Page 42 of Henrietta

Hetty gave a vague humming noise, her mind having returned to the problem of Belcourt, and Mr Hargan took this as encouragement to continue. Botany and horticulture were two topics on which he was rarely encouraged to speak – a shame, for upon these areas he knew a great deal, and his natural enthusiasm warmed his countenance.

‘Our gardener is doing wonderful things with flowers, you know. Last time I was there he had successfully bred an entirely new variety of sweet william.’ He paused, adding shyly: ‘Perhaps I could bring you one, if you like? We have not named it yet – my father likes to jest that we shall do so after my bride, whoever she – that is, I’m not suggesting—’

Hetty was not attending, however. She was, in the mornings, still occupied in the task of deciphering the late Lord Allerton’s notes, most of which were focused on the topic of farming in waterlogged soil. ‘Which are your most successful crops?’

‘Wheat, still,’ Mr Hargan said, grateful to be rescued from this tangle, ‘though we have enjoyed great success with swede and mangel-wurzel—’

‘Mangel-wurzel!’ Hetty declared ecstatically. ‘So that was what it said!’

‘I am not sure …’

‘It is a crop, then?’

‘Yes, it is.’ He hesitated, torn between his mother’s edict that ‘No young lady is interested in crops!’ and the plain fascination upon Miss Clithero’s face.

‘It’s an interesting thing, actually,’ he ventured to explain. ‘It does very well in winter – but, oh, I think Lord Allerton is trying to catch your attention—’

‘Never mind him,’ Hetty said. ‘Carry on, this is marvellous.’

‘Is it?’ But Mr Hargan had clammed up once more. ‘Well, I …’

‘Will you call on me tomorrow? So that we might discuss this in more detail?’

Mr Hargan flushed pink with pleasure. ‘Of course.’

‘Wonderful,’ she said, so emphatically that Mr Hargan, when he walked away, did so as if he were upon clouds – as, too, did Hetty, as she hastened to Arthur’s side.

‘Arthur, he knows about mangel-wurzels! I have requested he visit us tomorrow to speak more on the subject – the timing could not be more fortuitous, for is not your meeting with Mr Thimbleby and Mr Holland arranged for tomorrow?’

‘It is,’ Arthur confirmed. Then, smiling, added: ‘There I was, ready to spring to your rescue, and you were interrogating him on modern farming practices.’

‘On the contrary, it was Mr Hargan who rescued me – for Sir Marcus was about to press me into a dance.’

‘You would have declined, of course.’

‘How could I? I had no good excuse!’

Arthur hummed thoughtfully. ‘Perhaps that ought to be our next step,’ he said. ‘Ridding oneself of unwanted admirers.’

She laughed. ‘Do you think that is necessary?’

‘But of course! Why, you have already ensnared Mr Hargan.’

Hetty turned her head to observe Mr Hargan and – finding him already looking her way – smiled at him. All without, she suddenly realised, blushing.

‘Are you flirting with him while speaking to me?’ Arthur checked. ‘Not good form, Hetty.’

Hetty turned her head. ‘I wasn’t!’ she insisted. ‘Just smiling – flirting is far too advanced for me yet.’

‘Not so, Hetty, not so,’ Arthur insisted.

Hetty apologised. ‘Perhaps there are three phrases of flirtation I might repeat in sequence?’

‘Alas, no, but that does not prevent our practising.’ Availing himself of the lemonade in her hand, Arthur took an invigorating gulp. ‘Let us pretend we have just been introduced. Perhaps, even, we have just shared a dance.’

‘Did I tread upon your feet?’

‘I do not remember,’ he said gallantly. ‘I was too busy being – lost in your gaze.’