Free A Poor Relation by Carola Dunn

is like to get little enough.” Lord Farleigh drew up behind Mr. Ruddle’s phaeton. “We received a round dozen invitations this morning. I hope we may count on seeing you at the dinners and picnics and assemblies our kind neighbours have included us in?”
    “I left this morning before the post arrived, so I cannot tell. I expect Millicent will attend most of them.” Though Rowena knew that was what he wanted to hear, she was a little hurt at his obvious pleasure. She was not at all sure whether any invitations would have been extended to her.
    “Lord, who’s that popinjay?” Once again the captain’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
    Mr. Ruddle, resplendent in his orange outfit, was descending from his carriage with the aid of his black-clad groom. He looked back to see who had driven up behind him, swivelling his whole upper body to avoid being impaled by his shirt points.
    “That’s Mr. Adolphus Ruddle. He is Millicent’s most favoured beau,” said Rowena tartly.
    A challenging light flashed in his lordship’s eyes as he introduced himself and the captain. Rowena sighed. Not only was the snide remark unworthy of her, it had added the spice of rivalry to the earl’s pursuit of her cousin.
    When she went down after changing, she found Millicent holding court. Besides his lordship, the captain and Mr. Ruddle, a couple of sprigs of the local squirearchy hovered about her. She was in her element.
    Aunt Hermione beamed. Millicent was receiving her due, and she herself was enjoying a certain triumph. A number of callers were there to see with their own eyes that Lord Farleigh was paying his second visit to Grove Park before honouring any other neighbours with his presence. Mrs. Berry-Browning had congratulated her and Lady Amelia Thorncrest was positively green with envy.
    Anne had her own court, consisting of three young ladies and young Mr. Berry-Browning, a discerning youth who had known Millie since she was in leading strings. Rowena had met them all, but there were no free chairs nearby. She retired to a window seat, to gaze out into the garden and try to pretend she did not feel forlorn.
    A few minutes later, Captain Cartwright joined her.
    “Are you tired after your walk, Miss Caxton?” he enquired. “I took a turn about the shrubbery this morning and felt none the worse for it. I believe I shall soon buy a horse. Do you ride?”
    “I love to ride. Before I came here I had the prettiest sorrel mare...”
    “Rowena!” Millicent’s voice was sharp. “Pray fetch the Chinese puzzle from my dressing table.” She turned back to the earl. “It is an amusing trifle, my lord, though I expect you will soon see the trick of it.”
    Rowena was seething with rebellion, but Miss Pinkerton’s training was too strong to allow her to create an ill-bred scene before guests in her aunt’s parlour. Avoiding the captain’s eyes, she trailed out. It took her several minutes to find the wretched trinket, a wooden octahedron made of several odd-shaped pieces ingeniously fitted together. She trudged downstairs again.
    “Oh, we do not want it now,” said her cousin brightly as she approached the group. “You have taken so long we have got onto quite another subject.”
    “On the contrary.” Lord Farleigh rose gallantly to the occasion and his feet. “I should like to see it, Miss Caxton. Let us take it over here where there is more light.”
    A moment later Rowena was once again ensconced on the window seat, this time with the earl at her side. Millicent threw her a fulminating glance and turned to flirt with Mr. Ruddle.
    “I have seen a similar puzzle, though that was a cube,” his lordship was saying. “I expect the principle is the same. Let me see if I can remember. Ah, here we are.” He pressed and pulled and the toy collapsed into its components on the seat between them.
    Rowena smiled at his triumph. “That is the easy part, sir. Can you put it together?”
    He picked up two of the pieces and turned them