The Secret Mistress

His stare became icy.

“I will escort you home, Lady Angeline,” he said.

He had no business. He had absolutely no business. He was not her father or her brother or her husband or … or her betrothed. He was nothing whatsoever. And it was not even an offer this time. It was a categorical statement, and his glance did not even waver as she gave him the full force of her haughty glare.

“I do think that would be good of you, Edward,” Miss Goddard said.

And Angeline was the first to look away—in order to glance reproachfully at her new friend, who could have used this visit, her aunt being absent, to further her own courtship with the Earl of Heyward. And to save her new friend from a blatant instance of male domineering.

“Very well, Lord Heyward,” she said, looking back at him. But she would … Yes, she would. She would be damned before she would thank him.

There! She felt marginally better at the shocking language even if it did not find its way past her lips.

Miss Goddard smiled placidly at her.

Traitor! Judas!———

EDWARD WAS NOT in a good mood.

He had not been even before he arrived at Lady Sanford’s, but at least he had expected a nice quiet, sensible conversation with Eunice. He had expected his visit to feel like balm to the soul. Perhaps she would even consent to take a short walk with him again since it was a sunny, pleasantly warm day.

Instead, here he was out walking with Lady Angeline Dudley of all people the day after she had refused his formal marriage offer. She had refused to take his arm, which made walking really quite awkward. And she had dared to give him that same haughty, regal look she had given Windrow during that infamous scene just outside Reading. As if he was the one behaving with deliberate lack of discretion. No proper young lady set foot outdoors without a chaperon or trustworthy companion.

I have not noticed footpads lurking on every corner, have you? As if they advertised the fact upon large boards carried about their necks. And as if footpads were the only danger. Had she learned nothing from her experience at the Rose and Crown?

He was feeling downright irritable. And somehow, grossly unfairly, in the wrong, as though he owed her some sort of apology. He had not told her he loved her—as if those words meant anything. Why should one feel guilty for telling the truth? The world had turned all topsy-turvy. It had been a far simpler place when he was merely Mr. Edward Ailsbury.

“Does Tresham employ no other servants than your own personal maid?” he said, breaking the silence between them even though he had sworn to himself that he would not. “And is this the same personal maid who was conspicuously absent from the taproom at the Rose and Crown Inn a month or so ago? Is she often indisposed?”

His voice sounded as irritated as he felt.

“If this is a veiled comment upon my behavior, Lord Heyward,” she said, “I must inform you that it is none of your business. I am none of your business.”

“For which I am very thankful indeed.”

“For which I will always be eternally grateful.”

They spoke simultaneously.

“At least we are agreed upon something,” he said.

“We are,” she said as they crossed a main road and he tossed a coin to the young crossing sweeper who had cleared a steaming pile of manure out of their path.

“I am delighted,” he said, “that you had such a very happy evening. It was obvious at the time, of course, without Eunice’s having to tell me so.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said. “I was merely being civil.”

“You sounded spiteful,” she said. “I had a wonderful time. I had wonderful partners.”

“Including Windrow, I suppose,” he said. “You looked as if you were enjoying his company.”

“I was,” she said. “Enormously. He is charming and amusing.”

“If I remember correctly,” he said, “you told me just two nights ago at Vauxhall that it was the most wonderful evening of your life. Must every evening exceed the one before it in the pleasure it brings you? Will you not soon run out of superlatives? Or will wonderful suffice for all?”

“I was merely being civil at Vauxhall,” she said. “I thought you might be offended, even hurt, if I did not say I had enjoyed what happened there.”

Good God, he thought, they were scrapping like a couple of petulant children.

Why?

He had offered her marriage yesterday because he considered that he had compromised her at Vauxhall and because everyone seemed agreed that she was the most eligible candidate to be his countess. She had refused. Everything was in order. The story was at an end.

Much to his relief.

She was not at all the sort of woman of whom he could ever approve. She had no idea how to behave.

What the devil had she been doing calling upon Eunice? Poor Eunice!

“Do you like my bonnet?” she asked.

It was striped, the two colors being red and orange. Actually, garish as it was, it was also rather attractive. Its small, stiff brim framed her face becomingly, and its tall crown gave it a slightly military air. Certainly she was not trying to downplay her height.

“Must you always maneuver people into being either rude or untruthful?” he asked, his irritation returning—if it had ever left.

When he turned his head, it was to discover that she was smiling.

“You told the truth once,” she said, “and I laughed and you smiled. It was a good moment.”

“Then it is overbright and those colors should never be seen together upon the same person, not to mention the same garment,” he said. “And it actually suits you perfectly. It suits your character.”

Her smile deepened though she kept her gaze on the pavement ahead.

“I shall lie awake tonight,” she said, “trying to decide if that was a compliment or an insult, Lord Heyward.”

“It was a bit of both,” he said curtly. And he would lie awake tonight wondering why his manners seemed to desert him when he was with Lady Angeline Dudley. But she would try the patience of a saint.

She laughed. One could not help but like her laugh. It was not a ladylike titter or an unladylike bellow. It always sounded purely merry. And it was infectious, though he did not laugh with her.

They were nearing Dudley House, he was happy to see. They walked the remaining distance in silence and he came to a stop at the bottom of the steps in order to watch her safely inside.