by Lucy Adams
“My mother has beckoned me,” Miss Hemmingway said, which he was certain was now for the second time. “Might we walk together?”
Reaching across with his free hand, he patted her fingers for a moment, feeling the urge to speak directly to Lord Hamilton growing within him—but he knew he could not. To demand that Lord Hamilton show him the handkerchief, so that he himself could be certain that this was the very same symbol that had been taken from the man, was not something he could do. Clearing his throat, he looked at Lord Hamilton, who was watching them both with an easy expression, and knew precisely what he had to do.
“Might I have your permission to call on your sister, Lord Hamilton?” he asked, feeling the way Miss Hemmingway’s fingers tightened on his arm. “OR should I ask your mother instead?” He lifted his chin just a notch, seeing the faint glimmer of surprise in Lord Hamilton’s eyes. Had he expected there to be no true interest in Miss Hemmingway? Or was there something about his reaction that said how little he thought of his sister?
“But….but of course,” Lord Hamilton murmured, looking towards Miss Hemmingway rather than at Robert himself. “That is good of you to ask, Lord Franks, if I may say so.”
Robert shrugged, not wanting Miss Hemmingway to think that he would align himself in any way with the view and the opinions of her brother. “I think it is only right that I go about things properly,” he answered, reminding himself that it was not truly Miss Hemmingway’s company that he sought but rather the chance to find out whether or not that emblem had been the one on Lord Hamilton’s handkerchief. “I thank you for your permission, Lord Hamilton.” He dipped his head and turned around, taking Miss Hemmingway with him so that they might continue walking forward together, even if it now appeared that they were walking away from Lady Hamilton instead of towards her.
There was a pronounced silence for some moments.
“You intend to call on me?”
Miss Hemmingway’s voice was thin and a slight look of suspicion was in her eyes. Robert felt himself turned inside out, fearing that she already knew the reason for the furthering of his intentions.
“I do, yes,” he told her, seeing the suspicion in her eyes beginning to fade. “Is that surprising to you?”
She did not answer for a long moment, and guilt struck hard at his heart.
“I am glad of it, that is all,” she said, eventually. “I look forward to your visit, Lord Franks, whenever that may be.”
He cleared his throat, turning back towards the direction of her mother, who was now watching them both with a beady eye. “Shall we say tomorrow afternoon?” he asked, feeling how Miss Hemmingway tensed a little. “I would be glad to call on you then for a short time.”
“I thank you,” came the reply. “That would be quite lovely.” Letting go of his arm, she smiled at him, now only a few steps away from her mother. “Until tomorrow then, Lord Franks.”
“Until tomorrow,” he replied, bowing his head and quickly taking his leave before his guilt overwhelmed him and crushed his heart. With firm, sure steps, he hurried towards the entrance of the park, wanting to escape just as quickly as h could. Coming out to the park had not been as poor a decision as he had first thought, it seemed. However, to see Lord Hamilton with the emblem had astonished him entirely, for he had never once thought Lord Hamilton to be anything more than a gentleman of the realm, who had very little interest in anything other than gambling, drinking and playing cards. That, of course, was his first mistake. He knew all too well that there were many gentlemen of the beau monde who were involved in inciting acts against the Crown. Some did it because they were unhappy with the Act of Parliament that had brought in the Prince as Regent, whilst others did so because they wanted to see England weak. But Lord Hamilton, who was often rather brash and certainly very inclined towards speaking his mind, just as often as he pleased, certainly did not seem to be the sort of gentleman who might have something to hide. But he had been wrong before and it would not be wise to ignore what he had seen in Lord Hamilton’s hand.
Lifting his chin, Robert pushed aside the feeling of guilt that came with the knowledge that he had only a flicker of interest in Miss Hemmingway—and certainly not enough for him to merit his now evidently firm attention. He had asked to call on her simply so that he would have an excuse to see Lord Hamilton or to look about his house in as surreptitious a manner as possible. He might have to continue to do so for some time, if there was anything of interest in Lord Hamilton’s home, which he knew would mean that he would have to lead Miss Hemmingway on. That was something he did not relish but there was a requirement for him to do so at the present time and that was all he had to focus on.
