Page 11 of Lady in Ruby
He raised an eyebrow (he seemed to do that a lot). Caroline bit her lip. Of course a lord didn’t use a side entrance!
“I mean, you can use the front door, of course. I just preferred to be…”
“Discreet?”
Discreet implied that she had something to hide…such as a unsupervised stroll with a maddeningly attractive man. She said, “Er, subtle.”
“Ah.” The distinction seemed to please him. “By all means, let’s be subtle. Lead on.”
She pointed to the left, and they followed a side path around the house, which eventually led to the kitchen entrance.
“Do you often find a need to be subtle, Miss Garland?” he asked as they went.
“Honestly, no. But if my mama sees me out and about, she’ll want to know why….”
“And with whom,” he added with a little smirk.
“Well, yes, but mostly I don’t want to explain the snowman situation. Not till I’ve had time to think about it.”
“It really worries you, doesn’t it?” he asked.
“I don’t like it when things are unexplained. Everything in nature has a cause. But I can’t identify the cause of that snowman disappearing. And until I do, it will bother me.”
“I understand completely,” he assured her. “Perhaps we can discuss the issue later…if you’d like.”
“Yes, please.” Then Caroline added hastily, “I mean, after I get a chance to speak to Estelle. Then we can all talk. Not alone.”
“Of course.” He opened the door that led into the servants’ hall and then into the kitchen. “In you go.”
Caroline stepped inside. “Aren’t you coming in too?”
“In a minute. After all, we’re being subtle, aren’t we?”
“Yes.” She nodded, and was about to turn when she noticed his gaze was still on her, and his blue eyes were so intent.
“What is it?” she asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Nothing. It’s just that you’re an interesting young lady.” He smiled, then said, “Go.”
Caroline hurried into the house, moving quietly to avoid attracting attention from either the servants or any errant family members (alas, the holidays meant that there were far more than usual).
She had just walked silently up the stairs and felt that her goal was achieved when she heard Aunt Juniper call out from her bedroom.
“Caroline? Get in here!”
Caroline winced, but went in, hoping to stave off more noise. Juniper was wide awake, sitting by the window…the window that overlooked the side of the house where Caroline and Lord Snowdon had walked up. Oh, dear. “Yes, Aunt?”
“What are you up to, girl? Taking a turn with a gentleman is all well and good, but at this hour?”
“I went out alone, Aunt. I just happened to meet him in the woods. He escorted me back. He was a perfect gentleman.”
“So he didn’t try to kiss you?”
“No!”
“Humph. Men today have no gumption.”
“It’s called chivalry!”
