by Darcy Burke
“Good, then I shouldn’t have to ask you to do it again.” He crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side. “How old did you say you were again?”
“Eleven.”
“Hmm.” Giles leaned forward and made a show of squinting as he assessed Seth’s face.
“What are you doing?”
“Counting the hairs.”
Seth’s hand flew to his face. “What hair?”
“Those hairs.” Giles tapped Seth’s hairless jaw an inch away from his ear then straightened. “Well, boy, it looks like you might be in need of a shave.”
TWENTY-THREE
Lucy dunked the cloth to the basin, lifted it and stilled. Was that laughter she heard from next door. Setting the cloth back into the bowl, she padded over to the connecting door and pressed her ear against it. A smile pulled at her lips. She’d been correct. It had been laughter, loud, rich masculine laughter. Both Seth and Giles seemed to be laughing. Her heart warmed. What could possibly be so humorous?
She pressed her ear harder against the door, but it did no good. She wondered if it’d be possible to open the door a crack and peek in. She bit her lip. She was in her chemise and most definitely didn’t wish for them to see her thus; likely they were in a similar state of undress and wouldn’t want her to see them, either.
What if she peeked just a little? She pressed her forehead against the door. Peek a little? Weren’t those the same thing? Shaking off the thought, she pressed her palms to the door and willed herself to push away. But when another round of laughter filled the air, she couldn’t move.
With a promise to herself that she’d try to only look at their faces and if she saw anything, she oughtn’t, she’d immediately close the door, she gripped the doorknob and slowly twisted it. She slowly eased the door open a crack and peered in with one eye.
Her eye landed instantly on the pair. Giles stood with his back to her, and Seth faced him. He was rubbing his face. She squinted. They both were. She couldn’t make out why though. She opened the door just a fraction more to give her a better view. Her heart slammed in her chest. Shaving lotion. Closing her eyes, she shut the door. Seth was too young to need to be concerned with shaving for a few more years. But that mattered very little. Giles had made him feel special and important and if she wasn’t already convinced of it, there was no denying it now, she was in love with Giles.
“Is something wrong, ma’am?”
She whipped around to face an inquisitive Millie, blushing. “No.” She licked her lips. “I was just…er…” She broke off and plucked at her chemise. “Is my dress done?’
“Almost. I got the stain out easy ‘nough. Now it needs to dry.” She walked over to the vanity and removed a silver brush from her apron. “Now, about yer hair…”
A half hour later Lucy was in need of a tonic for a headache. Her hair looked nice though. All pinned up on top of her head in a tight bun with two circles of curls pinned around it. Millie wasn’t the gentlest, but she was talented.
“Wait here and I’ll be back with yer gown.”
Lucy wouldn’t argue with that. There wasn’t anywhere else she could go clad in only a chemise. A few minutes later Millie returned with the same gown she’d been wearing for over a week. “I take it he didn’t have any other gown?”
A strange look came over Millie’s face. “No. You can wear this one.”
No, she couldn’t. It was too plain to wear even for a simple dinner. She wasn’t overly familiar with nobility, but she did remember the lady referring to the gown as a morning gown when she’d purchased it. “I don’t think—”
Millie cleared her throat. “Remember what I said earlier?”
Right. Giles always had a plan. Even if it seemed impossible to others. She sighed. Even if she had to wear this gown, she couldn’t refuse to go now, both Giles and Seth were anxious to attend. “All right.”
“Very good,” Millie chirped.
Careful not to muss a single hair and chance Millie insisting she fix it, Lucy put on her gown while Millie went to fetch something else.
She fastened the last button and slid her feet into her slippers, taking a moment to appraise herself.
“Lovely.”
Tingles ran up her spine. “Lord Norcourt.” It was only by a miracle that she’d remembered to address him so formally.
Giles walked up behind her and looked at her in the mirror. Not to be denied the same privilege, she took a moment to look him over, too. Clean shaven, dark blue jacket over a red waistcoat and white shirt, his cravat was tied into a perfect mathematical knot with an emerald stickpin that was a perfect complement to his eyes in the middle.
