She might not accept his call, much less help him walk a dog. But it was an unconventional way of spending time with her. It might lift her spirits in some small way, and he could learn whether she needed his help in escaping the marriage.
You shouldn’t do this, his brain warned. It’s wrong.
He knew that. But he intended to try, even so.
Chapter Two
‘My lady, you have a caller. Viscount Camford has asked if you are receiving.’ The footman, Louis, was holding a silver salver with the card upon it.
Regina was about to refuse, when she heard the unexpected sound of barking. She regarded the footman. ‘Is that a dog?’ Surely, she was hearing things.
‘It is, my lady. Two of them, in fact.’
A sudden flare of mirth caught her by surprise. ‘Really. Lord Camford brought dogs with him?’ She could hardly believe it. Why on earth would he do such a thing?
The footman’s expression turned pained. ‘Yes, he did, my lady. Would you like me to send him away?’
That would be the appropriate thing to do, considering she was promised to another man. But curiosity warred with her love of animals. She needed to see the dogs, regardless of Camford’s intentions.
‘Don’t send him away,’ she told the footman. ‘I will receive him in the parlour. And the dogs, of course.’ She had a weakness for them, since her mother had never allowed her to own one. Arabella believed that the animals were filthy creatures who would destroy the household. Although she had no idea what Lord Camford was up to, she was eager to see the dogs.
‘Yes, my lady.’ Her footman departed, and Regina put her book back upon the shelf of her father’s bookcase. She walked towards the parlour, still wondering why he had brought the dogs. The barking noise increased, and she sat in a chair, waiting impatiently.
When Lord Camford entered the parlour, she could not stop the soft cry of delight at the squirming dogs. One was a pug and the other, his foxhound Laddie.
‘Good afternoon, Lady Regina,’ he greeted her. ‘I’ve brought other callers with me. You know Laddie, and this is Hubert. I saw Worthingstone’s footman walking him just down the street, and I offered to take him along with us.’
‘So I see.’ She knelt down to welcome his dog. Laddie was ageing, but he was still as sweet and affectionate as she remembered. Then she turned her attention to the other dog, and the pug began licking her gloves. ‘Aren’t you a darling?’ she cooed, taking the animal. Hubert was wiggling in her arms, and she sat upon the sofa, bringing him to her lap. Lord Camford sat beside her so she was able to pet both dogs.
‘Do you like them?’
‘I adore them.’ Regina lifted the pug for a kiss, and he licked her face. ‘It’s a good thing my mother is out paying calls. Else she would force you to take them away.’ She wondered what exactly Lord Camford was up to and decided to ask. ‘Why did you bring them to me?’
‘I remembered you told me years ago that you loved dogs,’ he said.
She didn’t know quite what to think of that, but she was too distracted by the animals to care. The pug settled on her lap while the foxhound was darting between Lord Camford and her, sniffing furiously.
‘They have a lot of energy,’ he said. ‘I thought you might like to go for a drive, and then we could walk with them near the gardens. I brought the leads.’
The instinct to refuse came to her lips, but then, it was a lovely spring day. The dogs clearly needed the exercise, and the idea of spending time with them was delightful.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘But only for a little while.’ She removed her glove and ran her fingers over the pug’s head, smiling at his wrinkled face. He turned towards her touch and licked her palm. She laughed at his antics, and then glanced up at Lord Camford to see what he thought of the animals.
His eyes seemed greener just now, and he was staring at her with undisguised interest. His dark blond hair framed a strong jaw, and there was a faint stubble of beard on his cheeks. A rush of sensation flooded through her, for he looked as if he wanted to kiss her. Although the thought should have evoked terror, instead, she found herself captivated by his gaze. Her heart beat faster, and she turned away, feeling her cheeks flush.
The last thing she needed was a man’s interest. She was ruined for marriage, and while Dalton St George was a titled gentleman whom any woman might desire, he was not for her, nor she for him. Were it possible to avoid all men, she would readily do so.
Lord Camford reached over and pressed a leather lead into her hand. His fingers lingered upon hers for a moment, and once again, she felt the surge of nervous energy rising. ‘For Hubert,’ he said, before he let go of her hand. There was a faint smile on his face, as if he was aware of her discomfort and was trying to reassure her.
Regina attached the leather lead on to the animal’s collar and then put her glove back on before she lifted the pug into her arms. Hubert was heavier than she’d expected, but he seemed content in her embrace.
‘You can put him down if you’d rather,’ Lord Camford said.
But right now, the dog felt like a shield against her own distracted feelings. She preferred holding him close, and she pressed a kiss upon his furry head.
Instead of marriage, she decided it would be much nicer to live alone, surrounded by dogs. The thought made her smile.
Lord Camford was still watching her, but he set the foxhound on the floor, lightly gripping the lead to keep the animal from running away.
‘Shall we?’ he asked, offering his arm.
Regina took a deep breath,
