“He was. And if I know Henry he won’t stay with Worth any longer.”
He was wrong. When the curricle drew up again in Brook Street, Henry looked at Miss Taverner with something akin to respect in his sharp eyes. “It ain’t what I’m used to, nor yet what I approves of,” he said, “but you handles ’em werry well, miss, werry well you handles ’em!”
The Earl assisted his ward down from the curricle. “You may have your perch-phaeton,” he said. “But inform Peregrine that I will charge myself with the procuring of a suitable pair for you to drive.”
“You are very good, sir, but Peregrine is quite able to choose my horses for me.”
“I make every allowance for your natural partiality, Miss Taverner, but that is going too far,” said the Earl.
The butler had opened the door before she could think of a crushing enough retort. She could not feel that it would be seemly to quarrel with her guardian in front of a servant, so she merely asked him whether he cared to come into the house. He declined it, made his bow, and descended the steps again to his curricle.
Miss Taverner was torn between annoyance at his highhanded interference in her plans, and satisfaction at being perfectly sure now of acquiring just the horses she wanted.
A few days later the fashionable throng in Hyde Park was startled by the appearance of the rich Miss Taverner driving a splendid match pair of bays in a very smart sporting phaeton with double perches of swan-neck pattern. She was attended by a groom in livery, and bore herself (mindful of Mr. Brummell’s advice) with an air of self-confidence nicely blended with a seeming indifference to the sensation she was creating. As good luck would have it Mr. Brummell was walking in the Park with his friend Jack Lee. He was pleased to wave, and Miss Taverner pulled up to speak to him, saying with a twinkle: “I am amazed, sir, that you should be seen talking to so unfashionable a person as myself.”
“My dear ma’am, pray do not mention it!” returned Brummell earnestly. “There is no one near us.”
She laughed, allowed him to present Mr. Lee, and after a little conversation drove on.