The Colonel's Spinster - Audrey Harrison Page 0,22

mother. I was most impressed.”

Anne blushed. “I couldn’t resist speaking out. It was such a nice thing for Sir James to do — to arrange a party in my honour.”

“I think he has two motives,” Prudence said, looking archly at Fitzwilliam who was sitting near the two women.

“Oh?” he asked in response.

“I think they want to see more of Anne, which I’m not surprised at and can only like the family all the more for it, but I also think that a certain Colonel is an appealing suitor for Miss Goode,” Prudence said.

Fitzwilliam laughed. “She will be set for someone far more important than I!”

“Oh, I don’t know. She does look at you a great deal,” Anne interjected.

“Does she? And are my two cousins very jealous at the thought of my running off with Miss Goode?” Fitzwilliam asked with arched eyebrows.

“We’re devastated,” Prudence responded in the same tone in which the question had been asked. “Aren’t we Anne? To the point that I shall practice the pianoforte every day to ensure you have perfectly played dances in which to flirt.”

Fitzwilliam pulled a face. “That was poorly done by our aunt. It is Sir James’s responsibility to sort out a person to provide the music, not Aunt Catherine’s.”

“I think it was my punishment for her suspecting I was the person behind Anne standing up to her,” Prudence admitted.

“Oh, no! Surely not!” Anne said, hurriedly. “I will speak to mother, if that is the case.”

“I wouldn’t,” Fitzwilliam said quickly. “That would almost surely convince her of the fact.”

“Dealing with mother can be so difficult,” Anne said with a frown.

Prudence smiled at her cousin. “You are getting better at it.”

“Shall we escape to the gardens for a walk before she comes back?” Fitzwilliam offered.

“I should not. I do not think mother would approve,” Anne said.

“I shall pass on your regards to Mr. Huxley, if we pass him,” Prudence said.

“I’ll return with my pelisse in a moment,” Anne said, hurrying out of the room.

“You are playing with fire, Cousin,” Fitzwilliam warned.

“I’ve already spoken to Anne about guarding her heart,” Prudence said. “But she needs to spend more time outside whilst the weather is mild. She looks a lot better since I arrived and we started our daily constitutionals. She was a feeble little thing. I was quite taken aback at the state of her.”

“Yes, you have had a positive influence on her. I hope it continues when you have had enough of us. For I know you will abandon us at some point.”

“Oh, I cannot see that happening just yet,” Prudence smiled at him.

*

The threesome walked along the pathways in the terraced garden. None of them wanted to wear out Anne and suffer the wrath of Lady Catherine.

“Shall we spend a day in Westerham shopping before our visit to Sir James’s?” Prudence asked.

“I’m afraid not,” Anne said regretfully. “Mother would never agree to it. And to be fair, it would be a little tiring.”

“In that case, I shall not mention it again,” Prudence said quickly.

“Could I get you what you need?” Fitzwilliam offered.

“It would do me a real service if you would accompany me,” Prudence said. “I would rather play the music I’m used to, and I’m afraid Lady Catherine does not have the music sheets for it. I’m sure I could find what I need in Westerham.”

“I shall happily escort you. Shall we travel on horseback?”

“And give you the chance of leaving me standing again? No thank you, sir! I shall insist we ride in the gig, and I can ridicule your handling of the horses,” Prudence laughed.

“You will be disappointed. Again,” Fitzwilliam warned.

“Prudence is a fine horsewoman,” Anne defended her cousin. “You are trying to show off, Fitzwilliam. Be careful, or you will come unstuck.”

“Two of you against me! Well, I’ll be dashed. If this carries on I’ll need to send out for reinforcements.”

“We are hardly a match for a gentleman of the highest calibre. Perhaps you have fooled us into feeling sorry for you when you just wish to lull us into a false sense of security,” Prudence said airily.

“Why would I want to do that?” Fitzwilliam asked.

“So that when you stand up to us or Aunt Catherine, it would shock us and her into letting you do as you please. I’m quite suspicious at how amenable you seemed when you twisted our aunt into doing just as you wished for the ball.”

“Darcy always made sure Fitzwilliam was with him because he wanted someone who could make pretty to Mama. Darcy