Page 76 of An Affair with a Notorious Heiress
For a tryst.
She sighed. While she was glad the marquess had taken a shine to her sister, this was not the outcome she’d hoped for. She’d hoped Rexton would see Tillie accepted again. Her sister deserved better than an affair. She deserved marriage.
She obviously wasn’t going to find it here. Gina was going to have to redouble her efforts to get herself wedded so Tillie could return to New York where hopefully she’d find a man who recognized her worth.
Chapter 16
The following morning, Tillie felt the nudge on her shoulder and squinted up at her maid.
“It’s time, my lady.”
She’d asked to be awakened for luncheon. Stretching languorously, she admitted that last night her body had been well and truly used—in the most glorious of manners. Dear God, but Rexton was a man of such talents that he would make a fortune if he were a male tart. She furrowed her brow. Was there a name for a man who sold his services? Did men sell their services? Perhaps she’d ask him. He no doubt knew. He seemed to know all manner of wicked things.
When she was prepared for the day in a simple navy frock that buttoned to her throat and her wrists as befitting one serving as chaperone, she headed down to the dining room. Gina was already there. She glanced up from her plate.
“Well, you slept rather late.”
“I was in need of some additional rest after waiting up for you last night.” After filling her plate at the sideboard, she took her seat.
“Something arrived for you,” Gina said rather mysteriously.
“What would that be?”
“I don’t know. It’s all wrapped up. Griggs placed it on your desk. I was tempted to take a peek but I refrained.”
“Do we know who it’s from?”
Gina shook her head. “No, no marking whatsoever. Griggs said the gent who delivered it wasn’t wearing livery so no clues there. Perhaps you’ve a secret admirer. Or not so secret.”
“Honestly, Gina, you’re reading too much into our outings with Rexton.”
“Would you marry him if you could?”
She shook her head. “I’m a failure at marriage. All of London will tell you so.”
“Does Rexton believe that?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m going back to New York.”
“I suppose then that I need to ensure my husband is open to traveling across the ocean blue.”
“Indeed.”
Tillie didn’t know if she’d ever eaten so quickly. She was anxious to discover what the package contained. It seemed Gina was equally anxious as she kept skipping ahead down the hallway, then stopping and giving an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “Hurry!”
“It’s not going anywhere.”
It was larger than she expected. Perhaps a foot tall, a foot wide. She untied the string. The paper fell away. Tentatively she lifted the lid from the box, gasped in surprise, and lifted out a stone sprite with a mischievous grin, legs crossed beneath her, holding a folded note in her lap. Setting the statuette aside, she read the scrap of paper.
What is a whimsical garden without a bit of faerie?
Smiling brightly, she clutched the parchment to her chest.
“Is it from Rexton?” Gina asked.
“It doesn’t say.”
Gina jabbed at her arm. “But it is, isn’t it? Otherwise you wouldn’t look so besotted by a piece of stone.”