She caught his eye in the mirror and blushed. “Is it time to go?”
“Not yet.” He trailed his fingertips down the slope of her neck, then pulled them back when he reached her collar bone, his face turning crimson. “I’ve something for you.”
She moved to face him. “Oh, no, I cannot accept anything.”
“That’s good. This isn’t mine to give. It’s borrowed.” He lifted his right hand and there resting on his open palm was a beautiful silver butterfly brooch.
Lucy’s eyes widened at the sight of all those beautiful rubies and emeralds encrusted in the outlines of the wings. If she wasn’t mistaken a solid piece of pale green jade was the body. “That’s beautiful,” she breathed. “But I cannot wear it.”
“Yes, you can.”
She took a step back. “No. I can’t.”
He blinked his eyes twice. “Why not?”
“It’s too nice.”
“It is nice,” he agreed. He flipped it over and unfastened it. “But not too nice. Here. You’d better put it on yourself or I’ll prick you.”
Hesitantly, she took the brooch from him and turned to the mirror to put it on. When she was finished, she turned around to see him holding out a purple shawl.
“It’s not the same hue, but it should match nicely,” he murmured, carrying it toward her. He wrapped it around her and winked. “I told you that you’d have suitable attire for tonight.”
“Indeed you did.”
And not only had he seen to her attire, but her prince disguised as a baron had seen to Seth’s as well. Swathed in sharply pressed fabrics of green, yellow and dove (and a freshly shaven face, of course), he cut a dashing figure himself. Lucy’s heart squeezed as she took him in and it was all she could do not to kiss Giles for the kindness he’d shown to both her and her son.
Sebastian didn’t live far from him and usually he walked, but he’d insisted on the carriage tonight for Lucy’s privacy. Not that it’d matter so much. Nobody knew who she was and only a fool would be daring enough to call upon either Sebastian or Giles to inquire about her identity.
Giles shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching for one of Lucy’s as they climbed the steps to Sebastian’s townhouse. He’d tried to reassure her that she’d have a good time tonight. Openly touching her might put her back on edge rather than reassure her. He didn’t want that.
“Can I bang the knocker?” Seth asked.
Giles’ mind went back to the incessant knocking Seth had rendered on his door the first time he’d come over. “Twice.”
Seth immediately gave the brass knocker two hearty bangs.
Goosey, Sebastian’s butler greeted them stiffly. Goosey didn’t think too highly of Giles as it was, he could only imagine what the man must think now. No matter. He’d never put much stock in the opinions of others. Usually, they were unkind where he was concerned so he found no reason to care.
The butler showed them to the drawing room and paused to ask Lucy for her name.
She froze. “I can’t,” she whispered.
Goosey remained impassive for a moment then lifted a haughty brow. “And what is your name, young man.”
Giles lifted a hand toward the butler. “Give us a moment.”
Pursing his lips, the man took a step back.
“Lucy?” Giles searched her pale fac
e. “What’s wrong?”
“This.” She swallowed visibly. “I shouldn’t be here.”
Giles knew that feeling better than she might think. He reached for her hand and led her a few feet down the hall so they could whisper in privacy. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have forced you to come.” He clenched his fists. “I just wanted—” He broke off, unable to tell her how he felt without making a fool of himself.
“What?” Her silky tone was like a balm to a fresh cut. “What is it you wanted, Giles?”
Blood pounded in his ears at hearing his name on her lips and all logic and restraint went with it. He instinctively framed her face with his hands. “You.”
“Me?”
Gulping down his unease, he nodded. “You. I want you.”
She lowered her lashes and lifted her trembling fingers to his wrists. “I can’t.”
“I know,” he admitted though it broke his heart to do so. She was Simon’s. Not his. He released a shaky breath and lowered his hands. “I’ll take you home.”
