On the following day, the ladies all piled into the open carriage and began the short trip to Bassen for an afternoon picnic. Much to Lady Hendrickson’s relief, a cool breeze had finally begun to blow.
Perhaps it was this fact that had put her in such a pleasant mood thus far. She had not reprimanded or criticized a single one of her charges that day, which was very unusual for her.
Lady Louisa would have rather liked to do a little criticizing herself when Miss Elisabeth came down in the forest-green dress. It was clear for all the accusations about other ladies’ desperate attempts to catch the Duke’s attention by impersonating the lady in green, she was doing the same.
However, little did she know that it was indeed the exact same dress that the true lady in green had worn. Lady Louisa greatly hoped that the Duke wouldn’t make the connection but feared he might. For this reason, she was rather racked with nerves as they made their way down the lane.
Miss Mary too was full of butterflies but for a much different reason. It would be the first time she was to set eyes on Colonel Jasper after their months apart. Her greatest fear was that perhaps his affections had cooled over time. Of course, Lady Louisa had done her best to reassure her that such a thing was not possible, but still, the fear persisted.
They arrived at Bassen Park and were greeted by the whole household. For Lady Louisa, Miss Mary and Mr. Vaughan, not much time had passed since last they saw each other. The three chatted comfortably like the good friends they had become over the summer months.
Soon the opportunity came for Miss Mary to speak with Colonel Jasper in relative privacy as they all walked the path to a patch of woods where the wild berries grew. “As Lady Louisa told you, Mother learned of our engagement and was very unhappy about it,” Miss Mary said with Jasper on her left and Lady Louisa on her right.
“Lady Louisa, however, was able to change her mind. She will consent to our union but with one condition,” Miss Mary continued.
“What ever it is, I will gladly accept it,” Colonel Jasper said.
Lady Louisa couldn’t help but feel caught up in the excitement of the moment.
“She only finds the engagement agreeable if you were to recommend my sister to the Duke,” Miss Mary said timidly.
“But you know the Duke has no wish to accept her. I don’t mean to offend,” he added quickly, “he has no desire to accept anyone outside of his mysterious lady.”
Miss Mary and Lady Louisa exchanged knowing glances, but Miss Mary still held her tongue on the matter.
“I understand this. It would not be required for the Duke to court Elisabeth in earnest. If he would merely show interest until we were wed, then Mother would be satisfied.”
“Yes, until we were wed and the Duke removed his attentions. Then how would she feel? I understand the method, but this is also your mother we are speaking of. Are you sure you would be willing to upset her so?” Colonel Jasper said, slightly wishing he had a mother of his own to care about his life.
“I promise you, Hugh,” Miss Mary said in a very intimate tone that made Lady Louisa blush for being close by. “My mother is not one to ever accept us. If every aspect of life isn’t to her benefit, it will never be good enough. We will never be good enough. That should not prevent our happiness, should it?”
“Of course not,” he said, smiling down at her affectionately. “I will suggest the idea to the Duke at the earliest opportunity.”
“And with luck, we could be married within a fortnight,” Miss Mary said with a childlike enthusiasm that she so rarely showed.
“Sooner if I can help it,” he responded with a teasing wink that had Miss Mary giggling.
Lady Louisa held back from walking with them. She wanted to give them the privacy. They had been forced to have her mediation for the last several months by letter, and now they finally had a chance to truly speak their hearts without others listening in. She didn’t want to rob them of such joy.
“They look quite happy, don’t they?” the Duke said, startling Lady Louisa from her thoughts. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologized quickly.
“You didn’t really,” Lady Louisa said though she had clutched her chest and gasped. “You just walk so quietly. I didn’t hear you behind me.”
“I shall endeavor to be much louder next time,” he said with a playful smile. “I am sure there will be many more times we will meet as a small party. It seems the only way that we can bring our two companions together,” he added, nodding to the Colonel and Miss Mary ahead of them.
Lady Louisa rather considered telling the Duke the formed plan and his part in it, but she thought it would be better received by Colonel Jasper, so she kept her mouth shut on the matter.
“Wonderful weather today, is it not?” Lady Louisa finally said.
