice pondered the question. “Caroline suggested the dinner party could result in meeting someone in need of a companion or the like.”
“That’s an excellent point. A referral would make finding a position easier. While I see the need for honest servant registry offices, it would be better for both employers and employees to have a personal recommendation. A servant would rather hear of an opening from an acquaintance who already works for that employer, and an employer would prefer not to have a complete stranger staying in their home without having someone vouch for them.”
“True.”
“Here we are,” he said as they drove through the entrance to the park on a spacious gravel road. “The place is busy already for this time of year.”
From that moment on, Beatrice’s thoughts were filled with the sights of the river and woods that reminded her of the countryside where she’d lived her entire life. Then there were the fine horses to admire as well as the appearance of the others they passed.
Daniel was delightful company. His remarks about those he knew were amusing, giving her a more human view of them. He noted one gentleman’s tendency to wear padded breeches to enhance his form and a particular lady’s shrill laugh that caused everyone to wince when they heard it. The details he shared were an excellent reminder that no one was perfect.
She’d placed members of the ton on a pedestal, thinking them as ideal when they were far from it. They were people, too. They weren’t necessarily smarter or prettier or better but had faults and attributes like everyone else. However, many had money and a title or heritage they were proud of.
When Beatrice caught sight of Annabelle Gold, Caroline’s sister, moving toward them with a man, she smiled and returned her wave.
“Walker, good to see you,” Annabelle’s companion said as he drew his gig to a halt alongside them.
“Raybourne. How’s the publishing business these days?”
“Excellent.” The