Lucy felt like such a fool. She should have never allowed herself to be talked into coming here. She wasn’t of the same class as Giles. He might not be the kind to make a display of his money or power, but he was still a lord and she was still but a poor, fallen commoner. Their worlds were very far apart.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” She reached for him. “I—I didn’t mean to make a fool of you by taking me here only to leave this way.” She didn’t know why she wanted to assure him of that, but she did.
He pulled away and straightened, his movements jerky and uneven. “It’s all right.” The hurt in his voice was unmistakable. “Let’s tell Seth and—” He broke off, his green eyes widening.
Lucy whirled around to see what he was looking at and her heart plummeted. “Did he?” she choked, unable to finish her question.
Giles nodded once. “I didn’t see him do it, but I don’t know where else he’d be.”
Just then, Lord Belgrave poked his head out of the drawing room. “Do the two of you plan to join us or will Belle and I have the privilege of dining with this fascinating young man alone?”
Lucy could have dissolved on the spot. Who knew what Seth had said to Lord and Lady Belgrave to get him styled as “fascinating”? Frankly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
“We’re not staying,” Giles said.
Lord Belgrave’s face gave nothing away. “I mean no disrespect, I’m sure he’s a good lad, but I don’t think there is much more for the three of us to discuss. As it is, he just finished telling us all about how you showed him how to attend his toilette.”
A giggle borne of equal parts nervousness, discomfort, and mortification escaped Lucy’s lips.
“Sebastian, don’t be so dismissive. You could use a lesson or two on the matter,” a petite red-haired, green-eyed lady teased, joining Lord Belgrave in the threshold of the drawing room and completing Lucy’s mortification. Smiling, the lady, who Lucy could only presume was Lady Belgrave or Isabelle as everyone else called her, scooted past her husband. “Are we already walking to dinner?”
“No, Giles thought to make a quick escape and might have had I not come to check on him,” Lord Belgrave said playfully.
Lady Belgrave’s eyes softened and she shifted her gaze between Lucy and Giles as if she was trying to puzzle out the reason. Finally, she settled on Lucy. “This is all most improper, isn’t it?” She clasped her hands together. “Why, we haven’t even been properly introduced. I mentioned to my husband that little fact might pose a large problem with you wishing to join us, but he didn’t seem to think so.” She shook her head and sighed. “He didn’t think so, of course. But then again—” she brushed her gloved fingertip over her lips and dropped her voice to a loud whisper— “he also thinks it’s perfectly acceptable behavior to enter rooms through the windows rather than using doors.”
Another burble of laughter escaped Lucy’s lips, then yet another when her husband added, “And did you expect me to use the door in the dead of night and chance being seen? We’d have been forced to marry in a trice.”
“Apparently, we already were,” Lady Belgrave parried, winking at Lucy. “Only I didn’t know it.”
Her husband placed his hand on the small of her back. “You do now and so does the rest of London.”
A slight blush Lucy couldn’t place stained Lady Belgrave’s cheeks. She cleared her throat. “Well, now that my scandals have been aired, shall we have a proper introduction then go to dinner?”
Giles caught Lucy’s eye, a silent question in his. “I’d be honored to,” she said with as much bravado as she could muster.
The meal was a grand affair—at least to Lucy—with six courses, including custard for dessert. Thankfully, Seth was allowed to dine with them. If he hadn’t been, it might have been a very uncomfortable dinner for all as Lucy struggled to keep her mind on anything other than the broad form next to her and the excitement he created by just being in the room.
When the meal was over, the men invited Seth to join them in Lord Belgrave’s study for whatever it is that men did in there while Lucy and Lady Belgrave went to the drawing room.
“I wanted to apologize again for Sebastian’s tricks this afternoon. He means well, but sometimes I think he was on the continent too long to know what proper manners are.”
“It’s partly my own doing,” Lucy admitted. “If I hadn’t been over at Lord Norcourt’s house today, he wouldn’t have seen me and expected that I was his mistress.” Though why his friend would want to invite his friend and his mistress over to dine, she’d never understand.
