A Comfortable Wife (Regencies 8)
That riposte earned her a distinctly unnerving look.
Before he could think of a comment to go with it, she asked, "Are you sure I'm not breaking any rules in being driven in such a dangerous equipage?"
"Quite sure," Philip replied, his tones distinctly dry. "If anyone is breaking any rules here, 'tis I."
Antonia widened her eyes at him. “You?''
"Indeed. And seeing I have bent my heretofore inviolable rules and taken you up in the Park, I think it's only fair that you should entertain me, thus leaving me free to devote all my skills to keeping us upright."
Hiding a smile, Antonia put her nose in the air. "I'm not at all sure it's proper for me to run on, like some ill-bred gabblemonger."
"Heaven forbid!" Philip dispensed with his town drawl entirely. "Just put my mind at rest and tell me what you four were planning."
Giving up the fight to contain her delight, Antonia smiled dazzlingly, startling a youthful gentleman driving in the opposite direction.
"Cow-handed clunch!" Philip deftly avoided the ensuing melee. "Now cut line. Remember, I've made myself responsible for your brother."
"Very well." Settling more comfortably beside him, shielded from the light wind by his shoulder, Antonia related the latest developments. "Mr Fortescue has not yet shown his face, but as I gather he must come up from Somerset, I don't believe we can hold that against him."
Philip shook his head. “He may be a true knight but he obviously lacks a ghostly steed. Or should that be an errant charger?''
"Mr Fortescue, I gather, is a model of decorum."
"Good lord!" Philip shot her a disbelieving glance. "And Miss Dalling wishes to marry him?"
"Most definitely." Antonia paused, then diffidently added, “Actually, while I originally thought some of Miss Dalling's tales might owe more to her imagination than to fact, the latest involve Ambrose as well and he is undeniably not given to flights of fancy."
"By which you mean he's a slow-top." Philip glanced down at her. "But what are these latest exploits?"
"Not so much exploits as experiences. It seems the Countess of Ticehurst and the Marchioness have taken to engineering interludes when Catriona and Ambrose are left alone."
Philip raised his brows. "I see."
"Catriona and Ambrose are both trying quite desperately to ens
ure there's nothing improper that can be used to force their consent, but the situation is daily becoming more difficult."
Philip was silent for some minutes, then said, "It's hard to see what they can do, short of Mr Fortescue coming to the rescue. Even then, given Miss Dalling is under age, the situation's likely to be messy."
"Indeed. I raised that very point, but Catriona's convinced all will be well once Mr Fortescue arrives."
Philip raised his brows. "Which event, I suppose, we should all devoutly pray for." He cast a glance at Antonia's pensive face. “Having dispensed with that subject, perhaps we can move to some more interesting topic?"
Antonia opened her eyes wide. "That depends on what you consider interesting, my lord."
For one pregnant instant, Philip held her gaze; when she coloured, he smiled and looked ahead. "How about your observations on town life and the Little Season? I dare say I would find those quite fascinating."
"Indeed?" Antonia stifled the urge to fan her face. "Very well." On her mettle, she cast about for inspiration. She found it in a pair of strutting Macaronis, so gaily garbed they resembled walking pansies. "The strongest impression I have of the ton is of things being other than they seem. There is, to my mind, a great deal of obfuscation and roundaboutation—a great deal of hiding the truth."
The brief look Philip cast her held a gratifying degree of surprise. Then a curve forced him to give his attention to his greys. Antonia saw his lips firm, then twist in a wry, self-deprecatory smile.
"Remind me, my dear, not to ask such a question of you again."
"Why not?" Tilting her head, she studied his face. "I didn't find it impertinent."
"No—but I'd forgotten your intelligence. Your answers go too deep." Philip shot her a quick glance. "The trick with flirtatious repartee is to keep the tone light."
Antonia blinked. “Flirtatious repartee?''