Page 44 of Kiss Me Lady One More Time
“I knew you’d regret taking that pile on,” Lady Lowell said, quietly but fiercely triumphant.
“I fear you misunderstand. Greystone has given me so much more than I expected. Tensford and I have enjoyed every day spent there. Every day a new project, a new way to coax the place into thriving. And now the days grow sweeter as we begin to see the rewards of our work, from the house, to the fields and the tenants, even to the friends we’ve made.” She smiled at Penelope.
“How philanthropic you are,” Lady Lowell said dryly. She stood. “Well, I will not keep you. Please pass along my greetings to your husband.” She nodded. “Good day. I’m sure we will all see each other again, soon.”
Stunned, Penelope watched her sweep from the room.
“Now, now,” Hope admonished. “Do not let her color your notion of London Society. Most at-home visits are a comfortable coze of compliments, gossip and tea. It’s just that one who calls only to poke at me. Well, her and my mother-in-law.”
“She behaved the same way when she lived at Greystone for the year. She was quite catty to anyone she considered beneath her. Which was all of us, as far as I could tell.”
Hope sighed. “Sometimes it is extremely difficult not to poke back. She does go on about that family lineage. What I’ve heard is that the revered Lowell ancestor crossed over with William the Conqueror, as his executioner—the man he called upon to do the dirty work a crowned king cannot sully his hands with.” She shook her head. “And from what I’ve seen of her husband, the blood does run true.”
“You cannot lower yourself to her level of behavior,” Penelope declared. “I don’t think you could do it, even if you wished to.”
“Perhaps not, but sometimes it is pleasant to imagine it,” Hope sighed. “But you are right. The best revenge on someone like her is to live well and be happy.”
She nodded, trying to imagine what living well and happy might look like.
Tiny kisses, laughter, new ideas, hot breath, the slow unbuttoning of buttons.
Do it again.
“Come.” Hope stood and beckoned her. “As I was saying before we were interrupted, we have the morning free and I mean to put it to some use.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Run along and fetch a wrap, my dear. We are going to do a bit of sleuthing.”
Chapter 11
“We are to meet Lord Whiddon,” Sterne told the porter who greeted them at White’s. “Has he arrived?”
The porter nodded. “I believe you’ll find him in the breakfast room, sir.”
They did. Whiddon was already seated at a table and ordering coffee. “For the whole table, if you please,” he said as Sterne and Tensford took their seats. “And please ask John Bast to attend us for a moment?”
The servant nodded and departed.
“Why must we breakfast here, Whiddon? It’s altogether more comfortable and private at home,” Tensford complained.
Sterne didn’t complain. Taking the morning meal at the club meant there was no chance of meeting Penelope Munroe, and he felt in need of some distance.
“We must, because while we were dining in comfort at your table yesterday morn and while we were quizzing Goodson about Stillwater, the dastard was having his own breakfast, right here!”
“What?” Sterne stopped mooning about Penelope for the first time since he’d left her at Tensford’s last evening. “Stillwater? Here?”
“Surely he’s not a member?” Tensford frowned. “The man scarcely ever comes to London. Why would he take on the expense? Who would have sponsored him?”
“He was here as a guest. The porters know I’ve been asking about him. One of them sent word.”
“Perhaps he’ll show up again, today.” Sterne began to examine faces at the surrounding tables.
“He might, but at the very least we can find out who brought him along.”
“Yes. That will work. We can track him down that way,” Sterne agreed.
“Your coffee, sirs.” The porter began to pour and serve.
