“I promised Spencer I’d be home tomorrow, Father.”
“We’ll have the lad brought to London.”
“No. You know how he hates the city. And after tonight, can you blame me for not relishing a prolonged stay in Town myself?”
“I suppose not, but I don’t like the thought of you alone, isolated in the country while you’re recovering. You need someone to take care of you.”
“I agree,” she said slowly, frowning in a way that made Andrew wonder what she was thinking. He agreed wholeheartedly with the earl, but somehow he’d expected the new “headstrong, independent” Lady Catherine to demur. To claim that her staff could adequately care for her.
“ ‘Tis a pity Philip cannot come to Little Longstone for an extended visit.” She said the words lightly, but something in her tone caught Andrew’s attention. That and the fact that she hadn’t said “Philip and Meredith.”
“Yes,” the earl mused, “but he cannot leave Meredith now. I’d volunteer my services, but I’m afraid acting the nursemaid is not my strong suit.”
Andrew forced himself not to point out that acting the nursemaid was hardly Philip’s strong suit either. He looked at Lady Catherine, and their gazes met. His stomach tightened when he again saw a flash of fear, and something else he couldn’t decipher in her eyes. Then her expression turned speculative, and almost… calculating?
Before he could decide, she said, “I believe I have thought of the perfect solution. Mr. Stanton, would you consider accompanying me to Little Longstone, then remaining as my guest? It would prevent me from having to travel alone, and I’m certain you would enjoy a visit to the country. Spencer would love to see you again and hear more of your adventures with Philip in Egypt. You had little opportunity to get acquainted at my husband’s funeral. And with Spencer there as chaperone, your visit would, of course, be above reproach and quite proper.”
For reasons he couldn’t explain, a warning tingled in his gut-an instinctual reaction that had served him well over the years-telling him that there was more to her invitation than met the eye. But what? And did he really want to question her motives right now? No. He’d spent the better part of the last hour trying to figure out a plausible argument for going to Little Longstone with her and staying for an extended visit, and here she’d solved the problem.
“I realize you have responsibilities in London-”
“None that cannot wait,” he assured her. “It would be my honor to accompany you, then remain for a visit, Lady Catherine. You may rest assured that I will see to it no further harm befalls you.” Indeed, God help anyone who attempted to hurt her again.
“An excellent solution, my dear,” the earl said, with an approving nod. “You’ll have company and protection.”
“Yes. Protection…” Her voice trailed off. There was no mistaking her obvious relief. Clearly she didn’t feel safe in London, a sentiment he could well understand. But he suspected she’d asked him to remain in Little Longstone for an extended visit for the same reason-protection. Why? Did she not feel safe in own home?
He didn’t know, but he surely intended to find out.
Chapter 4
Men possess so little understanding of women because they seek out advice and information about women from other equally uninformed men. Winning his lady’s favor would proceed in a much smoother manner if the gentleman simply asked her, “What do you want?” Should Today’s Modern Woman ever be fortunate enough to be asked that question, it is hoped she will answer truthfully.
A Ladies’ Guide to the Pursuit of
Personal Happiness and Intimate Fulfillment
by Charles Brightmore
“How are you feeling, Lady Catherine?”
Catherine looked up from her embroidery to peer across the seat at her traveling companion, whom she’d managed quite successfully under the guise of needlework to ignore for the past hour-or at least as much as one can ignore a man seated barely an arm’s length away. A man who seemed to take up so much space. She’d never realized how imposing Mr. Stanton’s presence was. It was one thing to share a drawing room or dining room with him, but, as she’d discovered, quite another to share the confines of a carriage.
Her gaze met his concern-filled dark eyes. “I’m a bit achy, but all right.”
“Would you like to stop for a short rest?”
In truth she would have liked nothing more than for the carriage to stop its lurching ride. Each thump and bump radiated discomfort through her aching shoulder and reminded her of the dull ache behind her eyes. But each bump brought her closer to Little Longstone and Spencer, and farther away from the nightmare of last night. Closer to the safety of her home, and farther away from whoever had fired that shot… that shot she was far from convinced was an accident. Closer to Genevieve, whom she needed to speak with as soon as possible. She needed to tell her dear friend about the shooting and the investigator who’d been hired to find Charles Brightmore. Warn her about the danger. Warn her she might be next.
“It is not necessary to stop,” she said.
“You look pale.”
“Why, thank you. Such flattery will surely swell my head-which is, thanks to last evening’s fall, quite swollen enough already.”
Her attempt at humor clearly sailed over his own head, for his brows bunched tighter. “You’re in pain-”
“I’m fine. Perfectly fit. Dr. Gibbens gave his permission for me to travel-”
“After you browbeat the poor man. I believe his exact words when he departed your father’s town house this morning were, ‘Never in my life have I met a more obstinate woman. ’ ”
“I’m certain you heard him incorrectly.”
“I’m certain I didn’t.”
“Yet, I recall that last evening we’d established that most men’s hearing is not all it should be.”
Several seconds of silence stretched between them, and she had to stifle the sudden urge to squirm under his steady regard. “I am not most men, Lady Catherine,” he finally said quietly. “You’re also very preoccupied.”
“I am merely anxious to get home.”
“I’m sure you are. But there’s something else. Something is worrying you.”
“What makes you say that?” she asked, forcing a light note into her voice. Damnation, just her luck to be stuck in a carriage with the one perceptive man in all of England.
“Your uncharacteristic reticence. I’ve never known you to be so… untalkative.”
“Ah. Well, that is simply because I have been engrossed in my embroidery.”
“Which I find intriguing as you detest embroidery.” Clearly he read the guilty flush she felt searing her cheeks for he added, “You mentioned your aversion to needlework during your visit to London two months ago.”
Double damnation. The man was perceptive and recalled trivial details. How utterly irritating. “I’m, er, hoping to develop a fondness for the activity. And besides that, I simply have nothing to say.”
“I see. In general-or to me in particular?”
She debated trying to put him off with a polite fib, but as he obviously wasn’t easily dissuaded, she admitted the truth. “To you in particular.”
Instead of looking offended, he nodded solemnly. “I suspected as much. About our conversation last evening… it was not my intention to upset you.”
“You did not upset me, Mr. Stanton.”
Doubt flashed across his features, raising one dark brow. “Indeed? Then you normally resemble a teakettle on the verge of boiling over?”
“Again, I must beg you to cease your flattery. In truth, ‘upset’ is merely a poor choice of word. Disappointment is closer to what I felt.”