Page 56 of The Forbidden Lord
The barrister settled back in his seat and eyed her with suspicion. “How odd that Lady Sophie should leave town in the midst of her coming out.”
“It’s not often done, I’ll admit, but in this case, it’s perfectly warranted.” She thought quickly. “You see, Sophie no longer has to make the rounds. She’s accepted an offer of marriage.” Thankfully, he wasn’t apt to move in any circles where he could learn she was lying.
He looked momentarily stunned. Then his pale blue eyes glittered beneath the dark, scowling brows. “Really? So soon after her arrival in London?”
Ophelia shrugged. “That’s to be expected for a girl with her attractions. In fact, her fiancé is one of the guests at our friend’s estate.”
He glanced away, staring off into the fire a moment as if considering her words. “I see.” Then his gaze swung back to her as he rose. “Thank you for clarifying matters, Lady Dundee.”
Ophelia rose as well. “You’re welcome. Be sure to visit when Miss Fairchild returns.”
“I certainly will.” He headed for the door with her a few paces behind, then stopped short. “Why don’t you give me the address of that estate where Emily is staying? Then I can write my cousin and ask her to pay me a visit upon her return.”
Really, this young man was growing troublesome. Did he have some other, deeper interest in Emily? Cousins sometimes did marry, after all.
How excessively inconvenient his interference would be now, when they were close to discovering the truth. Ophelia mustered all the frosty dignity she could manage. “I’m sure your cousin will have little time for letters in the country, nor would I wish to trouble her host with taking mail for her. That’s why we’re holding her mail here.”
She stepped toward the door, and opened it for him. “I’ll tell her of your interest when I get there. I’m certain she’ll write you as soon as she has the chance.”
He glanced from her to the open door, looking as if he might say something else. Then he gave a sketchy bow. “Very well, Lady Dundee. Sorry to trouble you. I’ll await my cousin’s letter with eager anticipation.”
“You do that. Good day, Mr. Phelps.”
She watched as Carter showed him out, then sank onto the settee, her heart pounding in her chest. Pray heaven that was the last she saw of the impertinent creature. She was getting too old for these games.
Emily burst into the room. “Thank goodness he’s gone! You did that very well. I don’t think he suspected anything, do you?”
Privately Ophelia thought he suspected a good deal. But she couldn’t tell the poor girl that, not when Emily had so many other things on her mind. “I think we’re rid of him for the moment.”
“Yes.” The young woman forced a bright smile. “Well then, I suppose I’ll go rest for a while. My headache, you know.”
She had already turned toward the door when Ophelia said, “Wait one moment, my dear. Before you run off to hide, I wish to discuss what happened at the museum.”
The girl’s back went rigid as a poker. “Nothing happened. I told you, Lord St. Clair?—”
“You know quite well that’s not what I’m referring to.”
Emily’s heart sank as she faced the countess. She’d hoped to avoid this, prayed that Lady Dundee wouldn’t question her too closely. She should have known better.
The countess patted the seat next to her on the settee. “Come here and tell me what happened with Blackmore.”
Emily nearly rebelled. Hadn’t she been through enough today? Merely thinking of her encounter with Jordan made her want to cry. The hungry glide of his hands over her body, the shocking things she’d let him do! Every moment had been the sweetest torture. And to know that it had meant absolutelynothingto him … She could never reveal that shame to Lady Dundee.
On the other hand, she needed advice. What if Jordan did tell everyone? What was she to do? The only person who could help her with this was the countess. Heaven knows telling Lord Nesfield would be a disaster.
“Well?” Lady Dundee said, jolting Emily from her reverie.
Wearily, she took the seat next to the countess. Perhaps it was time she explained Jordan’s interest in her. She could tell the truth without revealing all of what happened this afternoon. “Lord Blackmore and I visited a ‘private’ part of the museum.”
“I knew it! All that nonsense about the carriage … Did he try to make advances? I swear, I’ll strangle the scoundrel if?—”
“It wasn’t about that.” She paused, swallowing hard. “You see, he knows who I really am.”
The countess gaped at her. “What? But how?”
Unable to look at Lady Dundee, she explained. How she’d met Jordan. What had happened. How he’d recognized her later, then spent his time trying to prove who she was. Without revealing what else they’d done, she told Lady Dundee that he’d finally trapped her into revealing her identity in the museum.
“So you see,” she finished, her gaze dropping to her hands, “his interest in me is motivated only by a desire to unmask me. And today, thanks to my blundering, he succeeded.”
