Ainsely turned around and looked ather, a concerned expression on his face.
“Oh, there’s no reason toworry. I know I look dreadful.”
“Of course youdon’t…”
More laughter bubbled up inside. “I doown a mirror, Lord Ainsely.”
A sheepish smile came to hislips.
“Though it is kind of youto pretend otherwise.”
Ainsely looked past her shoulder towhere Nyle had disappeared with Alvina. Neither was in sight.“Would you care to stroll?” He offered her his arm.
As it was the grand walk, not asecluded one, and there were dozens of people within sight, itwouldn’t damage her reputation. Certainly no worse than taking aturn around a ballroom on his arm. He placed her hand on his sleeveand he led her off, away from the supper boxes.
“May I ask you a question,Lady Moira?”
She looked up at him. “Ofcourse.”
“What is wrong with Bathor Oxfordshire?”
Moira faced forward and bit her bottomlip. Should she tell him the truth? She glanced back up frombeneath the brim of her hat. Something about Lord Ainsely instilledtrust. “If you swear never to breathe a word of it.”
“I swear.”
“Because, only my threedearest and closest friends and Alvina know, so if anyone findsout, I know it will be because yousaid something.”
“I promise not to revealyour secret.”
“Very well.” Moira took adeep breath and leaned closer. “I want to live inScotland.”
“Why Scotland?” hewhispered back.
“Because my mother sworenever to set foot in that wretched country again.”
He stiffened and pulled away. “Whydoes she hate it so?”
Moira shrugged. “I really have noidea, but to hear her speak, one would think that as soon as onecrosses the border, one has stepped into the most uncivilized placeon earth. I think it must have something to do with mygreat-grandmother, my father’s mother, Fiona Moira MacLachlan. Iwas named after her.”
“Have you even been toScotland?” He turned her so they could continue on theirstroll.
“No.” A grin pulled at herlips. “But I hear it is lovely.”
He smiled as if in agreement. “It canbe that.”
Moira stopped and turned toward him.“Have you been there?” Her pulse increased with the very idea hewas familiar with the country that so fascinated her.
“Several times.” Helaughed. “I can assure you it isn’t as horrible as your mothermakes it out to be.” He guided her further down thewalk.
Moira sighed. “That is arelief.”
“So, you simply wish tomove there because of your mother.”
“If I live in Scotland, Inever have to worry about her visiting me. That alone makes it pureheaven.”
“You may feel that waynow, but after going weeks and months without seeing her, you mayfeel differently,” he offered seriously.
He didn’t know her mother. Perhaps heno longer had one of his own and couldn’t understand, or perhapsshe was a kind soul like Georgie’s mother or Patience’s late mama.“I will see her during the Season, I suppose, and perhaps a visitlater in the year.”
“What if your husbanddoesn’t wish to return to England all that often?”
“What difference wouldthat make? It isn’t as though he would see me all that oftenanyway.”
Ainsely stopped again and looked downat her. “Usually husbands and wives share a home, even in the wildsof Scotland.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at theseriousness of his tone. “They may share a house, but I doubt mosthusbands and wives spend an inordinate amount of time together.Why, I can recall the number of times my father dined with thefamily on two hands, not including holidays and weddings.” Shelooked around at the various couples walking along. “From what Ihave gathered, husbands and wives actually see very little of oneanother, so why should my husband mind if I only visited England ona rare occasion?”
Ainsely negotiated a turn, and soonthey were walking back in the direction from which they had come.Nyle and Alvina had returned and were looking in theirdirection.
“Your brother seems tospend a good deal of time with Lady Hearne.”
“Of course he does,” Moiraagreed. “They have an unusual situation.”
“Unusual?”
“Yes.” She beamed up athim. “They are in love.”
Mr. Fiske bets Lord Alstonthree hundred pounds that Lord Struthers,
who does not have an estatenear Bath or in Oxfordshire,
will present himself toLady Moira Kirkwood
to be compromised by the1st ofMay, 1813 ~ April 24, 1813
Bloody hell.Gideon rubbed a hand over his face.Another one. Lady Moirahad dismissed Garson a mere two hours earlier. Did Fiske and Alstonhave spies at every corner, hiding in bushes and behind pottedpalms? Well, it was another wasted bet, given that Struthers livedon a barren estate in Shropshire.
Gideon made his way to a back, emptytable and took a seat. Why had he come here? He should have justgone home and then he would not know about the bet or feel the needto do tell Hearne or Lady Moira. He signaled a footman, whodelivered a whiskey and set it before Gideon.
He wasn’t home because he needed tothink, and the silence in the mansion would bedeafening.
Could it be thatsimple? He picked up the glass and sippedthe fiery liquid. Lady Moira was a lovely lady. More so, actually,when her face wasn’t broken out in hives and blotches. And shewanted to live in Scotland. From the few encounters he’dexperienced with the girl, she seemed to have a pleasingpersonality. Not once had Lady Moira prattled on about nonsense,and she’d revealed a depth of compassion and caring when it came toher family. On the other hand, she did want to escape her mother,which was in complete opposition of what she exhibited toward herbrother and sister-in-law. Gideon would need to learn more aboutLady Moira before forming a more permanent opinion on the matter.But, most importantly, Lady Moira didn’t expect a love match, likeso many simpering debutants. Gideon smiled down into his glass.Being compromised by her wouldn’t be a hardship either.
What happened to herbreasts? Had she previously added stuffingto her corset somehow? Notpossible. The creamy display, barelycontained by her gown at the Davenport ball, was not brought on bycotton. But why?
Laughter burst from a table not faraway, and Gideon glanced in that direction. Now there was an oddgathering. It wasn’t a surprise to see Viscount Heathfield andDamien Lockwell together; they had always been friends. But, wherehad John Phillip Trent (Jordan’s younger brother) and
