Under An English Moon (16 page)

“Oh, yes,” Phoebe breathed. “Just like the pictures in those coffee-table books.”

“There you are, Reggie,” Mattie said, turning toward the entrance. “Good morning. You look well.”

Phoebe swung around to see Reggie enter the dining room. Dressed once again in Georgian-era clothing, he wore beige pantaloons, a forest green cutaway coat, a corn-colored waistcoat and a bright white shirt complete with cravat. Brown boots encased his lower legs. His dark hair gleamed as if he had just washed it. Phoebe’s heart thudded in her chest. William’s clothing fit Reggie very well, it seemed. Very well indeed.

Reggie bowed. “Mattie. Phoebe.”

He eyed Phoebe pointedly with a warm smile, and she dropped her eyes. She hoped he found her attractive.

“There you are, baby girl!” Mattie cooed as William carried a carrot-topped toddler into the room and set her down. She ran to her mother who scooped her up. A tiny clone of her mother, complete with a matching white dress, she was adorable.

“Mia, this is Miss Warner. And Uncle Reggie. This is Amelia.”

Mia Sinclair thrust out a hand and reached for Reggie’s cravat.

“No, no, baby,” Mattie said. “We don’t mess with the men’s cravats. Can’t do it.”

Mia, easily diverted, reached instead for his hair, and Reggie allowed her to pat his head in a kindly fashion.

“She will break many hearts, I fear,” Reggie said with a laugh. “I have not seen her for many months. She has grown much.”

“Yes, she has,” Mattie cooed. She handed Mia back to her father. A young blonde woman in a cap and pale blue dress had followed him in, and William handed the baby to her.

“Thanks, Jane. I think Reggie’s father is coming over this morning, so I’ll come get her in a little while.”

“Yes, mum,” Jane replied with a curtsey. The baby laughed and waved bye-bye to the room in general as Jane carried her out.

“So that’s my baby,” Mattie beamed.

“Good morning, Miss Warner. You look very well. Our era becomes you,” William said gallantly.

“Indeed it does,” Reggie said.

Phoebe blushed.

“Just help yourself to whatever you want. It’s a buffet,” Mattie said. She urged Phoebe forward and handed her a porcelain plate. Phoebe took a few things that looked recognizable and returned to the table with them. John poured tea, and another footman poured juice at the place settings. Phoebe suspected that William must be very, very wealthy.

She hesitated until Mattie pointed to a chair next to her. Reggie took the seat on Phoebe’s right.

Mattie dismissed the footmen with a smile “Thank you, John. We’ll serve ourselves.” She waited until they left before addressing William. “So, what time do you think Reggie’s father is coming? Did you send for some clothing for him as well?”

William pulled a pocket watch out of his waistcoat. “I should say quite soon. His message said he would wait upon at half past ten. And yes, I did direct his valet to send some of his things. I hope you do not think that too presumptuous of me, Reggie. You look splendid in my clothing, but I am sure you would much rather have your own things. I presume your valet will wish to attend you as well, and he will no doubt present himself at the earliest opportunity.”

Phoebe watched the two men with fascination. The intricacies of social customs and dictates—who did what or whom did what and when and how—was all quite mesmerizing to watch. She noted that her favorite books by I.C. Moon seemed to accurately depict the era so far, even to describing the interior furnishings of an English country estate similar to Ashton House.

“Yes, thank you, William, that was most kind of you.” Reggie turned to her “And how do you find your first morning in 1827, Phoebe? Did you sleep well?”

She looked up to see Mattie and William smiling at her and awaiting her response. She blushed and nodded. It wasn’t quite like talking to Reggie in private.

“Yes, thank you. I slept very well. The bed was
exceedingly
comfortable.”

Mattie hooted. “Oh, you
are
going to fit in!” she cried. “
Exceedingly
indeed!”

Phoebe grinned. “You like that, huh?”

Reggie looked toward William. “What is it that they find so amusing, pray tell?”

William laughed. “You will find that my wife finds it tiring to speak in our vernacular, Reggie, and she rarely does so in private. She does, however, attempt to conform when in the company of strangers who do not know her particular circumstances. It seems she is amused to find that Miss Warner is able to conjure up some particularly ‘old-fashioned,’ I think Mattie might say, colloquial speech as well. The women seem to be kindred spirits as well as compatriots.”

Phoebe and Mattie grinned and chuckled.

