Page 8 of Beauty and the Rake
“So it seems, and we seem to be their gossip. Pity they don’t have anything better to do.”
“Everyone will know you’ve returned, so that sort of gossip is good, isn’t it?”
“It depends on what is being told,” she said.
Graham nodded. “I see your point.”
They continued on their path. Roxanne prayed simply acknowledging the group would be good enough for now. She had no desire to be lured into the group. Unfortunately, today she wasn’t going to be so lucky.
“Lady Smith,” Lady Mulbury said with some distaste dripping from her mouth. “I heard you’d returned, though I didn’t expect to see you here. I understood you to live in a less prestigious section of the city.”
Roxanne glared at her, refusing to be spun into her web. “If you consider Grosvenor Square a less prestigious section of Mayfair, then yes.”
She didn’t dare look up at Graham. That would be suicide because she’d burst out laughing and Lady Mulbury would have her for a snack.
“You’re staying at your family home?”
“Yes.”
“You must come for a visit sometime and tell me all about your stay in the south of France.”
She nodded. “I would like that, Lady Mulbury.”
Graham, at that time, bent down and whispered, “No cause for alarm, but we need to turn around and head to my carriage. The skies are about to open up, and it’s not going to be good.”
She glanced up. The skies were a yellowish-gray with a much darker color rolling behind it. Quickly she addressed Lady Mulbury. “It was nice to see you again. Lord Hawksbury is anxious to find ourselves a good seat.”
“Good day,” the dragon said.
Graham’s strides were long, and it was hard for her to keep up as he headed to where his carriage sat. Upon seeing them approach, the door to the carriage was opened just as drops of rain began to fall. “Faster; we’re almost there.”
Just as he handed her up into the carriage, the black sky opened up. Graham quickly shut the door as he settled onto the seat across from Roxanne. He removed his hat and grinned.
Looking outside, she saw people scurrying to their carriages or anywhere dry. She could see Lady Mulbury and the ladies with her rushing towards the waiting carriage. They were going to be soaked by the deluge as fast as they were going.
“Well, drat! I was looking forward to hearing some music,” she said.
“Another time.”
“Absolutely,” she said. “Why don’t we return to the house and have a cup of hot tea?”
“Sounds amenable to a wet, dank afternoon.”
Roxanne focused her attention away from Graham to the scenery outside. She had forgotten what a gorgeous man he had become. Not that he wasn’t always handsome. Now he had thematurity he lacked all those years ago. And like a long time ago, she still found herself drawn to him. Like there was some force at work. She would have to be careful. She didn’t need a broken heart, and she didn’t need to be involved with any man. She needed to enjoy life as a widow because a whole new world had opened up to her the moment Casper died.
Being friends with Graham was all she needed now. He’d always been kind and caring to her, and she could trust him with some of her secrets. He kept them to himself, not even revealing them to Arthur. There were some things better off not being told to her brother. After all, a lady needed an air of mysteriousness.
“Where are you, Rox? You’re deep in thought and haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”
“I’m sorry. I was just woolgathering. Since I’ve returned, I find myself doing that quite a bit.”
“A lot has changed since you were gone, and your life isn’t as it was when you left for France.”
“I want to do something productive. Not that overseeing the house for Arthur isn’t, but there has to be more. I just can’t figure out what it should be.”
“Don’t be in a hurry. Just take your time to settle in. You have a unique opportunity to do so. Allow yourself time. I’m sure if you do, a plan will emerge to you.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Graham. That is very sage advice.”
