Page 28 of Death of a Courtesan
‘You are barely late at all,’ Amelia replied, reclaiming her hand and motioning Riley towards a chair. He waited for her to seat herself and then took it. ‘I dare say you are investigating some ghastly crime and that has kept you fully occupied for the entire day.’
‘Something of that nature, but for now I would prefer not to discuss it.’
‘Then we will not talk of it. Whisky for his lordship please, Norris. I get the impression that he is sorely in need of it.’
‘Tell me about your day,’ he said, smiling at her and nodding his thanks to Norris as he took the glass from his salver.
‘Oh, it was fairly ordinary, apart from the fact that your niece came for her harp lesson this afternoon.’
‘Cabbage was here?’
Riley had always affectionately referred to Sophia, the eldest of his brother Henry’s children, as Cabbage. Her parents took little interest in her, reserving their attention for their precocious son, the seven-year-old and much cossetted Jasper, heir to the Chichester marquessate. Henry and Riley didn’t see eye to eye on most subjects and Riley avoided contact with the stuffy and self-aware marquess as much as he possibly could. But Sophia possessed a sunny disposition, and if she realised that she was neglected she didn’t seem to mind. It fell to Riley to mind on her behalf and he tried to make it up to her by giving her as much of his time as he could manage.
Sophia, now almost fifteen, had spent the summer in London sharing her time between Riley’s mother, the dowager marchioness, and his sister Martha. She had dipped her toe into society beneath the marchioness’s chaperonage and had injected a certainjoie de vivreinto activities that Riley customarily looked upon with a jaded eye. The start of the season was now upon them and yet Sophia remained in London. Her mother had probably forgotten about her existence, Riley thought with a cynical twist of his lips.
‘You know that she comes as regularly as she can manage. I think your mother invents excuses for her not to, even though she can’t possibly object to her learning to play the harp,’ Amelia said with a mischievous smile. ‘It is more the teacher’s influence that she objects to, I imagine.’
‘Hardly,’ Riley said, aware that it was true.
‘There’s no need to spare my feelings, Riley. I am aware that your mother does not approve of our friendship because she assumes I’m anxious to get my possessive claws into you.’
Riley sighed, wondering if Amelia really was as immune to his mother’s disapproval as she often implied. ‘If only that were true,’ he said, making Amelia laugh and shake her head.
‘You would run a mile if it was.’
‘What progress does Cabbage make?’ Riley asked, thinking it prudent to change the subject.
Amelia sent him a knowing look. ‘She is a remarkably quick learner and enjoys her lessons almost as much as I enjoy instructing her.’
Riley smiled. ‘Cabbage enjoys everything she does. Spending time in her company quite restores one’s faith in human nature, I find.’
‘She wants you to hear her play. Do you think you could stand to? Your opinion means so much to her.’
‘Of course I can. Best make it early evening. I am less likely to be distracted by my duties at such a time. I would not want to disappoint her.’
‘Very well. I will arrange something and let you know.’ Amelia cleared her throat. ‘Your sister is giving a soiree tomorrow evening and Sophia came with an invitation for me. Would you know anything about that?’
‘If that is your artful way of trying to discover whether I asked Martha to issue it then the answer is no, but I am very glad that she did. Besides, since you spend so much time with Cabbage, it stands to reason that she would want you there.’ Riley paused and fixed her with a significant look. ‘As would I.’
‘Very well then, I shall attend and risk your mother’s wrath.’
Riley gave a theatrical shudder. ‘I admire your courage.’
‘There will be enough people there, now that everyone is back in town, for me to blend into the background. Your mother won’t even notice me.’
Riley laughed. ‘Fishing for compliments, Amelia? We both know that your blending into the background unnoticed is about as likely to happen as Henry taking a sudden interest in his daughter’s wellbeing.’
‘I shall keep my opinion to myself with regard to your brother’s neglect of Sophia, even if I suspect that it closely mirrors your own. At least if he doesn’t want her in Chichester, we can be assured of the pleasure of her company here.’
‘You are very good to her, Amelia. She needs a friendly female in whom to confide. I don’t think she has many friends of her own age.’
‘I am twice her age, but I suppose because we are not related she feels she can speak more candidly to me.’
‘I will collect you and we can go to Martha’s together.’ Riley held up a hand. ‘I don’t give a damn if my mother objects. We are friends, you do not keep a carriage and we live close to one another. It makes sense for us to go together and there’s an end to the matter.’
‘Very well. Thank you, but please don’t think I mentioned the invitation in the expectation of you offering to escort me, since I most assuredly did not.’
‘Perhaps I asked Martha to invite you so that I would have an excuse to escort you.’
