Page 34 of In Compromise with the Earl
Is it worth it to listen to him for once?
Her hands dropped from the horse. “As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right. Perhaps my prejudice is unneeded.”
“Will you try…” Lady Pandora asked, “To listen with an open ear?”
Aphrodite felt heavily conflicted as she was incredibly sure that, just like a tiger could not change its stripes, the Duke was still the shallow, conceited bounder she had seen in the last season.
“Fine, I will try,” Aphrodite said unhappily.
But I will not expect much.
“No man is perfect, Aphrodite,” Lady Pandora said quietly, and her words carried an old…hurt? Was her friend speaking from experience with broken heartedness? “Remember that.”
Pivoting a little, Aphrodite eyed her friend and found that she did not like the solemn pall that had descended on Lady Pandora’s beautiful face. “Lady Pandora,” she said, stepping away from the horse to approach her friend. “Are you all right?”
Shifting to the side, Lady Pandora nodded, and the morose expression was wiped from her face and exchanged with a placid one. “I’m fine, Aphrodite. As you’ve given your word, I will arrange a carriage ride for you two to the countryside tomorrow.”
“And a tea service won’t do?” Aphrodite asked, barely stopping herself from wrinkling her nose. The idea of being in close confines with the Duke was not enticing at all.
“I think with my strong warning and your maid in the carriage with you, all will be fine,” Lady Pandora said. “The Duke does have a modicum of decency in him.”
“We’ll have to see about that too,” Aphrodite said.
“And one more thing that bears repeating though it seems that you aren’t taking heed, leave Lord Tennesley alone.”
Grabbing the reins, Aphrodite replied, “About that…no.”
“No?”
“He is not the weak man you tried to trick me into thinking he is, but you’ve misjudged him, and I am not going to make the same mistake.” Aphrodite took her mount into the sunlight. “I may be walking into danger, but so be it.”
Chapter Twelve
“Leo?” Oswald looked up from the papers on his desk to see his cousin striding in with a folio in his hands. “What are you doing here?”
“Your steward sends his love,” Leo said dryly while handing the folio over. “I certainly do not envy you, Oswald. If I had to go over so many documents, I’d probably be a candidate for Bedlam.”
“Oh, shut it,” Oswald said laughingly. “You must have had it worse when studying for the priesthood.”
“Memorizing the Beatitudes is nothing like working out taxes and investments,” Leo waved dismissively. “May I sit?”
“Yes,” Oswald said, “let me call for some refreshments.”
“Water or lemonade, thank you,” Leo said, while Oswald went to find a maid. After requesting the drinks, he went to find Leo tapping his fingers on the desk and narrowed his eyes—why was his cousin nervous?
“Is there more to this visit than delivering documents?” Oswald added. “You look a bit hesitant.”
Leo’s bright blue gaze dimmed. “After the last time I came here, I spoke with Aunt—and I mentioned Lady Aphrodite to her.”
A surge of dread tightened Oswald’s middle. If his mother was as in touch with thetonas he knew she was, she was aware of Aphrodite’s father and his actions. He could bet that she was heavily against him having any association with her.
“And let me guess,” Oswald said tiredly. “She wants me to have nothing to do with her.”
“In a nutshell, yes,” Leo grimaced.
“I appreciate her concern, but Lord Kingsley’s sins are not his daughter’s,” Oswald said decisively. “My mother is wary yes, and she has every right to be, but she cannot judge the young ladycarte-blanche.I happen to like the Lady.”
“As you have every right to ,” Leo said, “but have you sensed anything peculiar—”
