My Lady Miriam Part 5

Miriam was sitting in her carriage once again, only this time her mind was not dully occupied with the dull trees and the dull journey, but alive with many thoughts of her previous encounter. Her mother chattered about it aloud, asking her one and twenty questions about the “strange hunter who had obstructed our carriage”, and Miriam answered unconsciously while she thought more about this “abominable” gentleman.
Certainly he was odd.
That was as far as her thought procedure had got her and though it was a correct assumption, she hadn’t got any further, for those eyes and smile had stopped her thoughts altogether.
“Miriam?”
Miriam looked up at the sound of her mother’s voice, and the touch of her hand.
“Miriam? Are you quite alright? Did that outlandish hunter upset you?”
“Oh! No indeed Mama! Only he was very...,” She paused for a moment and looked out the window, searching for the proper word to use, “…very odd.”
“Yes, from what I heard—though, you know I never did see him—he sounded like a rough-spoken man with no manners at all.” Mama replied in all sincerity.
Miriam smiled, her mama mustn’t of heard him at all if she thought he sounded a rough-spoken man. For, to any woman who was not in a panic, the gentleman would’ve sounded quite the opposite. His voice was very soft-spoken, yet full of authority, a man that one would never want to be on the wrong terms with and one with whom having an argument would be quite pointless.
“Oh my dear! Look! We are nearing Blackmoore Park! Do look.” Her mother interrupted her thoughts once again while indicating out the carriage window.
Miriam smiled and looked calmly to the prospect that was before her; a large, magnificent house, with more rooms than one knew what to do with, and the most delightful gardens one could imagine. Miriam loved her cousins dearly, they were close friends and staying with them for a month was her ideal of a most enchanting visit. She had three cousins, but the eldest had married and moved away, while the two youngest had remained and lived together in their enormous house, hosting parties and living extravagant lives. But a more delightfully entertaining brother and sister Miriam had yet to meet.
As the carriage pulled outside of the entrance of Blackmoore House, Miriam put her “abominable gentleman” out of her mind. He had neither the right nor the place to ruin her visit by lingering in her mind with his odd ways; no, he had much better stay out of it. But Miriam needn’t of had any fears of an idle, wandering mind, for her cousins were much too lively for that.
As the carriage door was opened, her Mama was helped out of the carriage by the footman and Miriam fixed her hair and newly-fashioned hat to satisfaction.
“Aunt! Oh Miriam! Come out of the carriage and let me look at you! Oh Miriam! Oh Aunt!” Miriam’s cousin,  Lady Tindale, was a cheerful and charming young woman, with such radiant eyes and smile, that Miriam almost envied her fascinating ways, but Lady Philippa--as always--was oblivious to her own captivating manner.
“Charles! They are here!” She yelled improperly over her shoulder, “Aunt Rosalind, you don’t look an hour older!” At that moment, The Earl of Blackmoore came out, fixing his cravat and smoothing his jacket with a look delight on his face.
“Aunt Rosalind!” He smiled joyfully as he pecked her on both cheeks, “Miriam!” Lord Blackmoore took her hand and kissed it lightly, while she curtseyed with a smile, “Come in! Come in! I’ll get the maid to show you your rooms.”
They made their way into the house, Miriam linked her arm with Lady Philippa and Charles escorted his aunt. Once Miriam and her Mama had refreshed themselves in their rooms, they came downstairs to the saloon.
This time Miriam stood to look at her cousins while they answered the many questions of their aunt, and took time to take in every detail of them.
Lady Philippa was a tall and slim young woman, with brown hair in soft curls about her face, she had laughing brown eyes and a charming smile to match; she didn’t dress extravagantly, only in the latest styles and modes, dressing as her personality would allow her. She, as Miriam stood looking at her, was dressed a pale blue chiffon half dress over a white muslin, it was made with elegant quarter sleeves and lace about the neckline; she wore a simple gold locket around her smooth, pale neck and her hair up in an elaborately-styled braided twist, with curls falling delicately and prettily round her neck and face.
Philippa stood now, in rapt attention to her aunt—who sat on the deep red and gold sofa telling them some lively account of the “hunter”—unaware of her own looks or having any thoughts for herself, for she was the most unselfish creature alive. Miriam’s eyes moved to Charles, who also stood next to Philippa, listening to his aunt with some amusement in his eyes. Lord Charles was a neat figure, though he was thought to be more of a lively countenance than a handsome face, but he did not want for sense or good manners and in society Lord Blackmoore was the figure of ease and gentlemanliness. He had bright, blue eyes and a firm chin, a more stubborn young man Miriam had yet to meet with, and he too--like his sister--cared little for his appearance, and although he kept a most substantial and fine-looking wardrobe, he knew no better pleasure than to ride and hunt in the country. He now, as he stood close to his sister, wore a superfine coat of a deep navy blue, pantaloons that fit like a glove and a cravat that, although not folded as a man of the ton perhaps would endeavor to create, was credibly folded to his satisfaction. He held his fob and snuff box in one hand; the hand that wore a most handsome ruby ring—a ring given to him by his father—and hessians of the highest quality worn with the greatest elegance and ease. Lord Charles’ hair was something that he had never quite come to understand; his valet had convinced him once to place it in the latest a la mode’, but after one moment in the looking glass, proclaimed that he’d be deuced if he let his valet attempt to make him look like a damn dandy again.

To be continued....

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