The Virtuous Ward - By Karla Darcy Page 0,57

for other animals in need of a home. So when I chanced to discover a sow I bought her and placed her in the garden storeroom until Jason could send someone to retrieve her. I had not counted on the fact that she would litter and then of course I did not want her moved so soon after her confinement."

"Naturally not. It would offend her sensibilities, I am sure."

Amity's eyes sparkled with humor at his bantering words. "Mrs. Putnam didn't mind the ducks but was not best pleased when I bought the goat. I am afraid it damaged one of the chairs being stored there but I am quite willing to have the repairs taken out of my allowance."

"I suspect I can stand the expense as my part in this unorthodox project. Did you send all the animals to the farm?"

"Yes and I am happy to report they are thriving. Even Lady Guinevere has never looked better."

"There was no possibility, short of death, that she could have looked worse," Max drawled. Then in an abrupt change of subject. "How do you think Bancroft will react to your enterprise?"

For the first time in their discussion, Amity looked uneasy. "I don't know. I would hope that he would consider it a worthwhile cause. After all, the soldiers fought for the freedom of England, Max. It is only right that they not be left in desperate straits now that we no longer have use for them."

"I would agree, poppet, but then I am not the man you are to marry," he commented. "No need to look so grim, Amity. I have the feeling you could convince anyone of the rightness of your actions. Come along home. All this fresh air is exhausting."

Amity took his arm and tried to appear as usual but his words had left a feeling of gloom deep in her heart. She had not considered what would happen to the soldiers once she married. Although she hoped that Bancroft might look on her activities as worthy, she suspected he might not be well pleased. She had noticed that most of the fashionable set preferred their good works in the form of donations and disdained anything that might bring them personally into the sphere of those they wished to help.

For all the loneliness of her early life, Amity was quite used to doing much as she pleased. She had not considered the fact that once she married she would be responsible for her actions to another person, who might not have the same ideas that she did. In her dealings with Bancroft she had never found him unreasonable but then she had never challenged him. She knew he was a proper stickler for the proprieties and although he appeared easygoing, she suspected he might become quite angry if she did not conform to what he considered was genteel behavior. She considered her actions commensurate with the actions of a lady. But would Bancroft?

Chapter Ten

"Now, Amity, be sure to keep your hat on," warned Hester. "I would feel far happier if I thought you would actually use that fetching parasol you are carrying. The sun is hot and I fear you will come back looking like one of those bizarre natives from the colonies."

"Never fear, Lady Grassmere, we will be lucky to even see the sun on this gloomy day," Amity said as she peered out the front door at the lowering skies. "You mustn't worry and take full advantage of my absence by curling up with that new novel I saw you sneaking into the house."

"Hush, Amity," Hester said, her face flaming with embarrassment. "What would the servants think if they heard such talk?"

"They would think you were a sweet lady, just as I do." She kissed the wrinkled cheek and, with a wave of her hand, skipped down the stairs to the waiting curricle. She accepted Max's assistance into the carriage with a few words of greeting to Lewis, the tiger, who stood holding the horses.

Max waited while she settled her skirts and put up her parasol for the benefit of Lady Grassmere who stood in the doorway. He picked up the reins and Lewis climbed up behind as they started away from the townhouse at a sedate pace. He appreciated Amity's silence while he tooled his way through the streets. The greys were new and still high-strung and he needed full concentration to control them in the traffic. Once on the open road, he relaxed and turned to his