An Unconventional Countess (Regency Belles of Bath 1)

‘But...’

‘I shall walk on my own, thank you very much. The Baroness offered her carriage to take us home, but I declined. I don’t believe that we deserve it.’

‘What about your ankles? You’ll hurt yourself if you’re not careful.’

‘I’ll manage somehow. At this precise moment, I’m far too angry to care!’

Anna stood on the pavement gaping after her usually serene and calm-natured mother for a full minut

e before remembering where she was. The Circus itself was intimidating enough with its three curved terraces forming a perfect circle, but the thought of all the eyes behind the windows made her feel even more self-conscious. Barons, earls, dukes...those were the sorts of people who lived here and she ought never to have come. Now look what had happened! She’d never seen or heard her mother so angry, though it took her several increasingly mortified laps of the central garden to concede that her accusations were true. She had behaved shamefully.

Unfortunately, that also meant there was only one thing she could do to make it right, though it took her another five minutes to summon the nerve. If she wasn’t careful someone would call a constable to shoo her away, she thought with bleak amusement as she finally trudged back across the road and stopped back outside the gold-hued frontage of Number Twelve.

The black door looked even bigger and more looming than it had the first time, the Palladian style more striking, too. The style of the house actually varied from floor to floor, Doric on ground level, Ionic in the middle and Corinthian on top, as if any one of those styles on its own wasn’t impressive enough! Even the butler who opened the door seemed more menacing than before, though he showed no sign of surprise and made no comment as he let her back into the hallway to wait while he checked whether the family she’d just left were still at home. Part of her hoped they decided they weren’t, but a few moments later he returned, allowing her to precede him back up the staircase.

The inhabitants of the drawing room were positioned almost exactly as she’d left them. Only Captain Delaney had moved to the window, standing with his face half-averted and his arms clasped behind his back. He didn’t bother to look around as she entered and she baulked at the idea that he might have witnessed her quarrel with her mother, but there was nothing for it now but to continue.

‘Miss Fortini? Have you forgotten something, my dear?’ The Baron greeted her with his usual kindly manner, and she dropped into a low, and this time sincere, curtsy.

‘Yes.’ She fixed her eyes on the carpet, deciding to get the worst of it over with. ‘My manners. I misplaced them earlier. In fact, I think I might have left them behind in the shop. My behaviour this afternoon was rude and ungrateful and I’ve come to apologise. I beg that you don’t take my actions as a reflection on either of my parents.’

She lifted her gaze slowly when she’d finished, surprised to find that Lady Jarrow had already risen to her feet.

‘Miss Fortini...’ the Baroness’s tone was stentorian ‘...I’ve never thought it fair to judge children by their parents or vice versa and you strike me in particular as being very much your own person. I would never hold your mother responsible for your behaviour, ungrateful or otherwise. Come here and let me look at you.’

Anna took a few steps forward obediently, letting the older woman study her face in silence for a few seconds.

‘You must take after your father in looks, although there’s something of the Holdens about you, too. It’s the curls, I suppose, and the stubborn streak. Still, I’m glad to see you have some spirit.’

‘I still shouldn’t have behaved so badly.’

The Baroness made a dismissive gesture. ‘It was most diverting. I can’t abide polite conversation. So many words and so little gets said. I presume that your mother just gave you a set-down? Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’ve had one, too. My grandson has just finished scolding me for chasing you away. He thinks that I behaved badly, if you can believe that.’

‘Oh.’ Anna glanced towards the window. Captain Delaney had finally turned around and was giving his grandmother a look that suggested his opinion on the subject hadn’t much altered, though there was a glint of dark humour in his eyes, too. It made him look faintly sardonic, making her breath catch and the hairs on the back of her neck rise in a new and startling fashion.

‘Perhaps we ought to agree that neither of us was at fault just to disprove them?’ The Baroness gave her a nudge with one bony, but surprisingly powerful, elbow. ‘Then we should become friends to spite them, eh?’

‘I...’ Anna felt her lips twitch despite herself. Being friends with a baroness wasn’t something she’d ever imagined, but it was hard to resist the idea of this woman as an ally. ‘I think that sounds like an excellent idea.’

‘Good, then it’s settled. We may consider ourselves friends. Although in that case, you’ll have to learn to how to ride. All of my friends ride. I insist upon it.’

‘But...’

‘I’ll provide lessons, of course.’

‘Thank you, my lady...’ Anna hastened to protest, ‘but I’m afraid that it would be impossible. I have a shop to run and no free time for lessons.’

‘Then we’ll just have to make you some time.’ The Baroness tossed her head imperiously. ‘Mornings would probably be best.’

‘I start baking at five o’clock, my lady.’

‘Then I’ll send a couple of my kitchen maids to you tomorrow. You can tell them what to do and then your mother can supervise, I suppose?’

‘Well, ye-es.’ Anna was surprised to find the idea decidedly tempting. She stole another glance towards the window, but Captain Delaney’s expression was inscrutable. She had no idea what he thought of his grandmother’s plan. Not that she cared about his opinion, either. It had nothing to do with him. With any luck she’d never have to see him again. He made her feel altogether too confused and distracted... ‘But I wouldn’t want to impose upon you.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous. I never allow anybody to impose, but if you want to be my friend...’ the baroness gave her a look that dared her to contradict it ‘...then you must learn to ride or I shall refuse to receive you again. Now come to the house tomorrow morning at six o’clock sharp. You can have your first lesson and then tell me how you got on at breakfast.’

‘Won’t you be teaching me?’