His spirits a little lifted, Robert made his way back towards his townhouse, glad that he had decided to walk rather than to take his carriage. Finally, he had a flicker of hope that he might be able to make something of this otherwise rather difficult puzzle, that he might be able to discover the truth about the man who had shot his pistol through Lord Watt’s drawing room window. Finally, there was a small thread for him to pull and Robert intended to do precisely that.
Chapter Four
“And you say he is to call on you?”
Carolyn smiled wryly at her friend’s astonishment. “Yes, Bridgette,” she answered, without even a hint of anger at the astonishment in her friend’s voice. “Yes, he is to call upon me very soon. Within the hour, I think.” Leaning forward, she took her friend’s hand and patted it. “Which is why I am most grateful for your presence, given that Mama was quite determined to be entirely absent this afternoon.”
“You are most welcome,” Lady Callander replied, with a quick smile. “I know a little of Lord Franks’ reputation, although I do not think I have ever been acquainted with him. From what I know, he has an excellent character and is not at all inclined towards lascivious or cruel behavior. That speaks well of him, at least.”
Carolyn nodded, recalling the conversation she had enjoyed with Lord Franks only yesterday. After her excursion to the park, Carolyn had felt herself grow rather excited about the impending visit from Lord Franks. She had informed her mother of it, only for her mother to let out an exclamation of alarm and state, quite firmly, that a mere Baron—and a Scottish Baron at that—would never do for Carolyn. After all, Carolyn was the daughter and now the sister of a Viscount and, at the very least, she ought to be pursing someone of similar rank.
Carolyn had not given a moment’s thought to Lord Franks’ title. She had only thought about his company and conversation, remembering the interest in his eyes as she had spoken to him of all the things that she loved. His willingness to listen to her and his clear desire to know her a little better sent thrills of excitement all through her. She had never had a gentleman seeking to call upon her before, never once had a gentleman show any sort of interest in that regard, and she certainly was not going to let her mother’s determination to prevent the meeting from happening. Her brother was also, unfortunately, absent, but Carolyn had solved her dilemma by asking Lady Callander to call so that she would have both a chaperone and a maid present in the room when the time came for Lord Hamilton to appear.
And, of course, Lady Callander, being one of Carolyn’s dearest friends, had come at once. Carolyn found her a most delightful young lady, and was often astonished by her sweet temper and her lack of anger over all that had occurred to her. Lady Callander had been wed within the first three months of being in London. Carolyn could remember it well. Lady Callander had been plain Miss Westerstone back then, daughter to a Viscount, but who had been snatched away by an Earl. They had been married within six weeks of the Earl of Callander setting eyes on her and Carolyn knew all too well that Bridgette had not had any sort of happiness or contentment in either her engagement or her marriage. But she had done as she had been expected to do, marrying well for the sake of her family and her future title.
Except, Lord Callander had died some time later. He had been a few years older than Bridgette, altho
ugh not overly old, but had been such a dispirited, foul-tempered man that he had always had the appearance of age. His heart had failed, the doctor had said, and Bridgette had been left a young widow, albeit it with a healthy sum that had been left for her by her late husband. Lord Callander, it seemed, had made arrangements for his wife without her knowledge of it. Carolyn had missed her friend last Season but was very glad to pick up their acquaintance again now.
“Your brother is also come to London?”
Carolyn nodded.
“And Lady Hamilton does not?”
Sighing inwardly but attempting to keep her expression plain, Carolyn shook her head. Lady Hamilton was a pale, thin little thing that did not seem to do very much indeed, for even the slightest exertion sent her to her bed for at least a week. “Lady Hamilton can become very tired,” she answered, carefully. “My brother thought it best to leave her at the estate.”
Lady Callander nodded, then shrugged. “I suppose if she does not wish to join society, then I cannot pretend I do not understand. The ton can be very cruel indeed at times and I would not wish to fall prey to their whispered gossip.”
