Keeping the Castle - By Patrice Kindl Page 0,47

me for being mercenary and then pursuing Miss Vincy with the identical motivation. Especially as he was quite wealthy already and did not need the money; it was nothing but greed. This being the case I engaged him in conversation when next I spotted him in the village. He was in Sturridge’s shop, frowning over the purchase of a handkerchief.

“Choose the linen, Mr. Godalming,” I recommended, coming up behind him. “It will stand up to washing better than the silk.”

He bowed and said in a lofty tone, “How do you do, Miss Crawley? I thank you for your advice, but I believe I am as good a judge of handkerchiefs as any young lady,” and proceeded to purchase the silk. Ah well. No one could say I hadn’t warned him—it was a cheap silk and would fade badly.

The subject matter, however, gave me an idea. “Speaking of handkerchiefs,” I went on, “as we are such old friends, I hope you will not mind my saying that I think you were blind to the signals a certain young lady was sending you, only the other day.”

He paused in the act of pocketing the new handkerchief. “Oh?” he said, his nose twitching like a rabbit’s. He licked his lips. “And which young lady was that?”

“No, no, Mr. Godalming, you must not ask me that! I only wished to drop a hint. You have heard of the language of handkerchiefs now so popular in London and Bath?”

“I—I believe so.”

In truth, I myself had only recently heard of it from the Marquis, whose information had not been complete enough to tell me the details of what each gesture meant, so it was necessary for me to fabricate. However, this was of no importance, as Mr. Godalming, who had hardly ever left his home county, would be none the wiser, and I doubted that the practical and levelheaded Miss Vincy, who did move in fashionable society, had ever bothered her head with such a silly means of conducting a flirtation.

“For instance, when a refined young lady wishes a gentleman to know that she would enjoy entertaining his attentions, she glances at him and then brushes her right cheek with her handkerchief.”

“Is that so? Indeed, I did not know. I thank you for telling me. I shall be alert in the future.”

“The glance may be brief,” I cautioned him. “A lady cannot be too obvious, you understand.”

“Oh, certainly. Indeed!”

After this conversation, it was a simple matter to achieve my goal. It only required that Miss Vincy, Mr. Godalming, Mr. Fredericks, and I be in company together.

“Miss Vincy,” I said as we stood in the hallway of Gudgeon Park, “I beg you will look at Mr. Godalming’s cravat and tell me if it is not tied in the style of the Prince Regent’s friend, Beau Brummell.”

Miss Vincy laughed and disclaimed any knowledge of how this famous dandy arranged his neckwear, but she looked as I had directed.

“Oh!” I said, “you have a black smudge on your cheek. The right one.”

Ever obliging, Miss Vincy raised a lace-trimmed handkerchief and scrubbed her cheek with it, perhaps a bit more vigorously than would be appropriate for a seductive signal. “Is it gone?”

“Almost,” I said, “a bit more to the side . . . gently! You will take your skin off.” I continued, “But you have not given me your opinion of Mr. Godalming’s cravat.”

She paused with her handkerchief to her cheek and looked again.

“What do you think?” I asked.

She dropped her eyes. “Hush, Miss Crawley. He is looking at us.”

Mr. Godalming was looking at us, thank goodness. Smiling broadly, he joined us within the twinkling of an eye. I raised my eyebrows and nodded by way of encouragement.

“Miss Vincy and I were discussing whether or not your valet receives his inspiration for your cravat from the fashions of the Royal Court.” I doubted whether Mr. Godalming’s valet had any conception that there was more than one way to tie a neck cloth.

Mr. Godalming, however, had no misgivings on the subject. “Why yes, I believe you are correct. Williams is very anxious that his young master should look as dashing as possible, even living in the country as we do.” Here he giggled and bowed to Miss Vincy, who cast an imploring look in my direction. I hardened my heart. This was for her own good, whether she knew it or not.

“I hope you will excuse me,” I said. “I must speak to Mr. Fredericks for a moment.” I smiled sweetly