“Is that what you think?” Lady Belgrave burst out laughingly. She shook her head. “Sebastian thought no such thing. As far as I know, Giles has never had a mistress.”
“He hasn’t?” The words were past her lips before she realized it.
“I don’t think so.” Lady Belgrave popped the back of her slipper off her heel and shook her foot a little to each side. “I don’t know him well, mind you. We only met less than two months ago actually, but from what Sebastian has said about the more than five years they toured the continent together, I don’t think he has.”
“They toured the continent together for more than five years?”
“I suppose there was a lot to see,” Lady Belgrave said with a shrug. She pushed her foot back into her slipper. “Sebastian never told me why Giles was touring for so long, likely because he doesn’t know.” She snorted. “He says he didn’t even know that Giles had a title until the night Mrs. Appleton, the former Lady Norcourt, hosted a dinner party.”
“Do you mind if I ask why your husband toured for so long?” Lucy asked just to make conversation and stave off the impending uncomfortable silence that was threatening to engulf them at any second.
“I’ll be glad to tell you, but you owe me an answer in return,” she said with a grin. Then, before Lucy could retract her question, Lady Belgrave continued. “Surely you’ve read in the scandal sheets about the young lady of common birth who trapped a lord into marriage by posing as her sister during their assignation? I am that young lady and my husband was the lord. The scandal sheets embellished the story a little, but the gist of it is accurate enough. On our return from Scotland, our carriage was in an accident that left me abed for a long while, and spurred by some bullying by both of our fathers, he fled the country.”
“Your father must be quite terrifying to make a man flee so long,” Lucy murmured, tamping down a pang of jealousy. Her father hadn’t even tried to confront or appeal to the man who’d done Lucy wrong. He’d condemned her for her own stupidity and barely spoke to her again.
Lady Belgrave smiled ruefully. “Actually, he is. But I think there was more to it than that. Have you ever done something wrong, and you want to make it right, but so much time has passed that you just don’t know where to begin to make amends? That’s the real reason Sebastian took so long to return. He didn’t know where to start to repair what he�
��d broken.”
“What brought him back?”
“I came to London to find a new husband. Only I couldn’t marry since he’d never signed the papers. My turn.”
Lucy’s palms grew damp in a second’s time. Lady Belgrave might be a commoner with a few scandals attached to her name, but none were as damning as Lucy’s.
“How do you know Giles?”
The question caught her unawares. She thought Lady Belgrave might ask about Seth’s parentage, not how she knew Giles. Lucy eyed her askance. Why was Lady Belgrave so interested? Did she think Lucy was Giles’ mistress? Suddenly uncomfortable, she quickly explained about Simon’s injuries and sending for Giles.
“Simon asked you to send for Giles?” Lady Belgrave said, her mouth slightly agape.
“He is his brother,” Lucy supplied. She hoped that didn’t sound nearly as unkind to Lady Belgrave’s ears as it had to her own.
Lady Belgrave nodded slowly, her jaw still unhinged. “I’m just surprised that’s all.” She lifted her hand to her hair and idly twisted a fallen lock around her fingers. “I knew Giles had left the house party the day after Simon and Sebastian did, but nobody knew why he left.” She released her hair. “I expected it to be because his mother was driving him mad, not that they’d made amends and were suddenly claiming a relation.”
So much of her last statement echoed Lucy’s perceptions of Giles and his family. Giles and his mother did have a stilted relationship, but it was far more loving than the one he had with Simon. The two didn’t hardly utter a word between them, and looked at the other even less. She bit her lip. Should she ask Lady Belgrave what she knew about this? It was obvious she knew something of the pair. She might also know why Giles was wont to evade his mother, which presumably was the reason Lady Belgrave thought she’d drive Giles to leave the party early.
Loud footfalls coming down the hall ended her chance to ask. Which was probably for the best.
“Ladies,” Lord Belgrave greeted with an overdone yawn and a wink in Lucy’s direction.
“Ready to go?” Giles asked without ceremony.