Carolyn looked at her friend, wondering if Lady Callander feared what they might say should she begin courting again. “And are you yourself hoping to find another husband?” she asked, somewhat bluntly. “Or are you quite contented as you are at the present?”
Lady Callander blinked for a moment, looking a little surprised at the question, but eventually, she merely shrugged.
“Lord Callander was chosen for me by my parents, as you well know,” she said, her voice much softer than Carolyn’s. “But now that I am widowed, I have a freedom in living that I have never experienced before.” She blushed, looking away as though this was some sort of shame. “I find that I quite enjoy it, even though my father wants me to return to live under his roof.”
Carolyn smiled, feeling a sudden wrench in her heart as she considered what her friend had said and finding that she too longed for the same thing. “My mother has finally relented entirely and allowed me to dress and speak as I wish, without continually railing at me,” she said, quietly. “I understand a little of the freedom that you speak of, for I have been granted it and with it comes such a wonderful sense of hope that it is not something I ever wish to lose.”
Lady Callander smiled in understanding. “I will admit that I was surprised to see you in a red gown,” she remarked, a small gleam in her eye. “I did not think that your mother would have ever permitted you to wear such a thing!”
Carolyn laughed. “She can hardly fail to allow me to wear such things now, given that I have found more success this last week than ever before.” A small ball of nervousness settled in her stomach as she glanced at the clock. Lord Franks would arrive any moment now. “I thank you for helping me in this, Bridgette,” she finished, just as there came a scratch on the door. “And you must be quite sure to tell me the truth of what you think of him.”
Lady Callander nodded and smiled, rose to her feet and turned expectantly towards the door, just as the butler entered in order to announce the arrival of Lord Franks. Carolyn rose quickly, smoothing down the red satin of her gown and, as the butler held the door open for Lord Franks to enter, dropped into a near perfect curtsy.
Lord Franks bowed in return and, as she rose, Carolyn saw how his eyes lingered on her gown, although his gaze did not rove about her form in a displeasing way. Rather, he appeared to be taking in the color and cut of her gown, which brought a touch of heat to Carolyn’s cheeks.
“Good afternoon, Lord Franks,” she murmured, as his eyes quickly shot to hers. “Might I present my dear friend, Lady Callander?” The introductions were soon made and she invited Lord Franks to sit down, knowing that the tea trays would be brought in very soon.
“Is your brother at home?”
A little surprised at the question, Carolyn cleared her throat but shook her head. “No, he is not,” she said, as Lady Callander frowned. “Did you wish to speak to him?”
Lord Franks looked a trifle distracted, his lips pulling tight for a moment or two. “No,” he said, eventually. “No, I did not need to speak to him. I thank you.”
Carolyn opened her mouth to say something, only for Lord Franks to lean a little closer from his chair, looking at her with a slightly narrowed gaze.
“Do you know when he might return?”
“I—I do not,” she stammered, feeling more and more awkward. “I am sorry, I…” Closing her eyes, she gave herself a slight shake. “If you wished to speak to or call upon my brother, then you will have to arrange a time with him yourself.”
Lord Franks frowned, then looked away. “I do not need to see him. My apologies for any confusion.”
Carolyn did not know what to say in response to this, confused by Lord Franks’ manner and at his strange question regarding her brother. This was not at all how she had expected her first conversation with a gentleman caller to go. Looking at Lady Callander helplessly, she saw the lady watching Lord Franks with an almost wondrous expression on her face, her eyes wide with evident astonishment. Carolyn had no understanding as to why this could be, glancing towards Lord Franks and then back to her friend again.
