Page 31 of What a Courtesan Wants
Elizabeth gave Aubrey a look which clearly said she was not fooled. “You know very well which lady, but since you insist on acting daft I shall spell it out for you. The widow, Lady Bowery … the one who came here a few weeks ago looking at you in the most heartsick manner.”
Heartsick? Aubrey almost snorted at the idea. Elizabeth had too little experience with such matters to realize that what she’d seen on Lucinda’s face had actually been guilt and lust. That was all.
“I believe you are mistaken. Lady Bowery is merely an acquaintance who … well, she …”
“Looks at you like you are a pot of chocolate and she is very, very thirsty.”
“Lizzy!”
She shrugged, then giggled. “I’m sorry, but it’s true. Kit and I both noticed it, and you were upstairs with her for an awfully long time.”
Aubrey busied himself with straightening the scattered contents of his desk in order to avoid her gaze and think up some suitable excuse for the things Elizabeth had just reminded him of. Why hadn’t he thought of this before?
“As I said, she is an acquaintance who came here to speak with me on a matter of importance. Not business, per se … so it was best not to discuss it on the shop floor.”
Elizabeth appeared both suspicious and curious. “And what matter is that?”
Right. He was going to have to come up with something. Telling Elizabeth that a matter didn’t concern her worked less and less the older she grew. Her natural curiosity and headstrong nature made her a force that could not be denied. She was like her mother that way.
“Well, you see—”
A sharp rap on the door had him shooting to his feet, relief easing the tension from his bones. “Come!”
The door swung open and Kit poked his head through. “Someone here to see you, sir. The Lady Bowery.”
Elizabeth gave him a wide-eyed look while Kit waited expectantly for his reply.
“See her in,” he replied, his stomach tying itself in knots.
And here he had thought this would be an ordinary day. As Lucinda was ushered into his office, he wondered what she could want with him on a Wednesday, while still ruminating over possible answers for Elizabeth.
She wore gray again today, and Aubrey had long grown used to seeing her in the color—the only exception being the occasional lavender frock, and her white nightgowns. Her spirits seemed high today, and he realized she was smiling—a rare sight. In fact, she was a far cry from the scowling, despondent-looking woman he’d first met. Aubrey couldn’t help but wonder if he had anything to do with the gradual change in her demeanor. Then, he wondered why he should want such a thing after he’d just finished telling himself not to grow too attached to her.
Shaking off that thought, he rose to his feet and came her. “Lu-Lady Bowery. What a pleasure it is to see you this afternoon.”
His neck heated as he nearly spat out her Christian name in front of Elizabeth, who watched as if studying a fascinating museum exhibit. He made sure to keep his face in a polite mask of interest while pulling up a chair for Lucinda.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Drake, Miss Barrett. I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Aubrey’s reply was cut short when Elizabeth spoke up. “Oh, not at all, my lady! In fact, Uncle Aubrey and I were just talking about you.”
Lucinda’s eyes twinkled with mirth as she gazed at Aubrey, taking in his panicked expression, then looking back to Elizabeth. “Is that so?”
“Oh, yes. In fact, Uncle Aubrey was just explaining your acquaintance to me.”
Lucinda’s cheeks went pink—which Elizabeth’s hawk-eyes couldn’t have failed to miss.
“I see. Then, he must have told you that we made one another’s acquaintance through Mr. Sterling.”
“Oh, you know Uncle Ben?”
Aubrey held his breath, wondering how Lucinda would field Elizabeth’s inevitable follow-up questions. A connection between a viscount’s son and a dowager countess made sense … but how could they explain how Lucinda had come to know Aubrey, or why she’d turned up at Rowland-Drake twice now?
“He’s a dear friend,” Lucinda replied without hesitation. “And he thought your uncle and I ought to know one another. You see, Mr. Drake and I have been discussing your coming out.”
Aubrey’s jaw fell open hard and fast, but he quickly snapped his mouth shut and maintained an outward appearance of calm. A dozen objections and questions came to mind, but now that Lucinda had made such a declaration he had no choice but to go along with it.
“Really?”
