he felt like one of those little
people he saw at the fairs, as he craned his neck to look the other man in the eyes.
“That’s exactly what I want; for it to be done. There’s no other way.”
“Right then, leave it to me, boy, no one will know she ever existed.”
Robin nodded and turned to go but he paused before he reached the end of the alleyway,
Rupert’s last words ringing in his ears.
“I’ll do this favour for ye for double my normal fee plus another fifty per cent on
top of the bill you already owe me; for your stupidity. Now get out of here before
I decide to take it out of your hide!”
Robin fled to the sound of Rupert’s cracking knuckles and his menacing laugh.
***
What was he going to do about Anne? Jasper mulled this over as he walked the two short
blocks to his sister’s house. He was glad when she married Neal they didn’t move too
far away. He liked to have his family close by. Now he would have a family all of
his own when he married Grace…there was a thought.
And what about Grace? Her lips had glowed and her checks flushed after that wonderful,
disastrous kiss they shared. If only Lady Barrett had not seen them. Although if they
hadn’t been interrupted he imagined things would have become a lot more heated than
they had. Either way he was not sure he would be able to walk away from any lady he’d
compromised so thoroughly. There must have been something in the water last night.
He’d never behaved that way before. He’d always thought of the consequences before
he did anything. Maybe it was a good thing they’d been caught before it had got even
more out of control.
But he worried at her reaction to their conversation in the library. She seemed genuinely
distressed when the Duchess arrived. He could have sworn she honestly thought she’d
organised the ball herself. Did he believe what the doctor said and accept that her
behaviour was due to hitting her head? If that was the case, what about the kiss?
Did she even know what they’d done?
And Lady Anne? He just wished she hadn’t been left wondering where her engagement
went. Damn. He’d just passed his destination. Turning sharply on his heel he walked
back the way he’d come and stalked up the steps to the door.
Hoskins opened the door well before he reached the knocker. “Good Morning, my lord.
Lady Harrison is in the breakfast room with Miss Lancaster.”
“Thanks, Hos. I’ll show myself in.”
***
Grace savoured the tangy sweetness of the grapefruit as it slid across her tongue.
She was apprehensive about how the food would be and worried that it wouldn’t be very
fresh, but this was divine. The fruit had been picked from the conservatory this morning,
just for her. Well, not just for
her
but just for breakfast and Lady Harrison hadn’t touched the other grapefruit on the
sideboard, so maybe it was just for her. A small sigh escaped her lips just as Lord
Bingham walked into the room. He looked directly at her with an expression in his
eyes she couldn’t read and she felt her face flame with a blush. Really, it was not
as if she was moaning about him! Her face got hotter with the thought.
“Jasper! Come and join us, won’t you?” Victoria smiled up at her brother and waved
a hand holding her fork at an empty chair at the table.
“I’ve already breakfasted hours ago, sister dearest. But, I was hoping to steal your
companion away for a few moments, if I may.”
“You may have already had breakfast, my lord, but I have not. You can wait until I
am done, thank you very much.” There was no way Grace was leaving her grapefruit,
and the eggs looked nice too. Oh, and the bacon. She must go and have another look
at what all was on offer. She knew she was putting off what needed to be done and
she knew she was being rude to the only person who could help her, but she felt it
was the only way she could keep her distance. Besides she needed
people he saw at the fairs, as he craned his neck to look the other man in the eyes.
“That’s exactly what I want; for it to be done. There’s no other way.”
“Right then, leave it to me, boy, no one will know she ever existed.”
Robin nodded and turned to go but he paused before he reached the end of the alleyway,
Rupert’s last words ringing in his ears.
“I’ll do this favour for ye for double my normal fee plus another fifty per cent on
top of the bill you already owe me; for your stupidity. Now get out of here before
I decide to take it out of your hide!”
Robin fled to the sound of Rupert’s cracking knuckles and his menacing laugh.
***
What was he going to do about Anne? Jasper mulled this over as he walked the two short
blocks to his sister’s house. He was glad when she married Neal they didn’t move too
far away. He liked to have his family close by. Now he would have a family all of
his own when he married Grace…there was a thought.
And what about Grace? Her lips had glowed and her checks flushed after that wonderful,
disastrous kiss they shared. If only Lady Barrett had not seen them. Although if they
hadn’t been interrupted he imagined things would have become a lot more heated than
they had. Either way he was not sure he would be able to walk away from any lady he’d
compromised so thoroughly. There must have been something in the water last night.
He’d never behaved that way before. He’d always thought of the consequences before
he did anything. Maybe it was a good thing they’d been caught before it had got even
more out of control.
But he worried at her reaction to their conversation in the library. She seemed genuinely
distressed when the Duchess arrived. He could have sworn she honestly thought she’d
organised the ball herself. Did he believe what the doctor said and accept that her
behaviour was due to hitting her head? If that was the case, what about the kiss?
Did she even know what they’d done?
And Lady Anne? He just wished she hadn’t been left wondering where her engagement
went. Damn. He’d just passed his destination. Turning sharply on his heel he walked
back the way he’d come and stalked up the steps to the door.
Hoskins opened the door well before he reached the knocker. “Good Morning, my lord.
Lady Harrison is in the breakfast room with Miss Lancaster.”
“Thanks, Hos. I’ll show myself in.”
***
Grace savoured the tangy sweetness of the grapefruit as it slid across her tongue.
She was apprehensive about how the food would be and worried that it wouldn’t be very
fresh, but this was divine. The fruit had been picked from the conservatory this morning,
just for her. Well, not just for
her
but just for breakfast and Lady Harrison hadn’t touched the other grapefruit on the
sideboard, so maybe it was just for her. A small sigh escaped her lips just as Lord
Bingham walked into the room. He looked directly at her with an expression in his
eyes she couldn’t read and she felt her face flame with a blush. Really, it was not
as if she was moaning about him! Her face got hotter with the thought.
“Jasper! Come and join us, won’t you?” Victoria smiled up at her brother and waved
a hand holding her fork at an empty chair at the table.
“I’ve already breakfasted hours ago, sister dearest. But, I was hoping to steal your
companion away for a few moments, if I may.”
“You may have already had breakfast, my lord, but I have not. You can wait until I
am done, thank you very much.” There was no way Grace was leaving her grapefruit,
and the eggs looked nice too. Oh, and the bacon. She must go and have another look
at what all was on offer. She knew she was putting off what needed to be done and
she knew she was being rude to the only person who could help her, but she felt it
was the only way she could keep her distance. Besides she needed
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