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spoke with propriety, his deep voice thrilling her with its gentle cadences. Was there a step to be negotiated, his hand was unfailingly at her elbow, to guide her gently up or down, as though she were a fragility too precious to be allowed to make the attempt unaided. He was overjoyed, he declared, that she and her aunt had been so kind as to accept his invitation on such short notice. “So many of my guests,” he said, with a twinkle, “have been demanding an introduction, ma’am.”
    â€œYes,” she replied, all bashful innocence, “the ladies have been exceeding kind.”
    â€œAh, but I had not meant the ladies.”
    Rebecca gave a little gurgle of laughter. “Lud, sir. You will quite turn my head with such flattery.”
    â€œThat is certainly not my intention. Nor is it flattery, dear Mrs. Parrish. Any host must be delighted to entertain so lovely a guest. I shall hope you will grant us the pleasure of your company again.”
    She blushed with joy. “Thank you, sir. Do you mean to make a long stay in Town, then?”
    â€œI had, but I am compelled to soon return to Bedfordshire.” Guiding her to a stone bench beside which a fountain splashed musically, he dusted a section with his handkerchief and, when Rebecca was seated, sat beside her.
    â€œYou must love the country,” she said, hiding her disappointment. “I can scarce blame you. London is so exceeding oppressive in the summertime.”
    He took the fan from her hand and began to ply it for her. “And do you mean to escape it also, ma’am?”
    â€œAlas, I fear it beyond my means. If my brother can arrange something for us, however, I am sure he will. You are acquainted with Snowden, I believe?”
    â€œWe were at school together. Is it presumptuous of me to enquire whether there are others in your immediate family? I seem to recollect Snow mentioning another brother, or an older sister, was it?”
    â€œYes. I have an elder brother, Jonathan, who bear leads an aristocratic young gentleman through Europe at the moment. My sister, Mary, is married to a clergyman and lives in Wales.”
    â€œSo you number two brothers and a sister, in addition to your son. How I envy you. I, you see, am not merely an only child, but an orphan besides.” He said rather wistfully, “I have always thought how fortunate are those with large families.”
    Rebecca, who had endured all the joys and torments of growing up with sister and brothers, could not imagine life without them and said kindly, “How very lonely you must have been.”
    He smiled and waited for the inevitable coy remark that he must hope to soon establish a large family of his own.
    It was not forthcoming. Rebecca was too sincerely interested to remember to be the designing female. She said, “You have cousins, surely?”
    â€œOh, I do indeed! And what a bother they are.” His rueful grin mitigated the harshness of the words, and he went on, “I am the head of the family, you see, and it is because of my cousin James that I must now return to my country seat.”
    â€œWell, I do think it too bad in him to cut up your peace. Is he in a dreadful scrape?”
    â€œOh, no.” He laughed. “Well, perhaps he is, at that. He was still a bachelor when his older brother died suddenly of some intestinal disorder. A year later, the widow remarried and went off to India, leaving her ailing daughter in James’s care. He is a good-natured fellow, but now he himself has married. His bride refuses to take the girl into her household, and she and James have removed to Norway, where he is attached to the Ambassador’s staff.”
    â€œAnd so they have left the girl with you!” Frowningly indignant, Rebecca said, “Why, I think that perfectly dreadful! The poor creature! Pushed around from pillar to post! She must feel she dwells in a swing, never able to set foot to