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surveying
the others. The dowager claimed her favorite fauteuil near the
fireplace, while Charlemagne claimed her lap. Lord Hargreaves took
an adjacent chair while the Chenowiths sat together on a small
needlepoint settee. Sir Percy led Emily to the other side of the
room, where he took a chair opposite her.
    Finally, in response to his curiosity and amusement
at Sir Percy's possessive attentions toward his grandmother's
companion, Robert boldly intruded on what appeared to be a private
conversation by deliberately parking himself on the delicate
painted sofa, next to Miss Townsend. He pretended not to notice Sir
Percy's eyes narrow momentarily as he insinuated himself into their
conversation. As their discussion turned to the impending removal
to London, Sir Percy became visibly agitated. He was apparently
most upset that the Laura Place ladies, and in particular Miss
Townsend, were to leave Bath. Sir Percy caught Robert's puzzled
frown and chuckled.
    "My lord," Sir Percy said with a twinkle of
amusement in his eyes, "I sense your curiosity. So that you may not
get the wrong impression, I now will let you in on a secret that
you must swear never to reveal, as it would be most lowering to my
reputation."
    Robert's brows rose in question. "I am all agog with
suspense, Sir Percy. Pray, put me out of my misery."
    "Well, you see," Sir Percy continued in a
conspiratorial voice, "Miss Townsend has been assisting me with my
latest literary endeavor. After so many years of penning the usual
gothic drivel, I found myself quite dried up. The old upper works
completely bereft of new ideas. Then one day while having tea in
Laura Place with a few dozen of your grandmother's closest friends,
Miss Townsend took pity on me and rescued me from a numbing
conversation with a certain turbaned dragon who claimed to be
Penelope Manning's greatest fan. Normally I go to great lengths to
divorce myself from my literary alter ego, but somehow this harpy
had unmasked my identity. Miss Townsend recognized my distress and
deftly swept the dragon away. When Miss Townsend then took over the
dragon's seat, it marked the beginning of a delightful friendship."
He gazed fondly at Emily. "I happily discovered that we are
somewhat kindred spirits, that Emily is something of a
bluestocking."
    Robert turned to look at Miss Townsend with
questioning brows. She smiled shyly at him and shrugged with
resignation.
    "Ah, my dear Emily," Sir Percy said, obviously
sensing Miss Townsend's discomfort, "you must not reject the label
of bluestocking. How much more intriguing is the educated woman
with wit and intelligence as compared to the usual insipid misses
one meets in Society, with no conversation and little sense. Is
that not so, my lord?" Sir Percy asked.
    "Without question," Robert said, grinning at Miss
Townsend. This woman continued to intrigue him.
    "English society is quite backward in this
particular area," Sir Percy said. "In France they appreciate a
clever woman, as your grandmother knows well, Lord Bradleigh. In
Paris, before the days of this upstart Corsican, Frances and Emily
would no doubt have set up a grand salon and held court to the
intelligentsia. Instead they are stuck here in Bath with a bunch of
old eccentrics like me." He sighed.
    "And yet," he continued more cheerfully, "it is my
great fortune that they are here." He gazed fondly across
the room at the dowager, who was in animated conversation with Lord
Hargreaves and the Chenowiths. "My dear Frances has often acted as
my inspiration and my muse as she regales me with stories of her
youth. Such a life she has led!" He smiled over at the dowager, who
looked up and smiled flirtatiously in return. "I can only write of
such adventures, having lived a rather quiet life myself. And now I
have the muse of Emily as well."
    "Don't tell me that you are a notorious adventuress,
Miss Townsend?" Robert asked, eyes wide with feigned
astonishment.
    "Hardly, my lord," she said, laughing. "I, too, as
you must