<strong>"The Countess" enjoys her ride</strong><br/><br/>While Lydia had no particular passion for riding, she was enjoying the conversation with the other guests, making connections that the Countess could put to good use, and flirting subtly with the gentlemen.<br/><br/>She had a feeling Charlotte had real suspicions about their hostess rather than the typical disdain for a foreigner most people seemed to feel. That suited her fine, as it meant the perceptive woman's attentions would hopefully be directed to someone other than herself.<br/><br/>While she was enjoying the fresh air and making a bit of a fuss of it in the guise of the countess, there was something that made her uneasy. She wanted to dismiss it as simply the lingering effects of the strange waking dreams she was having, but she couldn't shake the feeling the foreboding was as real as the dreams felt.