Never Run From Love (Kellington Book Four) by Maureen Driscoll

wedding?”
    Mel smiled at her cousin, as she tucked the letter
away.  “Mr. Parker has not proposed.”  Then, at Mary’s fallen face, she added. 
“But who knows what future letters will bring.  Do you need me this afternoon? 
I had thought to go to another meeting with Mrs. Seton.”
    Aunt Evelyn’s disappointment was clear, even if she
would never force Mel to change her plans.  “Again?  We had hoped you might
accompany us on a trip to Bond Street.”
    “Thank you, but I promised Mrs. Seton I would help
her pen letters to members of Parliament.”
    Mary looked like she was about to object, but Aunt
Evelyn kindly gave her permission.  “Of course, you may go, dear, but be sure
to take Flora.”
    “I will,” said Mel, as she kissed her aunt and waved
to her cousin.  Flora was the lady’s maid her aunt had assigned to her.  When
Mel had first started going to Mrs. Seton’s, Flora had complained incessantly. 
Then on Mel’s first visit to the brothels of Covent Garden, Flora had flat-out
refused to go.  The maid had threatened to expose Mel’s activities to Lady Heffner
if she wasn’t paid for her silence.  So now on the days when Mel claimed to go
to her reform group, she paid her maid five shillings and sent her off in a
hack to the mews where her sweetheart worked.  Mel knew it was scandalous to go
about town without her maid, but she had very little choice in the matter.
    Since Aunt Evelyn and Mary were going to take the
carriage to Bond Street, Mel had convinced them to let her take a hack to Mrs.
Seton’s.  Aunt Evelyn had been most reluctant, but just when it seemed she
wouldn’t give in, Lady Halliwell had arrived and her aunt had been forced to
play the gracious hostess.
    After telling Flora to meet her outside as soon as
she was ready, Mel walked out of the house and down the stairs only to
encounter another unexpected visitor:  Lord Henry Kellington.
    Mel’s immediate reaction was to blush furiously. 
She’d never even been properly introduced to the man, and here he was looking
even more handsome in the bright light of day than he had in the candlelight of
the ballroom the night before.  She was quite sure she still had dark circles
beneath her eyes, which were probably well illuminated in the sun.  He looked
vexingly well rested.  Of course, he had passed out at a reasonably early hour
the previous night.  He had no doubt slept the night away and given no thought
at all to that amazing kiss.
    If he could even remember it.
    “I am in a quandary,” said Lord Henry, as he stood
staring up at her from the bottom step.  “We have never been properly introduced,
nor even improperly introduced.  Yet I felt the need to come here to finally
meet the lady who made such an impression on me.”
    She impressed him ? 
Mel couldn’t believe that he not only remembered the kiss, but he’d been impressed. 
Which was quite remarkable since she’d felt like the veriest widgeon.  It had
been her first kiss and she hadn’t thought she’d acquitted herself terribly
well.  Yet, his appearance today seemed to be proof that she had.  A smile she
couldn’t resist overtook her.
    “I don’t know what to say, my lord,” she said,
hardly able to believe she was even having this most improper conversation. 
Yet, she couldn’t conceive of not having it, either.  “And I cannot imagine
what you must think of me.”
    “I think you’re quite remarkable,” he said.  “Not
many ladies would have had the nerve to do what you did.”
    “What I did?”  Was he implying she had kissed him? 
That was rather cheeky of him.  “I believe you were the one who was
responsible, although I must admit I did little to stop you.”  In fact, she’d
wished the kiss would have lasted longer, although she wasn’t about to admit
that to him.  
    Lord Henry looked at her a bit quizzically.  “But it
was you who tried to block your friend Mrs. Seton from entering Dill’s.”
    At the very