Patience tore her eyes away from Mr. Woodsworth’s to find a group of two young ladies and one middle-aged one climbing out of a carriage. Their groom reached for a blanket and was setting up a picnic not far from them.
“Miss Paynter, why are you setting up your picnic so far away when you should join us?” Miss Morgan waved them closer, and the groom looked at the middle-aged woman for her permission. The woman in turn looked at one of the young women, who gave a short nod.
“That is so much more pleasant, isn’t it, Miss Paynter?” Miss Morgan had a genuine smile plastered onto her face. Who was this Miss Paynter? She must be whom Miss Morgan had been looking for all along. What were the chances they would both pick the same spot to picnic? Green Park was large enough that a chance meeting was unlikely.
Miss Paynter looked awkwardly around at the rest of them. No one else had been introduced, and with multiple parties in each group unknown to each other, it wasn’t clear exactly who should be introducing whom.
Finally the older woman huffed. “Miss Paynter, introduce us to your friend, and then we shall all figure out who is who.”
“This is Miss Morgan.” The poor girl looked quite uncomfortable. “And I know the man sitting next to her is Mr. Woodsworth, although we have never been properly introduced.”
“Yes,” Mr. Woodsworth responded, putting the shy young woman out of her misery. “You are quite right. Mr. Anthony Woodsworth, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Paynter. This is my sister, Mrs. Jorgensen, and our friend . . .” He stumbled before saying Patience’s pretend name.
“Mary Smith,” Mrs. Jorgensen finished for him.
The older woman gave a curt nod to everyone. “I am Mrs. Cuthbert, and this is a friend of mine, Miss Diana Barton. She is staying here in London with her brother, but he and his wife are not the type to spend a lot of time at social functions, so it falls to me to play chaperone for a couple of weeks. As if a woman can’t be trusted to walk a few blocks without a meddling old woman to accompany her. But that is the way of the world now, isn’t it?”
“Is your brother Mr. Nathan Barton?” Mr. Woodsworth asked the other young lady.
Miss Barton looked up in surprise. “You know my brother?”
“I knew his wife years ago. We were good friends. And I have invested with your brother. He knows the railroad industry as well as anyone, save Brunel.”
This prompted a discussion about the train system and where Mr. Barton was building his next railroad line. Miss Barton’s knowledge of the industry was markedly more robust than even Mr. Woodsworth’s.
Miss Paynter remained quiet. Mrs. Cuthbert joined in the conversation whenever one of her opinions could be expressed with the complete satisfaction of knowing she was right. Miss Morgan showed no interest at all. She still scanned the park. Perhaps this was not the party she had been waiting for. The location they had picked was actually a rather busy one, and each time a horse and carriage passed, both Miss Paynter and Miss Morgan would glance up expectantly, then back down to their plates. Were they both waiting for another party to join them?
Mrs. Cuthbert steered the conversation excellently in the direction of the two ladies she had come with. “I suppose it is going to fall to me to present you two at court this Season. I’ve already sent my letter in for Miss Paynter.”
“Really, there is no need to do that,” Miss Barton said. “My mother was presented at court, and she can do it. We just haven’t felt the need as of yet.”
“Well, once you feel the need, it may be too late in the Season. It is best just to get it done if you ask me.”
“Truthfully,” Miss Barton said, “I am much too busy to worry about being presented at court.”
What would cause this young woman to be so busy she wanted to put off meeting the Queen?
“Do you mean that railroad stuff and nonsense?” Mrs. Cuthbert said. “Leave it to your brother.”
“I wouldn’t call it stuff and nonsense,” Miss Barton said. Her pleasant voice had an edge of hardness to it. “Nate’s business alone has boomed so much he can’t quite keep up on it. Let alone the Richardson lines.”
“Yes, and I understand that it is noble of you to step in where you are needed. But a woman must be allowed some entertainment.”
“Which is why I came here.” Miss Barton’s voice had returned almost to normal. “Thank you for getting me out of the office. It was starting to feel quite cramped.”
“Well, even if Miss Barton isn’t interested, I am so grateful to you for vouching for me,” Miss Paynter replied. “Otherwise I would have no one. My mother was never presented.”
“It is my pleasure. And it can’t hurt your chances of a good match.” Mrs. Cuthbert nudged Miss Paynter with her shoulder. If Patience had to guess, Miss Paynter already had a certain gentleman in mind.
“A good match?” Miss Morgan said. “You wouldn’t happen to be thinking of Lord Bryant? That wouldn’t just be a good match but a phenomenal one. I think it would take a lot more than an introduction to the Queen if you are planning on setting your sights that high.”
Patience’s stomach went cold. Lord Bryant again? Was there no escaping the man?
Miss Barton’s head whipped around to Miss Paynter’s. “Are you being courted by Lord Bryant?”
Miss Morgan didn’t allow Miss Paynter an answer. “Lord Bryant doesn’t court women.” She snorted. “He has shown interest in you, Miss Paynter, for certain. Even I have noticed it. But everyone knows his interest is always short lived.”
The sound of a carriage approached, and this time, Patience glanced up with the other two women. Surely it couldn’t be Lord Bryant these two women were looking for. It couldn’t. Patience had no idea what Lord Bryant’s carriage looked like, but she assumed it would be much more elaborate than the one that passed them. Perhaps it wasn’t Lord Bryant they were hoping for. Both women looked down soon after seeing the carriage, so whomever they were waiting for must not have been inside.
Miss Paynter wrung her hands together. “Oh, I have no expectations with Lord Bryant, I assure you. He is, however, a good friend.”
This time it was Mrs. Cuthbert who snorted. “Lord Bryant also doesn’t make friends with such beautiful young women as yourself, Miss Paynter, and stranger things have happened. We will just have to see what happens during your first Season.”
A flurry of hoofbeats sounded behind her. Miss Paynter and Miss Morgan both looked up expectantly, and this time they did not glance back down. Miss Morgan’s face blossomed into a smile, as did Miss Paynter’s, albeit a less triumphant one.
Patience leaned toward the basket of food that had been laid out and grabbed a serviette. She covered the lower half of her face with it. Next time she went out in public, she would demand a veil. It must be him. All three women, even the resolute Miss Barton, looked at the man behind her with hesitant expectation. Who else besides Lord Bryant would cause such a reaction?