shook her head as she saw the speculative look in Mariah’s eyes. ‘I believe you are serious. You will really accept a proposal of marriage from him if he asks?’
‘I might,’ Mariah replied innocently, then gurgled with laughter. ‘Or I might decide that an affair would suit me better. I am not sure whether he would suit me as a lover …’ She tipped her head to one side, a sparkle in her eyes. ‘It would be exciting to have an affair, do you not think so?’
‘Now I know you are misbehaving,’ her friend said with a shake of her head. ‘You do so love to tease, dearest. I know you too well to believe you serious, but others might not. Be a little careful, Mariah. I should not like to see you hurt.’
‘As yet I have met no one who is anxious to engage me in a clandestine affair,’ Maria admitted ruefully. ‘Most seem interested in getting a ring on my finger for the sake of controlling Winston’s fortune.’
‘Well, your unpleasant experience has given you a terrible shock,’ Sylvia sympathised, ‘but you must not think everyone the same. If you were to receive a proposal from someone you could like sufficiently, it might be the best thing for you. After all, business is a chore—why not leave it to a man you may trust? He would, of course, secure a generous settlement on you.’
‘Yes, I believe marriage might suit me best,’ Mariah conceded and turned away for fear her friend should see too much.
It was time she lost her virginity. Mariah had made up her mind that she would either marry or take a lover. Sylvia had been shocked, but many married ladies had clandestine affairs—why shouldn’t she? At least she would not wake up one day to discover that her husband cared nothing for her and had run through her fortune at the card table.
That would be humiliating and something that she did not think she could accept. Rather an affair with a man who admired and excited her that she could end when she chose than marriage with a man who wanted only her money. Yet she was tired of living alone. She could not always be in the company of friends and there were many lonely hours, often in the dark reaches of the night when she could not sleep and longed for someone she could talk to as a friend.
Andrew Lanchester would never treat her so badly. Were he to offer for her she would marry him, even if he was not madly in love with her. He would be honest, generous and considerate. All the qualities she needed. The provoking man! Why could he not oblige her?
What she truly needed was for Andrew to care for her. She might think of marrying others in an idle moment, but in her heart there was only one she wanted.
Why would he not tell her he cared and ask her to marry him?
Chapter Three
It was yet another perfect day by the lake. In the warm sunshine the water looked impossibly blue and at times the sunbeams seemed to dance on the surface like a shower of diamonds. Mariah looked around her. Theirs was not the only party to take advantage of the coolness to be found by the lakeside and several ladies and gentlemen strolled arm in arm. Out on the lake itself there were various kinds of small boats: some being rowed by eager amateurs, as well as those plied by professionals eager for trade.
‘My nephew was so distressed to miss the picnic,’ Lady Jenkins said, taking a seat next to Mariah. ‘He met with an accident while out walking this morning and was obliged to visit the doctor.’
‘I am sorry to hear that.’ Mariah looked at her in genuine concern. ‘Did Lieutenant Grainger suffer a fall?’
‘That is the most distressing thing about the whole affair,’ Lady Jenkins said, lowering her voice. ‘He begged me not to make a fuss. I was all for sending for the authorities, but he would not have it.’
‘I fear I do not understand your meaning?’ Mariah arched her fine brows.
‘It is quite shocking. Peter was set upon by ruffians, my dear. He says there must have been two of them for they knocked him to the ground and kicked him. He fought back and they ran off, but he has suffered some injuries and was feeling unwell when we left him this morning.’
‘Oh, what a shame,’ Mariah said with ready sympathy. ‘That is a great deal too bad. In the isolation of the hills one has to take care, for there may occasionally be bandits who will attack an unwary traveller, but here at the lakes—I have not heard of such a thing before.’
‘It has made me uneasy,’ Lady Jenkins agreed. ‘I have almost decided to cut short our visit here and move on to Venice.’
‘That would be a pity,’ Mariah said. ‘Though Venice is beautiful, of course, but … perhaps it might be best to speak to the authorities. If there are thieves in the area, they ought to be apprehended.’
‘It is most odd. Peter says he was not robbed, simply knocked to the ground, beaten—and then abandoned.’
‘How very strange.’
‘Yes, I thought so. One would almost suppose him to have an enemy, but he will not hear of it—and he would not wish me to speak of the affair, but I wanted you to know why he had cried off. I know he was looking forward to seeing you again so very much.’
‘It is a shame, of course. However, I am sure we shall meet again soon—unless you feel compelled to leave for Venice immediately?’
Smiling, Mariah rose from her seat, nodded to her hostess and walked slowly towards Andrew, who was standing with Sylvia at the edge of the lake, watching some children playing with a ball.
‘It is a perfect day for being on the water, is it not?’ she asked, then, frowning, ‘Have you heard about the attack on Lieutenant Grainger? Lady Jenkins is quite distressed.’
‘Yes, of course. Lady Jenkins was good enough to invite me to stay with them.’
‘I had not realised that,’ Mariah said. ‘I might have invited you to stay with us.’
‘Had I not already accepted Lady Jenkins’s invitation I should have been happy to do so. I am pleased to tell you that Grainger’s pride is more bruised than his arm, though he wears it in a sling for a slight sprain and was advised to rest.’
‘What is that?’ Sylvia asked. ‘Lady Jenkins told me he sent his apologies, but nothing more.’
‘I dare say he would rather not make a fuss—but apparently he was attacked while out walking early this morning. Some ruffians knocked him to the ground and beat him, then suddenly ran off.’
‘Was he robbed?’ Sylvia looked alarmed.
‘I think not. It was a senseless attack for no reason—unless Lieutenant Grainger has an enemy, of course.’
‘That is so shocking,’ Sylvia said and looked at Andrew. ‘I have not heard of such a thing happening here before—have you?’
‘It is rare, I think,’ Andrew replied. He hesitated, as if he would say more, then changed his mind. ‘He was walking in an isolated area, I believe. You must be safe enough here amongst so many.’
‘Yes, but still …’ Sylvia shook her head in distress. ‘It is disturbing none the less.’
‘Yes, it is a little,’ Mariah said. ‘Lieutenant Grainger was obliged to seek the services of a doctor. Lady Jenkins is distressed and thinks of removing to Venice sooner than she had planned.’
‘I do not blame her,’ Sylvia said. ‘Such things make one uncomfortable. I shall speak to Hubert later. We are engaged to Count Paolo later this week at his home in Milan. He is holding a masked ball in our honour, as you know, Mariah—but after that I, too, may think of repairing to Venice sooner than we had planned.’
‘I should not let one incident overset you, ma’am,’ Andrew said. ‘I dare say it may have been some louts who’d overimbibed and thought to take their opportunity. Such things happen anywhere at any time, you know. Even in London there was a time when the Mohawks, marauding louts, some of them meant to be gentlemen, made