Free Daphne by MC Beaton

she whispered, but Mr Archer had found a loose thread in the discreet length of striped stocking which was peeping below his left pantaloon leg and that seemed to be absorbing all his attention, as in fact it was. He was wondering whether to boldly demand a pair of scissors to snip off the offending thread, or whether to make an excuse and retire to his lodgings and do it there, or whether his nails were sharp enough to slice it off, or whether, if he tugged it, the whole stocking would bunch up into an unseemly knot.
    There was no one of very great moment at the dinner party – for alas poor Brummell, fled to the Continent before his baying creditors – and London was thin of company. Mr Archer had now heard MrGarfield was to be of the party but was not impressed. Any man who did not cultivate the good will of the ton was beyond his understanding and no one had ever seen Mr Garfield trying to impress anyone.
    It showed Lady Godolphin’s current lack of spirit in that the guests, other than the three Armitages, Mr Archer, and the still absent Mr Garfield, were all comparatively young, Lady Godolphin normally liking to surround herself with septuagenarians so that she might feel young herself. There were three married couples, Lord and Lady Brothers, the Honourable Peter and Mrs Nash, and Colonel and Mrs Cartwright, all of unimpeachable social standing , all thirtyish, and all infernally dull.
    Conversation turned on the enormous size of the Prince Regent which had prompted a solemn article in The Times about how he contrived to mount a horse.
    ‘An inclined plane,’ that august newspaper had reported, ‘was constructed, rising to the height of two feet and a half, at the upper end of which was a platform. His Royal Highness was placed on a chair on rollers, which was then raised by screws high enough to let the horse pass under; and finally, his Royal Highness was let gently down into the saddle. By these means the Regent was undoubtedly able to enjoy in some degree the benefit of air and exercise …’
    But Lord Brothers shook his head and said that even that device had failed to tempt the Regent into the saddle of late since he had left off his stays andwas become Falstaffian in bulk and language. ‘He told me t’other day when I was at Brighton,’ confided Lord Brothers, ‘that even the fineness of weather does not tempt him abroad. His great size and weight make him nervous and he is afraid to ride. He says, “Why should I? I never had better spirits, appetite and health than when I stay within, and I am not so well when I go abroad.”’
    Mrs Nash, who was of a sour disposition, said that the Regent was entirely given over to pleasure and idleness and spent most of his days shut up with his tailors examining different patterns of uniforms.
    Colonel Cartwright said acidly that the whole conversation smacked of sedition and for his part he had found the Regent to be very hard-working. Since he glared quite ferociously around the room as he said this, it had the effect of causing an awkward silence.
    Then Lady Godolphin weighed in with, ‘I do think His Highness’s idea of throwing open all the prisons and asylums next Sunday is such a good and humane idea. Do you think it will work out?’
    The shocked babble and exclamations that greeted this whopping lie had the desired effect of getting everyone to talk again.
    And then, above the noise, the butler announced loudly and clearly, ‘Mr Garfield.’
    Daphne found her heart beginning to beat very hard and moved very close to Mr Archer. Her father glared at her furiously but she pretended not to notice.
    Mr Archer began to murmur fretfully in Daphne’s ear, ‘I wonder where he got that waistcoat. White piqué! But don’t you find it a trifle severe?’
    Daphne did not appear to have heard him. She was watching Simon Garfield as he moved from group to group until at last he stood before her.
    ‘Miss Daphne,’ he murmured, ‘how very beautiful you look. And