sights. But it is a shame that so many of our social engagements are separate from the gentlemen.’
There were heartfelt sighs of agreement from several of the younger ladies.
‘It is a bit tiring, to be left out of the constant talk of weight and handicap at my breakfast table. In London it is one thing for my husband and son to spend their days drinking and smoking at their clubs. I am occupied there. But here? They are off to their stables, their prize fights and their Jockey Club rooms and I struggle to fill my days. I find myself becoming resentful as my interests are placed such a far-away second.’
Murmurs of accord rippled around the tables.
‘I have corresponded at length with my dear friend Lady Ryeton about this dilemma. To date her solution has been to refuse to come to Newmarket at all. But we have hatched a more delicious answer. We fail to distract our men from their preoccupation with trial runs and touts, so we shall join them in it.’
Excited talk erupted throughout the room. Miss Metheny groaned.
Lady Toswick waved them down. ‘We shall do just as they do.
En masse,
we will observe the practicetrials, tour the training stables, make our bets and watch the races. Together we will become educated and passionate about this sport of theirs and we will regain their attention as we do so. Lady Ryeton is travelling to Newmarket and she has promised that we shall have a tour of her husband’s stables, reputed to be the best in all of England!’
She grinned. ‘It shall be great fun, giving them a taste of their own medicine as we become busy and preoccupied with our new interest, but it shall be great fun also to come together in the end.’ Her lips pursed in an expression of pure delight. Pausing, she allowed her gaze to drift about the room. ‘What say you? Are you with us?’
A great babbling broke out. The ladies abandoned the tea tables to gather in groups. The room came alive with the ear-piercing prattle of women a-twitter, ready to seize the bit in their teeth. Mae smiled at the commotion. There might be benefits to this development. Her own scheming might not look so … odd, against the background of a townful of society ladies angling after the attention of their men.
Addy gripped Mae’s arm and drew her towards a secluded corner. ‘Ryeton’s countess hasn’t been to Newmarket in years,’ she whispered in confiding tones. ‘Pratchett was just the beginning of the earl’s troubles. He must be the most wretched man in Suffolk, with his horse gone missing and his estranged wife on her way here. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Lady Ryeton cooked up this idea about getting us all involved in racing as an excuse to punish him.’
Mae perked to attention. ‘They are estranged? Is herhusband’s devotion to racing the reason for it?’ Perhaps
Lady Ryeton had conspired even further back to punish her husband. Could she have arranged for Pratchett’s disappearance from afar?
‘Her husband’s devotion to his mistress, rather.’
‘His mistress?’ Miss Lucy, eyes bright with interest, interrupted their tête-à-tête. She sidled up beside Mae, glanced across the room and lowered her voice. ‘I heard something of her just this morning! Lord Ryeton’s ladybird—Charlotte Hague, the woman he’s kept so cosily here in Newmarket for the past two years—has cast him out!’
‘Lucy Metheny!’ Her sister was next to join their group, and distaste outweighed the shock in Miss Metheny’s tone. ‘That is hardly a fit subject for a young girl. Where on earth would you have heard such a thing?’
‘I heard the cook telling one of the kitchen maids,’ answered the girl as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. ‘They were gossiping this morning when I went to fetch Mama’s posset. They said Miss Hague has ejected him from her house, boxed up all of his things and left them on the street!’
‘Is that what those boxes were?’ Another of their tablemates had joined
There were heartfelt sighs of agreement from several of the younger ladies.
‘It is a bit tiring, to be left out of the constant talk of weight and handicap at my breakfast table. In London it is one thing for my husband and son to spend their days drinking and smoking at their clubs. I am occupied there. But here? They are off to their stables, their prize fights and their Jockey Club rooms and I struggle to fill my days. I find myself becoming resentful as my interests are placed such a far-away second.’
Murmurs of accord rippled around the tables.
‘I have corresponded at length with my dear friend Lady Ryeton about this dilemma. To date her solution has been to refuse to come to Newmarket at all. But we have hatched a more delicious answer. We fail to distract our men from their preoccupation with trial runs and touts, so we shall join them in it.’
Excited talk erupted throughout the room. Miss Metheny groaned.
Lady Toswick waved them down. ‘We shall do just as they do.
En masse,
we will observe the practicetrials, tour the training stables, make our bets and watch the races. Together we will become educated and passionate about this sport of theirs and we will regain their attention as we do so. Lady Ryeton is travelling to Newmarket and she has promised that we shall have a tour of her husband’s stables, reputed to be the best in all of England!’
She grinned. ‘It shall be great fun, giving them a taste of their own medicine as we become busy and preoccupied with our new interest, but it shall be great fun also to come together in the end.’ Her lips pursed in an expression of pure delight. Pausing, she allowed her gaze to drift about the room. ‘What say you? Are you with us?’
A great babbling broke out. The ladies abandoned the tea tables to gather in groups. The room came alive with the ear-piercing prattle of women a-twitter, ready to seize the bit in their teeth. Mae smiled at the commotion. There might be benefits to this development. Her own scheming might not look so … odd, against the background of a townful of society ladies angling after the attention of their men.
Addy gripped Mae’s arm and drew her towards a secluded corner. ‘Ryeton’s countess hasn’t been to Newmarket in years,’ she whispered in confiding tones. ‘Pratchett was just the beginning of the earl’s troubles. He must be the most wretched man in Suffolk, with his horse gone missing and his estranged wife on her way here. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Lady Ryeton cooked up this idea about getting us all involved in racing as an excuse to punish him.’
Mae perked to attention. ‘They are estranged? Is herhusband’s devotion to racing the reason for it?’ Perhaps
Lady Ryeton had conspired even further back to punish her husband. Could she have arranged for Pratchett’s disappearance from afar?
‘Her husband’s devotion to his mistress, rather.’
‘His mistress?’ Miss Lucy, eyes bright with interest, interrupted their tête-à-tête. She sidled up beside Mae, glanced across the room and lowered her voice. ‘I heard something of her just this morning! Lord Ryeton’s ladybird—Charlotte Hague, the woman he’s kept so cosily here in Newmarket for the past two years—has cast him out!’
‘Lucy Metheny!’ Her sister was next to join their group, and distaste outweighed the shock in Miss Metheny’s tone. ‘That is hardly a fit subject for a young girl. Where on earth would you have heard such a thing?’
‘I heard the cook telling one of the kitchen maids,’ answered the girl as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. ‘They were gossiping this morning when I went to fetch Mama’s posset. They said Miss Hague has ejected him from her house, boxed up all of his things and left them on the street!’
‘Is that what those boxes were?’ Another of their tablemates had joined
Similar Books
