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her mother was bosom bows with Lady Penston, thus
resulting in the daughters as new friends.
Harriet agreed to go for the afternoon stroll in the
park. Betty went with them, adding to their
respectability.
The first person they saw was Lord Pilkington. He
seemed so pleased to meet Charis that she was put
quite in charity with him. He was ever the dandy, but
so kind.
"Dear Lady Huntingdon, how charming you look
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today. I vow you put every other lady in the shade. Not
that you ain't a pretty creature, Lady Harriet, but your
sister is in the pink of looks." He bowed over her hand
even as she wondered how he managed it, given the
tight coat he wore.
"May I join you, dear lady?" he asked Charis with a
delightfully respectful address.
Her low spirits bathed in the balm of his kind
words, Charis nodded. Harriet fell back to walk beside
Betty.
It was a lovely afternoon, and the park overflowed
with pedestrians as well as those on horseback and in
carriages. She recognized Lord Egerton on his
chestnut. Marcus rode that black brute she had seen
before. There appeared to be no spare flesh on her
cousin. He was lean and well muscled from what she
could tell. He was the perfect Corinthian, she thought
bitterly.
"Your cousin is out and about, I see. Thought he
might squire Lady Alicia this afternoon. They sat and
played cards a good part of the evening at Almack's
last night."
"Did he?" That explained what had kept him so
occupied and out of sight at a place he deemed dull.
"Yes, indeed. I saw him later at White's. We had a
bit of balloting, don't you see."
"For new members? I wonder how that is done? I
think it a dreadful shame if a fine gentleman is not
permitted to join." Charis bestowed a smile on Lord
Pilkington that made him preen.
"We meet upstairs in the room above the bay
window. The Court Guides, Red Books, Peerages, and
new publications are in there as well as the boxes, you
see. Rummagy place. One box is for yes, the other for
no. The steward announces the names of the
candidates, and we vote a white ball if we approve
and a black one if we don't."
"So one who is not approved is black balled. I think
that is cruel." Charis glanced up to see his face
assume a perplexed look.
"No worse than begging to get into Almack's and
having one of the lady patronesses turn you down," he
replied with perfect logic at last.
Charis sighed. He had her there. "That is most true,"
she replied when she could think of no rejoinder.
Suddenly Marcus was at their side, riding up
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through the throng of people with seemingly no effort
at all. "Good day, Charis, Pilkington. Enjoying the air?"
She laughed at that. How silly an observation what
with the abundance of horses. At times the smell was
so strong she was tempted to hold her nose. But then
she was not overly fond of horses and perhaps that
made her less tolerant.
"As much as is possible, cousin," she replied with a
certain constraint. She could not forget that she was
in London on sufferance, not after the way he had
behaved last evening, quite as though she was little
more than a duty.
His mouth quirked as though she had amused him.
"Carry on, then. I shall see you both later."
Once he was out of hearing, Charis inquired, "Lord
Pilkington, are you also a member of the Nobleman's
and Gentleman's Catch Club?"
"Dash it all, of course. It is the thing to be a member
if you have a decent voice. Prinny himself joins us
when in the mood, you know."
"I had heard he is a fair musician," Charis ventured
to say. She thought the Prince Regent a far better
person than generally held by so many. Perhaps he
had his excesses, but it seemed to her that they were
magnified by the gossips and the newspapers, most of
which seemed to detest the man.
"Fair, indeed, ma'am. He does right well on the cello,
you know. Pity you cannot hear him. Pleasant voice."
Lord Pilkington lapsed into a reverie for a few moments
before recalling he escorted Charis.
"The glees are sung in three parts, are they not?
Does anyone ever have a solo?" Charis inquired
casually.
"Not usually. I say, my lady, you are a splendid com-
panion. Dashed if I know another woman who is inter-
ested in the glee clubs."
"I suspect it stems from the women being excluded.
What you are forbidden often becomes of no interest."
He looked rather doubtful at that. "Seems to me that
when I was a lad, the things I was forbidden became
what I most wanted."
"But in this case it is hopeless. There is no way a
woman could sneak in to listen." Charis twirled her
parasol and inspected a pretty shrub nearby.
"No, I suppose not. Proprietor is right careful about
it. Why, I heard tell the Duchess of Devonshire once
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persuaded a gentleman to allow her to listen in, and I
think the chaps caught on and got so angry they
stormed out and the glee club fell apart."
"That must have been some years ago," Charis
offered thoughtfully. "I wonder if they are as adamant
now? And why would it be so terrible?"
His lordship became a bit red in his face and looked
exceedingly uncomfortable. "Well, to tell the truth, my
lady, a few of the songs are a trifle vulgar, if you see
what I mean. Not fit for a gentle lady's ears."
"But the serving wenches have no problem, I sup-
pose," she replied with a catch of a laugh.
"No. They laugh at 'em."
"It has been such a lovely stroll, sir. But all nice
things must end, I suppose. It is time for us to return."
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