“Did you sit beside me with the goal of asking impertinentquestions?” she challenged.
“No,” Rob said. “Though I’ve always been told I’m rathergood at them, so I’ll thank you not to impugn one of my few useful skills.”
“And I’ll thank you not to trouble me again.” She stood,forcing him to his feet, then dropped her lorgnette and swept away from him.
Nicely done, Rob. And you’re supposed to have a silvertongue.
He rose and strolled in the opposite direction, trying notto look as disappointed as he felt. What had he expected,that a gift to the school and a few kind words would have her falling back intohis arms? She had been, and still was, a diamond of the first water. If hewanted to restore himself in her good graces, he’d have to work harder.
The curly-haired fellow deposited his sister back at Rob’sside after the dance had ended. She didn’t seem the least upset when he tookhimself off.
“Unimpressive?” Rob asked.
“Tolerable,” she pronounced. “And what of you? I saw yousitting with Mrs. Todd. Did I detect a thaw in the air?”
“Perhaps a touch of late fall,” he allowed. “But winter soonset in again.”
She raised a brow. “Could my charming brother be losing hisabilities?”
Rob looked down his nose at her. “I have lost only theskirmish. It is far too soon to be declaring the results of the war.”
Another fellow approached just then. He’d been the first toclaim Hester’s hand for a dance, but Rob hadn’t detected any particular warmthbetween the two.
“My lord,” he said with a nod. “Miss Peverell. Mrs. Denby,the spa hostess, introduced us at the Harvest Ball.”
“Ah, yes, Mr. Donner,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “How areyou faring?”
“Well enough,” he said, “but I could count my night asuccess if I had an opportunity to dance with you.”
Elizabeth sent Rob a look, as if to say this was how it shouldbe done. Really, the fellow was far too obvious with his fatuous smile andmanly chin. Still, he returned to the floor with Elizabeth on his arm.
Should he have protested? He hadn’t had to involve himselfwith these sorts of decisions before. His mother had always chaperoned hissister for the seven years she had been out. During that time, Elizabeth hadgarnered no less than thirteen offers of marriage. She’d managed to convinceFather to refuse all of them. That had made for gossip sufficient enough toeclipse even some of his antics.
“What is she waiting for?” Rob had heard their mother lamentone night after Elizabeth had gone to bed. “She’s refused titles, wealth,position, and power. And she never gives me a better answer than I didn’tcare for him.”
“Elizabeth has exacting standards,” their father had said,voice heavy with pride. “And my little girl deserves a fellow who meets every one.”
His little girl. That had been Elizabeth’s role in thefamily, no matter her age. She was his father’s darling, who could do no wrong.Thomas was the dutiful firstborn, determined to please, to excel no matter howhigh the standard. Rob was the charming entertainment.
And now he must be so much more.
“Good evening, my lord,” Mrs. Greer said. The angular blondegiggled as she ventured closer, as if he’d given her a witty retort instead ofsilence. “I do hope you are enjoying our little assemblies.”
“Immensely,” he assured her. “And how is your husband thearborist this evening?”
Her smile stiffened. “He is an apothecary, my lord, thoughyou are so healthy you would not require his services, I’m sure. And he isquite well, thank you for asking. Looking forward to his next term as presidentof the Spa Corporation Council.”
“Lord Howland appointed him, then,” Rob mused. “Or is thatmy role as viscount now?”
She drew herself up. “No, indeed, my lord. Every position onthe council is elected annually by the entire village. My husband has beenelected president for the last six years running. It is an exacting position,requiring patience, fortitude, and wisdom, all of which my husband possesses ingood measure.”
“Well, I wish him the best of luck,” he told her.
The vicar approached them just then, and Mrs. Greer made wayfor him.
“Mr. Wingate,” she said with an equally ingratiating smile.“How fortunate we are to have you attend tonight.”
A slight fellow, the minister tended to bob his head whenspeaking as if agreeing to his own logic. “I came for the express purpose ofthanking Lord Peverell for his generous donation to the dame school in UpperGrace. The rector, Mr. Jenkins, could not stop speaking of it when we metearlier this week.”
“It is the talk of the village here too,” Mrs. Greer assuredhim, though he had a feeling the news had not reached Grace-by-the-Sea as yet.“A hundred pounds was it?”
“A thousand,” the vicar informed her.
She paled, hand going to her heart. “A thousand!”
“A donation befitting the endeavor,” Rob told them both,feeling as if his cravat were tightening around his neck.
Mrs. Greer’s exclamation had drawn others closer. Before heknew it, they were singing his praises. He was kind, generous, a visionary. Hecould have told them that even the cruelest villain could donate to a worthycause if it benefitted him. Rob had never claimed to be a saint.
Just a sinner trying hard to reform.
Chapter Five
No footman opened the door for them whenRob and his sister reached the Lodge that evening. They had brought only a few servantswith them—Elizabeth’s maid, Kinsey, and his valet, Eckman, as well as theirchef and his favorite assistant. The rest Elizabeth had arranged to hiretemporarily from Mrs. Catchpole at the local employment agency. Rob was onlysurprised the footman did not appear to know his job.
He helped Elizabeth off with her cloak, then turned for theheavy stairs. She hummed to herself as they climbed. While Rob was delighted tosee her happy, he couldn’t help wondering whether he should have been moreattentive to who had partnered her at the assembly.
What if one was a fortune hunter or had lascivious motives?Would Mother have been able to ferret out the truth? On the other hand, he knewhow easy it was to
