hostess’s right, he addressed himself to the soup.
“We were wondering,” said Georgina quietly after a few spoonfuls, “if you might be able to take Hilda about a bit.”
Randolph choked on a mouthful of broth. This was far worse than he’d expected. He shot Sebastian an indignant glance. Cannily, his brother wasn’t looking at him. He was keeping Hilda occupied at the other end of the table.
“I’m so busy squiring Emma about that Hilda’s being left to herself a good deal. And with Miss Byngham gone—”
“Where?” Randolph couldn’t help asking. Hilda’s former governess had revealed a deep vein of eccentricity during the summer.
Georgina shrugged. “I’m not sure. But Hilda’s becoming rather lonely.”
It was hard to see the girl that way, but Randolph supposed her sister was a better judge. “Sebastian knows London better than I do,” Randolph tried. The girl was Sebastian’s sister-in-law, after all.
“He has a stretch of duty coming up. He can’t get away.”
Randolph sometimes thought that Sebastian’s cavalry regiment took his time when he wished it to and not when he didn’t. But that was unjust.
“I know you’re busy as well,” added his brother’s wife with her lovely smile. “But it would be so kind of you.”
Had Sebastian coached her on just how to appeal to him? That seemed too subtle for his military brother.
“You could take her to visit in Russell Square,” Georgina continued. “She likes Flora.”
“Really?” Randolph gazed at Hilda, who was trying to persuade Sebastian to buy her a sword stick. “She hates books, and Flora nearly always has her head in one.”
“I know. I think Hilda is interested in Flora’s charitable work with street children.”
Randolph was assailed by a vision of Hilda at the head of a gang of grubby urchins, careening through the streets of London bent on mischief. He said as much to Georgina.
She laughed uneasily. “Flora’s charges aren’t grubby. And she wouldn’t let Hilda… The thing is, Hilda’s already sneaked out of the house once, with one of the maids, to visit Astley’s Amphitheatre. She won’t be shut in.”
Randolph couldn’t resist the appeal in his sister-in-law’s gaze. “Oh, very well. I’ll escort her to Russell Square.” Perhaps Robert could overawe the girl.
“And perhaps to the menagerie at the Exeter Exchange?”
“The—?”
But the phrase had caught Hilda’s ear. She leaned forward eagerly. “Are you talking of the animals? They have a lion and a tiger. As well as monkeys, a hippopotamus, an elephant…oh, all sort of creatures. I simply must see them.”
“Lord Randolph might take you there,” said Georgina, evading his reproachful look. “If you behave with some degree of propriety.”
* * *
That was how Randolph found himself in one of his father’s carriages the following morning, shepherding Lady Hilda Stane and a young housemaid to his brother Robert’s home in Russell Square. Hilda had argued forcefully that the menagerie should come first, but Randolph had not been moved.
When they were ushered into the drawing room, they found two callers already present. Robert and Flora seemed glad to welcome newcomers. “You remember Miss Olivia Townsend,” Robert said.
“We met in Northumberland,” said the slender young lady on the sofa. “Well, not precisely met. I don’t believe we were introduced. But I know who you are, of course. This is my sister, Beatrice.”
Randolph made his bow. Miss Townsend’s wide cheeks and pointed chin reminded him of a fox, if one could envision a fox with crimped brown hair, stylish apparel, and shining half boots.
Her sister, who looked to be of an age with Hilda, had to resemble a different parent. She was already taller than Olivia, sturdy and square shouldered, with dark-brown hair and slightly protuberant hazel eyes. Randolph barely had time to introduce Hilda before Miss Beatrice Townsend was chattering.
“Mama was very sorry not to accompany us,” she said. “But my brother Peter broke his arm falling from the chandelier in the front hall.” At the others’ exclamations, she added, “He was very fortunate to escape with only that small injury. He brought down the chandelier with him—a positive blizzard of crystal. We thought the house was collapsing around our ears.”
“It was very expensive,” Beatrice added.
Her older sister nodded. “We decided to take ourselves off until the shouting was over.” The Townsend sisters exchanged a laughing look. “And Beatrice so wanted to meet you because of your success on the stage,” Olivia said to Flora.
“My—” Robert’s wife looked startled.
“I told her how everyone praised your performance as Mrs. Malaprop at our amateur theatricals at the house party last autumn.”