Page 54 of His Lordship's True Lady
Lily spared Hessian not so much as a wave—not when her every move was observed by both a fan-wielding tool of the fiend and Uncle Walter.
By dawn on Saturday, Lily needed a plan that would protect Mama’s past from becoming public, protect Daisy from her aunt, preserve Grampion’s respect for Lily, and keep Uncle from suspecting trouble was afoot.
For the first time, Lily understood why her older half-sister, at the age of seventeen, had turned up her nose at propriety and reason, and eloped with Uncle Walter’s house steward.
* * *
Hessian had used his morning to meet with his solicitor, for updating a will was something best done sooner rather than later. On the walk back to his town house, he missed Daisy skipping at his side, missed her chatter, her questions.
Why do trees lose their leaves, but not their pine needles?
Where do different kinds of birds come from?
Does London always stink on rainy days?
Were you friends with my mama, or only neighbors?
That last question had required some delicacy. Lady Evers had been a woman frustrated by a cordial marriage to a much older man, and Hessian, at a loss for how to deter a female bent on seduction, had been lonely too.
Most peculiar of all, Lord Evers had more or less expressed gratitude for Hessian’sfriendshipwith Belinda.
Then her ladyship’s interest in dallying had ceased—or she’d given up on dallying with Hessian—and in less than a year, Daisy had arrived. Hessian had never known—and still didn’t know for sure—whether a casual affair had rekindled her ladyship’s sense of marital loyalty, or whether…
His steps took him past a shop that sold items for babies and young children. Daisy would delight in such an emporium, so he changed course for purposes of reconnaissance. Then too, he had nieces, and Daisy had brothers.
And what waited for him at home, besides correspondence, ledgers, and the domestic upheaval of having sacked a drill sergeant from his staff?
The shop owner had arranged the inventory to resemble a marvelously well-stocked nursery, and the whole place bore the scent of lavender, much as a nursery might. Fanciful animals sewn of cloth, embroidered blankets just the size for swaddling an infant, rattles, storybooks, a pair of hobbyhorses, and art supplies of every description filled the place.
And in the middle of this cave of wonders stood Lily Ferguson, the most delightful treasure of all.
“Miss Ferguson.”
She held a stuffed horse, a velvet bay with black yarn for its mane and tail. “My lord. This is a surprise.”
The shop girl watched the exchange, so Hessian offered a proper bow. “A fortuitous encounter for me. Perhaps you’ll advise me regarding suitable gifts for Daisy and her brothers?”
They left the shop thirty minutes later with God only knew what—a herd of stuffed horses, or stuffed bears, possibly some storybooks, and an armada of miniature sailing ships. Hessian sent Lily’s maid and footman home with her purchases and appointed himself her escort.
“I was hoping to linger a while longer at the shop,” Lily said. “Uncle is in a mood today.”
“Perhaps he was frustrated with my attention to the musicians last night. I hope you didn’t feel neglected.” Maybe that explained Lily’s less-than-pleased reception of Hessian this morning? He hadn’t wanted to single her out before a half-dozen gossips, and then the damned musicians had gone off on some flight about Herr Beethoven, orchestration, and English music publishers.
The musicians had kept the debutantes at bay, and thus Hessian had taken shameless advantage of Herr Beethoven’s acolytes.
“I did not expect your special notice, my lord. The musical entertainment was superb.”
They paused at an intersection, and Hessian spoke without thinking. “Come back to my house, Lily. We’ll have a late luncheon, and nobody will be the wiser.”
His suggestion was most improper, but then, they would soon be engaged.That changed the rules, to the point where very few rules applied beyonddon’t get caught.
“I ought not. Uncle will inquire as to my whereabouts.”
Uncle’s version of an inquiry came close to an interrogation, based on Lily’s tone. “Then we decided to go back to the shop because I forgot a purchase.” The lie rankled even as Hessian spoke it. “Or not. I’ll walk you home and look forward to riding with you later in the week.”
She looked down one street, then the other. Both were lovely Mayfair thoroughfares, with plane maples leafing out over busy traffic. Gracious homes lined each street, and to a casual onlooker, one choice would have been much the same as the other.
“Forgive me for tempting you from the path of common sense,” Hessian said. “I was troubled to note Mrs. Roberta Braithwaite among the guests last night. She did not approach me, but the mere sight of her sent my enjoyment of the evening into the ditch.”
