He wasn’t quite sure. He rubbed the top of his cane with his gloved hand in contemplation and made a concerted effort to stare in their direction and not to rest upon any of them. To gaze out the window and ignore the guests would be beyond rude. “I thank you again for your generosity, Papa. You are so kind to offer to escort us this afternoon.” Charlotte’s inherent charm was what had convinced the Duke to collect his daughter and her two guests at Danbury Place and accompany them on this outing. “I am happy to do so, my dear.” He gazed upon his daughter and the first thought that came to him was: Could anyone ever refuse her anything? The Duke descended from his crested carriage before Somerset House and waited for the remainder of his party to disembark. Besides Charlotte, accompanying him were Lady Margaret and Miss Orr. Charlotte’s visitors had preened for nearly the duration of the drive. They might not have even considered their small movements, adjusting their hair here, shifting the arrangement of a ruffle there.