“Now are we to talk about the weather?” the Duke retorted with a rise of a dark brow.
“I don’t mean to make shallow conversation,” Lady Louisa answered. “It is just finally wonderful to get some respite from the heat.”
He smiled, relaxed, as he looked down at her.
“I couldn’t agree more. I spent the last week cooped up in a drawing room. Lady Georgiana Fulton was quite adamant about not going in the sun. It was very stifling.”
“How do you feel about going out in the sun, Lady Louisa?” Rowland inquired.
“Well, I am here, so I would surmise that I am not too concerned about it. Though I have not yet reached the brave level of my sister-in-law, Abigail, who will spend a whole day with her sunbonnet in her hand and not care a wit for what others may think of it.”
“And you are not like this?” Rowland asked, hoping to get a better understand of this lady.
“Well,” she said motioning to her hat, “I do currently have my bonnet on.”
“That is true, but perhaps so that I may not see a blush rise to your cheeks should I say anything worthy of such an action.”
“And what might you say, Your Grace, to make me blush?” Lady Louisa said, already blushing from his brazen words.
“Well,” he said calmly as if he was contemplating the options. “I might first comment on how beautiful Miss Elisabeth’s dress is today.”
Lady Louisa swallowed hard. “And why would you think I would blush at such a comment?”
Lady Louisa couldn’t bring herself to look up into his eyes for an answer. He didn’t give one right away, and finally, she was forced to meet his gaze.
His eyes bore deep into hers, almost willing a confession out of her.
She half expected she might provide it. She saw a yearning deep inside those eyes that she had felt herself ever since the ball.
Finally, she looked away, unable to give him the answer they both wanted. After a few moments, pressed by the silence, she made an excuse to hold back and speak with Mr. Vaughan.
The rest of the day was a great enjoyment for Lady Louisa. She kept close to her two friends, Mary and Colonel Jasper, as they laid out blankets and ate a light luncheon in the warmth of the sun and the cooling breeze.
She did notice, however, that the Duke was giving Miss Elisabeth several scrutinizing looks over her gown. He knew for certain that it was the right dress and he also knew for certain that Miss Elisabeth hadn’t been the one wearing it at the masquerade.
Lady Louisa’s only hope was that the Duke would simply decide that Miss Elisabeth just happened to own the same dress, in the same color, with the same lace trim. Even as she thought such thing, she knew it was a ridiculous hope.
“It is the dress, is it not?” Miss Mary whispered to Lady Louisa as the two of them foraged for berries after their meal.
Lady Louisa looked over to Miss Elisabeth who was filling a basket next to her mother and then to the Duke who had left his own foraging behind for a deep conversation with the Colonel. Lady Louisa didn’t have to guess what they were talking about.
She hoped that their focus was on enlisting the Duke’s help in the Colonel’s marriage endeavors and not the dress.
“It is,” Lady Louisa said as she placed another plump berry in the basket.
“It is easy to see the Duke knows it too. Why not tell him the truth of it? Can you not see how his health has been damaged by this search? If you will not have him, that is one thing, but at least release him from this misery.”
Lady Louisa studied the Duke closer. Though he still had his normal long frame and square jaw, his smile did seem to falter before reaching the light of his emerald eyes. His cheeks did look slightly more sunken, but Lady Louisa had just assumed it was the exhaustion of so much travel.
It pained her deep inside to know she had been the cause of such great suffering. If she told him the truth, perhaps it would be enough to solve the mystery for him. For he could never actually desire marriage when he found his Lady in Green to be the rather plain Lady Louisa.
“It would be to no one’s best interest for me to divulge such a thing, including you. Could you honestly say your mother would allow your marriage to proceed if it was made known that I was the lady in green?”
Miss Mary absorbed this fact for a few moments.
“I see your point,” she said. “I cannot allow my happiness to be on the heel of your unhappiness, however.”
“I am not unhappy,” Lady Louisa assured her.
Miss Mary gave her a pointed look. “Had you not told me that you were the woman from the ball, I am sure I would have reached the conclusion on my own. You were a different person after that night. It has changed both of you.”
“Is it true?” a male voice said behind them.