Page 14 of Beauty and the Rake
“Wait, you still haven’t told me your name, milady.”
“I know. Perhaps I don’t wish you to know.”
“You have me there.”
“Good day to you, sir.” She continued to the door and pulled it open, when the newly minted marquess was at her side, holding the door so she could pass. She didn’t dare look up at him, but somehow, she caught a glimpse of him anyway. An average man. Dark-blond hair and height. He apparently spent a good deal of time in the sun. Nothing striking about him otherwise.
She crossed the street and headed back to the park. Though she had planned to spend more time looking into the shop windows, this insistent man made her change her plans out of pure caution. Part of her wanted to turn and look behind her, to make sure he wasn’t following her, but she didn’t dare. He certainly had nerve to be so insistent.
The entrance to the park neared.
“Lady Roxanne? Is everything all right?” a familiar baritone said from her left.
“Yes. I was just headed to the house.”
“In such a rush?”
“Well, I…”
He did something completely unexpected. He removed his hat, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You’re a terrible liar.Who is the man you’re trying to distance yourself from?” He placed her hand on the crook of his arm and placed his hat back on his head.
“He’s following me?”
“Might be. Would you like me to have a word with him?”
“No, if you could escort me, though.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Graham said.
After a few minutes of silence between them and once they were inside the park, Graham turned his head and looked around as discreetly as possible. “Where did you run into this fellow?” he asked.
“At the bookstore. He approached me at the counter,” she said. “Is he still following?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still around.”
“I swear I did nothing to encourage him. If anything, I was a bit rude.”
“I hadn’t thought of this before, but he could be someone your stepson hired. I’m sure he knows by now that you didn’t move into that house.”
Roxanne stopped. “Why could what I do now be of interest to him? Everything was settled. Or so I thought.”
“Perhaps learning you aren’t living in the house piqued his interest. Why, I don’t know. We’ll mention it to Arthur and see if he has any thoughts on the matter. In the meantime, we’re going to exit the park at a different entrance, and I’ll escort you through the kitchens.”
“That sounds amenable. However, if this man’s done his research, he’ll know where the family home is.”
Graham chuckled and patted her hand with his free one. He started to walk once again. “I imagine he does, but this way I can get you home without him seeing you return, and we can look out one of the front windows and see if he’s out there.”
“You don’t need to involve yourself in this. I’m sure Arthur can take care of the situation.”
“I’m sure he can, but I’m involved, and I’ll not see you bothered by some stranger with nefarious intentions.”
She sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to change his mind. “Then let’s go. I had other things planned for the afternoon that didn’t involve ducking around alleyways.”
He barked out a laugh and they continued at a more rapid pace.
The kitchen staff barely noticed them as they entered through the kitchen garden door. Roxanne and her brother were regular visitors using the door as a means of escape back when it was needed. Roxanne caught the eye of the housekeeper and asked the woman if any of the staff had noticed anyone hanging around the alley. She said she hadn’t but would inquire with the rest of the staff and ask everyone to be vigilant.
Climbing the stairs to the main floor, Roxanne and Graham stopped in the front hall. “If you want to speak to Arthur, I’ll see if he’s returned home.”