“Ah, here are some refreshments,” she said with relief, as the maids brought in two trays—one with tea, cups and saucers and the other will all manner of cakes and other little delicacies. She took the task of pouring the tea with more seriousness than ever before, wanting to make a good impression on Lord Franks and aware that spilling the tea would be more than embarrassing. Glancing up at him, she saw that his gaze was fixed on a point on the wall behind her, his brows knotted in a frown and his lips pulled into a thin line. Carolyn felt herself somewhat displeased at this, wondering why Lord Franks was not behaving as a gentleman ought when he came to call upon a young lady. A wry smile touched her lips as she handed a cup and saucer to Lady Callander. If her mother had been present, then she would be more than a little upset if Carolyn spoke her mind, whereas perhaps that was precisely what Carolyn ought to do.
“Might I say, Lord Franks, that you appear somewhat distracted?”
She did not balk when his eyes shot to hers, nor when his frown deepened. Instead, she simply lifted one eyebrow and looked at him directly, not allowing him to escape her gaze. Had she not argued with her mother about behaving as she pleased? She would not do anything to bring shame onto her brother, her mother or even to herself, but, in her eyes, there was nothing wrong in speaking directly.
“What can you mean, Miss Hemmingway?”
An arched brow made him frown all the more but Carolyn did not turn away. “You have not asked me anything other than to question me about my brother,” she told him, seeing how he immediately looked away. “I thought you might ask how I fared today, or if I had been out earlier in the afternoon or some such pleasantries like that.”
Lord Franks cleared his throat gruffly, whilst Lady Callander looked from Carolyn to Lord Franks and back again, clearly rather overwhelmed by Carolyn’s forwardness and therefore finding it very difficult to know what to say.
“Forgive me.”
Carolyn inclined her head graciously. “But of course, Lord Franks,” she said, a little relieved that he had taken her words seriously. “Again, if you wish to see my brother, I am sure that –”
“Please, forgive me for my foolishness,” Lord Franks said quickly, not looking at her but keeping his gaze now low to the ground. “It is nothing of importance. A matter of insignificance, I assure you.” His smile was a little awkward. “A debt that I owe him after a game of cards.”
“I see.” Carolyn could understand this, she decided. A debt might weigh on a gentleman’s mind and, he might very well want to make a good impression on Lord Hamilton so therefore, sought to pay his debt just as soon as he could. “I quite understand and will inform my brother when he returns that you would like to see him.”
Lord Franks shook his head. “Pray, do not,” he said, with a sligh
tly pleading look. “It would be something I would prefer to deal with myself, truly.”
Carolyn shrugged but granted him his request. “Very well,” she said, noting the look of relief on his face. “Now, might you tell me where exactly in Scotland your estate is?” Her knowledge of Scotland was somewhat lacking, but that did not mean she could not show some interest. The conversation flowed pleasantly enough and soon, all confusion and surprise over his initial remarks were gone from her mind.
“I must now take my leave.”
Carolyn smiled and rose to her feet, noting that Lord Franks had stayed a little longer than the time usually set for gentlemen to call upon a young lady. “But of course,” she said, rising to her feet and curtsying. “Thank you for calling on me, Lord Franks. I hope you found our conversation as enjoyable as I.”
His eyes glittered unexpectedly and Carolyn felt a swooping fear catch her heart and pull it out from her chest and up into the sky. She could not explain it, wondering at the sudden thundering of her heart and finding herself lost in the sudden darkness of his hazel eyes.
“I should like to call upon you again, Miss Hemmingway.”
She blinked rapidly, unable to prevent her heart from slamming furiously into her chest and wondering if he could hear it. When he extended his hand towards her, it took her a moment to realize that he was seeking to bow over it, although she did oblige him, even if it was rather tentative.
“Would you be willing to have me call upon you again, Miss Hemmingway?” he asked, his head lifting from where he had bent over her hand. “I promise I shall be much improved in my conversation should you grant me another opportunity.”
She tried to laugh, seeing that his eyes no longer glittered with the same darkness as she had first seen. “But of course,” she replied, her throat constricting just a little. “I thank you, Lord Franks.”
He smiled at her, seeming to be quite delighted at her acceptance. “Wonderful,” he said, quietly, still holding her hand as he looked into her eyes. “Then might we say tomorrow?”