“I just had to channel some of those historical romance novels I loved so much. The lingo gets easier the longer I’m here though,” Mattie said. “I can’t remember if you said you read, Phoebe. Do you?”

“Oh, yes,” Phoebe replied. “I love historical romances.”

Mattie nodded. “I thought you might. So, who was your favorite historical novelist?”

“Well, Jane Austen, of course, but I absolutely love the works of I.C. Moon. Have you ever heard of her?”

Mattie’s fork clattered to her dish and she swung her head in William’s direction with a rounded “oh” shape to her mouth. William’s eyebrows shot up.

“I.C. Moon? Are you kidding? How did—” Mattie began. She was interrupted by John who knocked on the door and stepped in.

“Lord and Lady Hamilton have arrived and await you in the drawing room.”

Chapter Eleven

Reggie rose abruptly and straightened his waistcoat.

“If you wish to finish your breakfast, Mattie, I can attend to my father.”

“No, no, we’ll come. It might be better if we did. I didn’t know your mother was coming, William. Are you ready, Phoebe?”

Phoebe gulped and nodded. She had a sense of foreboding about this encounter, a feeling that the unexpectedly soft and lovely sensations of the Georgian era would soon be put to the test.

She followed Mattie into the drawing room. The men brought up the rear.

“Lady Hamilton. Lord Hamilton. How nice to see you. Will you stay for tea?” Mattie said.

“Yes, thank you, Mattie,” Lady Hamilton, a tall svelte blonde, said. “I should also like to see Amelia while I am here. Perhaps before we leave?”

“Certainly. I am sure she would love to see you as well.” Mattie pulled a bell rope near the wall.

William kissed his mother’s cheek and led her to the settee.

“Reggie, my boy!” Lord Hamilton boomed as he pulled his son into an embrace. He shared his son’s height, though his frame was bulkier. “I thought you had made good on your threat and left for America, but when Sebastian came home without you, I knew something was amiss. William was good enough to send me a message saying you were discovered yesterday late and brought here. Were you injured?”

Reggie shook his head. “No, Father, only rendered unconscious for a short period.” He gestured to Phoebe, who had been hiding by the door, to come forward. She approached on leaden feet.

Mattie jumped in.

“And here is my cousin, Miss Phoebe Warner, come to visit us from New York City.” She fixed Lady Hamilton with a challenging eye.

Lady Hamilton drew in a sharp breath and stared hard at Phoebe.

“I am delighted to meet you, Miss Warner. A cousin?” Phoebe couldn’t remember if Lady Hamilton knew that Mattie had traveled in time, and she hesitated to answer.

“Yes, she is, Lady Hamilton,” Mattie said with a straight face. “On my mother’s side.”

Lady Hamilton slid her eyes in Lord Hamilton’s direction with an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Phoebe deduced that Lady Hamilton knew about Mattie, and therefore now Phoebe, but Lord Hamilton did not.

“Welcome to England, Miss Warner,” Lord Hamilton said almost dismissively. “And where have you been then for the past two days, Reggie? Why did you not return home last night?”

“I was found by a field hand, and he and his wife saw to me until I was well enough to travel again. They delivered me here...in their cart.”

“What field hand, pray tell?” Lord Hamilton bellowed. “Do not say they did not know who you were. Everyone knows you are my son. Why would they not return you to our house for proper medical attention? Give me his name at once, and I shall rectify this.”

“Nonsense, Father. I am well and recovered. Please say no more about it.”

“What is this nonsense of having clothing brought here? Your valet was packing as we left the house.”

“I am of a mind to sojourn with my brother, William, and Mrs. Sinclair for a while, Father.”

John arrived with the tea, and the room quieted. On his departure, Lord Hamilton blustered a bit more. Phoebe thought she saw genuine love and grief on the older man’s face, and perhaps hurt—hurt that Reggie wanted to leave in the first place, and hurt that he wasn’t returning home right away. She blamed herself. If she hadn’t begged Reggie to stay, he would have gone to his own house. That had been his original plan.

“Come, Jonathan, please sit and have some tea,” Lady Hamilton said. “Reggie is a grown man, and must do as he likes. Your
other
brother, Samuel, would like to see you, Reggie. He desired me to tell you he would visit you in the afternoon if that is convenient for you.”

Reggie’s cheeks bronzed. “Yes, of course. I would have come to see my brother as soon as possible.”

