Page 27 of The Earl's Error
Joceline watched the gentleman leave and, once the door was closed, flopped back into a chair, one hand at her forehead. “Goodness! That was unexpected.”
“But it is good, is it not?” Miss Sherwood asked, her voice bright with seeming enthusiasm. “He wants our help, Joceline! That is an excellent thing.”
“Unless he merely wants me close to him so he can catch me with the necklace,” Joceline muttered, still rather uncomfortable with the strange happenings within her heart when it came to Lord Albury. “I do not like that he still thinks I might be guilty.”
Miss Sherwood waved a hand. “That will pass, and quickly too,” she said, unequivocally. “He will have no reason to doubt you very soon, I am sure. With all of us together, the truth cannot escape us for long.”
“I must hope so.” Pushing herself up out of her chair, Joceline made for the door. “Come now, let us go and tell the other members of the Bluestocking Book Club about these developments.” She smiled as she spoke, the name of the book club lifting her heart. “You are quite right, Eugenia. Together, we arecertainto find the truth.”
“Yes, we shall,” her friend said, coming after her. “And you will be proven entirely innocent – and Lord Albury shall have no choice but to grovel at your feet in apology.”
Laughing at the picture her friend presented, Joceline made her way back to the drawing-room though, as she walked, she could not quite forget the small smile that had touched Lord Albury’s lips when she had spoken about his soon-to-be-required apology. It had sent light into his eyes and transformedhis expression… and much to her frustration, had set her heart quite awry.
12
“You are to walk with her? Here?”
Theodore nodded, looking all about him as Lord Castleton and Lady Castleton walked beside him. “Yes. That was the arrangement.”
“So, you have taken what I suggested seriously, then?” Lord Castleton looked a little surprised as Theodore nodded. “Goodness. I am a little astonished.”
“You are?” Theodore looked at his friend as Lord Castleton nodded. “Why is that?”
Lord Castleton winced, though he smiled with it. “Well, I suppose that -”
“He thought you quite determined to blame Miss Trentworth for the necklace,” Lady Castleton put in, squeezing her husband’s arm lightly and smiling up at him as she spoke. “Though he is a good deal less convinced and I confess that I agree with him.”
Theodore, who had expected that his friend would share all of this with his wife, smiled lightly. “You are a lady of good judgment, I think, so I shall certainly take your considerations to my mind, Lady Castleton.” He let out a small sigh. “I am wellaware that there is a good deal of evidence that would suggest she has nothing whatsoever to do with it but still, there is a pressing niggle in my mind that says she might still have been involved. Her mother dislikes mine and any daughter ought to be loyal to their mother, yes?”
“Of course, but bear in mind that Lady Melford is not the only lady who dislikes your mother,” Lord Castleton said plainly, though Lady Castleton let out a small exclamation as though she was both shocked and displeased with her husband speaking in such a plain manner. “There will be others at the soiree who had just as much displeasure within their hearts upon seeing Lady Albury’s arrival.” Patting his wife’s hand, Lord Castleton said something comforting to his wife, though Theodore did not pay too much attention. That was true, certainly, though it was not something he had given a great deal of consideration to at present. Mayhap hehadbeen a little too fixated on Lady Albury and Miss Trentworth.
“Lord Albury?”
He turned his head to see Lady Castleton nodding in one direction, her eyes following. “I think Miss Trentworth is approaching you.”
Much to his displeasure, Theodore’s heart leaped in a most unexpected way. He had not once taken any great note of Miss Trentworth, he told himself, though now that he watched her come near him, he could not help but recall how hehad,in fact, considered the beauty of her eyes on at least two separate occasions. Surely it could not have been the thought of her eyes that made his heart leap so! Any such emotion in that regard was utterly foolish and Theodore, pushing it aside, tried to concentrate solely on the matter at hand.
“Miss Trentworth.” He inclined his head. “And Lady Rosalyn, a pleasure to see you both.”
“And you also,” they both murmured, though Lady Rosalyn quickly made her way towards Lady Castleton, with the two ladies falling into quick conversation. Theodore swallowed thickly, surprised that he felt himself a little nervous now, even though there was nothing whatsoever to bring him any sort of anxiety! He was left facing Miss Trentworth, almost unwillingly bringing his eyes to hers and, in doing so, feeling his heart leap up all over again in the strangest fashion.
“Miss Trentworth.” He demanded that his lips curve into a smile, relieved that that Lord Castleton had not yet moved away but stayed beside him. “I do hope you have had a pleasant afternoon.”
She smiled lightly at him. “I have, yes. Though there is much now for us to discuss, is there not?”
Theodore nodded and, seeing Lady Castleton and Lady Rosalyn begin to meander, arm in arm, along the path, turned so that they might all follow after them. “Are you permitted to walk with us, Miss Trentworth?”
She glanced up at him, then looked over her shoulder. “So long as I do not stray too far from my mother, all shall be quite well.”
Without a word, Theodore began to follow after Lady Castleton and Lady Rosalyn though, much to his concern and slight frustration, Lord Castleton hurried to catch up with his wife, slipping his arm through hers so they might walk together. That left himself and Miss Trentworth almost alone, their conversation unheard by others, and, strangely enough, that sent Theodore’s heart into a quickened pace.
“The other bluestockings and I spoke at length yesterday afternoon,” she began, making her way directly to the point of their meeting. “They are all quite determined to find your necklace, Lord Albury, just as I am.”
“Because they are determined to prove that you were not in the least bit involved,” he murmured, as a smile danced across her lips. “You have loyal friends, Miss Trentworth.”
Her expression softened, a gentleness about her eyes as she tipped her head up to look at him. “Yes,” she said, quietly. “I do. I am glad to see that you recognize that, Lord Albury.”
“And they all speak well of your character,” he admitted, a trifle heavily. “You are too astute for me to pretend that I do not still have a vague suspicion, Miss Trentworth, but I can assure you that it is only a mild one.”
