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being very amenable to his future bride taking private walks with another man. And for that matter, she couldn’t imagine wanting to take walks with another man if she were the one engaged to Lord Andrew.
    “You never mentioned whether or not you enjoyed your time at Ashbury Manor yesterday,” Lizzie cut into the silence as they crested a hill that looked down on what Chloe assumed was the Serpentine. She’d heard it was the place to see and be seen in London, but she never imagined it would be so beautiful.
    Bright green grass dabbled with tall, leafy trees made up its banks. And the vast body of water rippled with every stroke from the little boats that carried lovers and friends alike. Gaggles of geese waddled about, ducks and Swans glided across the water. Groups of silly young ladies and young bucks teased and flirted with one another while their chaperones looked on. Aside from the fauna, it was quite similar to the ball they'd attended the prior evening. Minus the heat and overcrowding, or the abundance of oppressive perfume, of course.
    “You seemed a bit distracted at times,” Lizzie continued.
    “Oh, no, I had a lovely time. It’s just that...”
    “Yes?”
    “I suppose hearing about their husbands and families and such made me miss Sam all over again.”
    Lizzie turned her fallen features toward the Serpentine, clearly uncomfortable with the way the conversation had turned. Never mind that she’d been the one to ask.
    “I’m sorry,” she said at last, and it almost sounded like a question. As if she were asking if that were the right thing to say to a widow who was missing her husband.
    But before either could say anymore on the subject, Lizzie tensed her arm around Chloe’s. Chloe had no idea why until her cousin greeted a puffed-up looking dandy on the path. His blond hair was slicked into a greasy coif beneath a tall top hat. And his pants hugged even tighter than Lord Andrew's. Unfortunately, he did not seem nearly as fit or muscular.
    “Lord Edgmond ,” Lizzie breathed. “How pleasant to see you here this afternoon.”
    She had a wistful look in her eye as she regarded the man, but Chloe couldn’t figure out why. He had a handsome enough face, but one could hardly see past his brightly colored ensemble.
    When did men start wearing purple striped waistcoats?
    “Why, Lady Elizabeth,” the man drawled, taking Lizzie’s hand in his and kissing the tips of her fingers. “I certainly didn’t expect to find you here this afternoon.”
    Why not? Chloe tried to puzzle out the relationship, and came to the conclusion that neither one was surprised to see the other at all. Lord Edgmond’s next words confirmed Chloe’s suspicions.
    “But since you are here, I’ve something I wish to discuss with you.” He held out his arm to her. “Would you care to stroll with me for a bit?”
    Lizzie giggled, and her cheeks turned a bright pink. What in the world was going on here?“Goodness, I hope it’s nothing serious,” Lizzie said and then turning to Chloe, added, “Why don’t you rest for a bit, dear. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
    Chloe hesitated. Was this a test? Was she supposed to say “no” like a good chaperone, or was a good chaperone one that allowed her charge a bit of freedom?
    Oh, blast it! This was her cousin, who was not even six months from her own age. Chloe was merely there to keep up appearances, not to keep Lizzie from doing as she pleased.
    “Yes, all right,” she agreed finally, and then made her way to a soft patch of grass near the water.
    ***
    “Good God, Michael, can we go home now, please?”
“We’ve only been here for a half an hour, Andrew. What on earth is your rush?”
    Michael took his eyes from the path to observe his brother who had thrown his head back to look at the sky.
    “You know I hate being here during the fashionable hour,” Andrew replied, not hiding his sarcasm. “I much prefer an early morning ride.”
    “As do I, but the Lionesses aren’t