‘Did the old man appreciate you dropping everything and speeding to his bedside?’ Josh tried to distract himself from thoughts of Lady Elizabeth in any way he could. Leo had returned home two days ago, declaring Lord Abbingdon in fine health.
‘I’m not sure Lord Abbingdon appreciates anything or anyone.’ Leo had a wry smile on his lips but he still looked tired, having ridden for a day each way to visit the old man and then stayed up late working to catch up on what he had missed whilst away on his trip. ‘Tell me, did you go to the pleasure gardens with Lady Elizabeth in the end?’
‘Yes.’
Leo regarded him for a moment, an eyebrow raised in question. ‘And?’
‘It was a pleasant evening.’
‘Lady Elizabeth seems an unoffensive enough girl, although her mother is a little...persistent.’
‘Her mother was unwell. She didn’t accompany us.’
‘Oh? And she allowed Lady Elizabeth out unchaperoned?’
‘She arranged for some friends to meet us at the gardens.’
‘I see. So what did you think?’
‘Of Lady Elizabeth?’
Leo nodded his head.
‘She’s a very nice young lady.’ He tried to make his answer as bland as possible, aware of Leo’s eyes resting on him.
‘Anything scandalous? Or annoying?’
‘No, although I only spent an hour or two in her company.’
The carriage drew to a stop outside a grand building that people were already streaming into. Josh was dressed in his finest evening wear, but as he looked out of the window he saw he wasn’t going to be out of place. The ladies were wearing flowing dresses made of satin and silk and many had feathers or other decorations in their hair. The gentlemen all wore jackets and cravats, some carried canes and all had smart top hats on their heads.
‘A place to be seen,’ Josh murmured. Society here still puzzled him a little. In India, of course, there was a class system. It was at times difficult to understand and harsh in the unbending division of the castes. The people he socialised with were other landowners, other men of business and their families. The circle was small but the rules much more lax than here in England.
‘Do they have opera in India?’
‘Not that I’ve ever seen.’ Josh smiled at the idea. He’d been to the theatre many times, marvelling at the bright costumes and complex steps performed by the Indian dancers, but something told him this was going to be an entirely different experience.
They made their way through the crowds into the opera house. Josh had to suppress a smile at the number of people who stared at him and Leo, obvious in their shock at the similarities between the two brothers, one of whom they’d had no idea existed.
He knew the moment Lady Elizabeth stepped through the doors. They were talking to Lord Willingham and his wife, discussing all the new building going on around London, when he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye. She glided into the atrium, petite and poised, and seemed to suck all the air out of the room. He couldn’t help but turn towards her, catching her eye for just a fraction of a second before forcing himself to turn away.
As he rejoined the conversation he felt Leo’s eyes on him for a moment, a slight frown on his brow.
‘Mr Ashburton, Mr Ashburton,’ Lady Elizabeth said with a polite little dip of her head as she came to join their circle. ‘And, Lady Willingham, how lovely to see you and your husband again.’
Josh watched as she charmed the elderly couple, marvelling at how easily she slipped into this world. From the little she’d told him about her life she hadn’t experienced much of London society herself, but it would seem some things were innate behaviours for someone of her rank. She was attentive and interested in what the couple had to say and he could feel Leo’s approval directed towards her as she demonstrated how good she could be in company.
Josh felt a spark of jealousy and quickly dampened it down. Lady Elizabeth had informed him how important it was she marry Leo. He liked her, respected her, and as such he should be pleased she was gaining his brother’s approval.
‘Shall we go upstairs?’ Leo suggested once Lord and Lady Willingham had taken their leave. He offered his arm to Lady Elizabeth and she took it, but not before Josh caught her glance surreptitiously at him. He shook his head, trying to convey that their illicit kiss remained a secret between them.
When they arrived at their box Josh was distracted for a few minutes, taking in the opulence of the theatre and the rows upon rows of well-dressed people settling into their seats. Their box was just to the right of the stage, affording them a decent view of both the stage area and the other guests.
‘Would you excuse me for a moment? There’s someone I have to speak to,’ Leo said, directing his words to Lady Elizabeth. She smiled graciously and watched as he left.
Once they were alone for a moment neither of them moved. Lady Elizabeth’s posture seemed unusually stiff and Josh realised she was struggling not to turn to him.
‘Lady Elizabeth,’ he began but she shook her head.
‘My mother will be here at any moment. She was just talking to some friends downstairs.’
‘I wasn’t planning on saying anything scandalous,’ he murmured. He could see the twitch at the corner of her lips as she tried her hardest not to smile. ‘Unless you’re more worried about
