Page 13 of A Promising Little Scandal (Sensual Scandals)

“Not in a good way, I assure you.”

“Then I suppose we’ll have to change that.”

She didn’t even reply but spun on her heel. He noticed that she’d re-pinned her hair and he thought it was a shame. Those glorious locks shouldn’t be contained but left down to flow free like the magnificent copper waves they were.

“You’re not leaving yet, are you?” he called after her mirthfully. “I was just starting to enjoy our conversation.”

She paused long enough to glare at him over her shoulder. “Please let Mrs. Anning know that I’ll be checking in with her later.”

She shut the door firmly on her departure and he couldn’t help but chuckle once more. He was still smiling when Molly reappeared from the back. She glanced outside and immediately her expression drooped slightly. “Oh, dear. I missed Lady Calliope.”

Sebastian walked over to her. “She said she would check in with you later.” He set the rock on the counter. “I would like to buy this.”

“Of course.” She appeared pleased, and when she quoted him a price, he surprised her by giving her five pounds extra. Her eyes instantly grew wide, and she looked as though she was about to protest.

He spoke before she could. “Please, keep it. I value it more highly than what you charged, so I consider it a fair trade.” He regrettably added, “If not that, then perhaps you might regard it as donation from Viscount Blakely.”

He blinked in surprise and instantly dropped into a curtsy. “My apologies, my lord.” As if she was the one who had lied instead of him.

He put a hand over his heart. “I am the one who should ask forgiveness for deceiving you.”

“I’m sure you had your reasons,” she said evasively, before changing the subject. She tilted her head to the side. “Do you attend church, my lord?”

He had to fight the urge to wince. “Not generally, no.”

“That’s a shame, for I’m sure you and Lady Calliope would have gotten along quite well. You even have something in common, as she enjoys fossils. In fact, she’s in Lyme Regis for the very purpose of scouring our coastline.”

Sebastian smiled slowly, not letting on that he was already acquainted with the lady in question. An idea started to take root. “You said she’s attending church with you tomorrow?”

“Indeed,” Molly nodded innocently, although there was nothing of the sort tumbling about in Sebastian’s head.

His grin widened. “Then I believe I shall join you after all.” With a wink, he took his leave.

Calliope and her ladies’ maid entered the gray stone church the next morning. When she walked through the wooden doors, she took a deep breath and felt a sudden sense of peace. Perhaps it was the way the sun shone brightly through the stained-glass panes, or the warm greeting from the vicar and several members of the gathered assemblage.

Or it could be that Lord Blakely was nowhere in sight. Then again, he might turn to ash if he crossed the threshold.

Her lips lifted in the corners at the thought.

She glanced around until she spied Mrs. Anning and her grin widened. She walked forward while her maid chose to take a seat near the back of the nave.

As Calliope drew nearer to Molly, her lips thinned into an even line, for a gentleman chose that moment to stand up next to her with a familiar smirk on his handsome face.

Handsome?

Since when had he become anything more than an aggravating rogue?

Preferring not to answer her own question, Calliope glared at the viscount as he bowed deeply. Those dark eyes were full of mischief when he said, “Lady Calliope.”

She narrowed her gaze, but merely offered the slightest of curtsies. Now wasn’t the time to express her annoyance. That would come later.

Her gaze shifted to Mrs. Anning. “Good day, Molly.” Again, she noted the rags the woman was wearing, including the poor state of the lady’s straw bonnet. It nearly made Calliope ashamed for wearing hers with its flowing yellow ribbons and the muslin day gown that matched. The ensemble looked entirely too cheery when compared to the muted tones the villagers wore, those who toiled away just trying to survive.

“My lady?”

Calliope blinked away her sudden stab of guilt and returned her attention to Mrs. Anning. “I would like to introduce you to my children, Mary and Joseph. They will be escorting you about the cliffs.” She indicated a young couple that was standing off to her other side.

Calliope was grateful to turn her back on Lord Blakely as she greeted them. Joseph held a hat in his hands and was wearing clothes that were entirely too loose for his lanky frame, although he had a kind expression in his brown eyes, which were the exact shade of his hair. Mary was just as accommodating and had the same polite mannerisms and coloring as her brother.

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