Phoebe dropped her eyes to the floor. She could have smacked herself. And she was keeping him from his brother as well. How selfish could she have been, whining about her fears and pushing to get her own way? She looked up to see Lady Hamilton studying her.

“Will join me on the settee, Miss Warner?” she asked.

Phoebe moved forward automatically, but as she walked she noted the tips of her sneakers popped out. She hesitated and moved to stand behind the chair in which Mattie sat.

“I hurt my back somehow and have to stand today. Thank you though.”

“A pity,” Lady Hamilton said. Mattie, no doubt in support, rose to stand beside Phoebe.

“Yes, we believe she injured herself traveling.”

Lady Hamilton gave Mattie a wry look, and Mattie gazed at her innocently.

“Traveling can be fraught with peril,” Lady Hamilton murmured. “And how
did
you travel to England, Miss Warner?”

“By ship, of course, Mother,” William replied with a warning lift of one eyebrow. He too looked toward Lord Hamilton, who seemed unaware of any undercurrent in the conversation.

“Well, of course,” Lord Hamilton agreed. “How else would she arrive, my dear?”

At his words, Lady Hamilton recollected herself, as if she had forgotten he was there.

“How long will you be staying, Miss Warner?” Her eyes slid to Reggie with a speculative glance.

“We do not know, Lady Hamilton. Perhaps a long while.” Mattie replied.

“I find it somewhat disconcerting that everyone feels they must answer for Miss Warner. Are you bashful, Miss Warner?” Lady Hamilton with a faint smile.

Phoebe took the bait.

“Just a bit, Lady Hamilton. I am not sure how long I will be staying.”

“When did you arrive?”

Phoebe glanced at Mattie who gave a slight shrug.

“Yesterday.”

“And then Reggie was found. What a busy day for the Ashton House, to be sure,” Lady Hamilton said dryly.

“Yes, indeed,” William said with a lift of his lips.

“Then it follows that Reggie and Miss Warner met yesterday? Or this morning?” Lady Hamilton asked.

Phoebe looked at Reggie who watched his stepmother with narrowed eyes.

“Yesterday,” Reggie said tersely. “A most felicitous event. I was very pleased to meet the cousin of my sister-in-law.”

“Yes, I think that must be true. And an American, no less,” Lady Hamilton said, again with a dry note in her voice.

“Yes,” Reggie agreed.

“American,” Lord Hamilton repeated. “Yes, I am sure you are pleased, Reggie, given that you have stated you wish to emigrate there.”

Reggie sighed. “Not emigrate, Father. I said I wished to
visit
for an extended period of time. Not emigrate.”

“And are your plans still fixed in that direction?” he asked.

Reggie’s eyes narrowed. “I think this conversation might not be of interest to others, sir. Perhaps we could discuss this at another time. In answer to your question though, I shall remain in England for the present.”

“Good!” his father said. “Miss Warner, please find a happy medium between describing your country enough to satisfy my son’s curiosity, but not in such glowing terms that he must continue to harbor this desire to move to America.”

“Father!” Reggie sputtered. Lady Hamilton smiled but sobered on Lord Hamilton’s next words.

“Do not ‘Father’ me, my boy. Lady Hamilton has already lost her only daughter to America. We cannot continue to lose our children to foreign countries.”

“I think we have belabored this conversation long enough, particularly in front of a guest,” Reggie said firmly.

“Yes, I think so, too. Let’s bring Mia down to see her grandparents,” Mattie said.

“Capital!” Lord Hamilton said. “A jolly child.”

Lady Hamilton smiled, a genuine smile of affection unlike the unfailingly polite smile she’d worn up to now.

Mattie rang for John and asked him to have Jane bring Mia down.

Reggie startled Phoebe by moving quickly to her side. “I think we must leave the grandparents to visit with their grandchild. Would you care to take a walk in the gardens, Miss Warner?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Phoebe grabbed his arm and, ignoring Lady Hamilton’s sharp look, sailed out of the room with him. Once outside the door, she let her mouth drop and stared at Reggie, who grinned, but put a finger to his lips.

“This way, Miss Warner,” he said as he led her out the front door.

“Oh, my gosh, Reggie,” Phoebe said on a nervous giggle as soon as they cleared the house. “That was nerve wracking. She knows.”

“My stepmother? Yes, it would appear that she has correctly surmised that you are a time traveler like Mattie. William told me last night that Lady Hamilton knew about Mattie. This is all so novel to me, and yet I discover that the notion of time travel was not unheard of in this family. I am dumbfounded.”