her lady’s maid said, peering into the bedchamber, “Lord Davenport is here.”
Good. A much needed distraction. Right now, she would enjoy the afternoon. She thanked her lady’s maid then went down the stairs. Recalling the way Lord Pennella had admired his reflection in the window, she kept her steps silent as she approached the drawing room.
She stopped before she reached the open door , so he wouldn’t see her. She peeked into the room. Lord Davenport stood by the window, just as Lord Pennella had. But he had his hat in his hands and his gaze was focused on the floor.
“I hope you’ll be at Lord Toplyn’s ball.” He shook his head. “ No, that doesn’t work.” He paused. “I was planning on going to Lord Toplyn’s ball and wondered if you’ll be there.” He sighed and tapped the hat.
It took her a moment to realize he was trying to think of a way to ask if he could see her again. He probably didn’t want to seem too eager. The thought made her skin warm in pleasure. It was very sweet that he worried so much over whether or not he could spend time with her. Indeed, it was a refreshing change from the other gentlemen she’d met. Lord Davenport really was sincere in his affections for her.
He turned to the window and hesitated a few seconds then asked, “Did you hear Lord Toplyn’s having a ball?” Seeming to be satisfied, he nodded and looked toward the doorway.
She took that as her cue. After she entered the room, she curtsied. “Good afternoon, my lord.”
He bowed. “It’s an honor to be here.”
“The butler will bring our tea in soon. Will you have a seat?”
He nodded and sat on the settee.
She hesitated to sit by him. If he’d been Lord Pennella, she wouldn’t have even considered it. But this was Lord Davenport, and she wanted to. In a bold move that she never thought she’d take, she sat next to him and noted that he smiled. Relaxing since he hadn’t been taken aback by her bold move, she returned his smile and asked, “How have you been since we last talked?”
“Good. And you?”
“I’ve been fine. Nothing of interest happened.”
“It didn’t?”
She shook her head. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been looking forward to seeing him again until that moment. “No, it didn’t. I’m glad you came by today.”
“You are?”
She studied his expression and fought the urge to chuckle. If she guessed right, he worried that she hadn’t given him a second thought over the past three days. “Yes, I am.”
The butler came in and set the tray of tea in front of them.
She waited until he left before she continued talking. “I know it doesn’t seem like I enjoy much about London,” she began as she poured his tea.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” he quickly spoke up. “You seemed to enjoy the park the other day.”
“Yes, I did. And I wanted to thank you for steering my mother away from gossip. It was nice to spend an afternoon without listening to who is doing what and who performed the worst scandal.” She handed him his cup and poured tea into hers. “Maybe if I didn’t have to listen to it so much, I wouldn’t mind.”
“I don’t think the people involved in the scandal want others talking about it.” He cleared his throat. “I know I wouldn’t.”
“I doubt my mother would either. It’s different when you’re the one on display.” She put the teapot down and returned his smile.
“I agree. And sometimes a person stumbles into a situation without even meaning to.”
“Exactly. We don’t know why the person did what they did. It’s not up to us to judge their motives.”
After a moment, he sipped his tea. “I was wondering, did you hear Lord Toplyn’s having a ball?”
Hiding her smile, she nodded. “My mother mentioned it. She makes it a point to go to as many as she can.”
“Well, I’ll be there, and I’d be honored if you saved two dances for me.”
Pleased, her face grew warm. “I’ll do that.”
She couldn’t
Good. A much needed distraction. Right now, she would enjoy the afternoon. She thanked her lady’s maid then went down the stairs. Recalling the way Lord Pennella had admired his reflection in the window, she kept her steps silent as she approached the drawing room.
She stopped before she reached the open door , so he wouldn’t see her. She peeked into the room. Lord Davenport stood by the window, just as Lord Pennella had. But he had his hat in his hands and his gaze was focused on the floor.
“I hope you’ll be at Lord Toplyn’s ball.” He shook his head. “ No, that doesn’t work.” He paused. “I was planning on going to Lord Toplyn’s ball and wondered if you’ll be there.” He sighed and tapped the hat.
It took her a moment to realize he was trying to think of a way to ask if he could see her again. He probably didn’t want to seem too eager. The thought made her skin warm in pleasure. It was very sweet that he worried so much over whether or not he could spend time with her. Indeed, it was a refreshing change from the other gentlemen she’d met. Lord Davenport really was sincere in his affections for her.
He turned to the window and hesitated a few seconds then asked, “Did you hear Lord Toplyn’s having a ball?” Seeming to be satisfied, he nodded and looked toward the doorway.
She took that as her cue. After she entered the room, she curtsied. “Good afternoon, my lord.”
He bowed. “It’s an honor to be here.”
“The butler will bring our tea in soon. Will you have a seat?”
He nodded and sat on the settee.
She hesitated to sit by him. If he’d been Lord Pennella, she wouldn’t have even considered it. But this was Lord Davenport, and she wanted to. In a bold move that she never thought she’d take, she sat next to him and noted that he smiled. Relaxing since he hadn’t been taken aback by her bold move, she returned his smile and asked, “How have you been since we last talked?”
“Good. And you?”
“I’ve been fine. Nothing of interest happened.”
“It didn’t?”
She shook her head. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been looking forward to seeing him again until that moment. “No, it didn’t. I’m glad you came by today.”
“You are?”
She studied his expression and fought the urge to chuckle. If she guessed right, he worried that she hadn’t given him a second thought over the past three days. “Yes, I am.”
The butler came in and set the tray of tea in front of them.
She waited until he left before she continued talking. “I know it doesn’t seem like I enjoy much about London,” she began as she poured his tea.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” he quickly spoke up. “You seemed to enjoy the park the other day.”
“Yes, I did. And I wanted to thank you for steering my mother away from gossip. It was nice to spend an afternoon without listening to who is doing what and who performed the worst scandal.” She handed him his cup and poured tea into hers. “Maybe if I didn’t have to listen to it so much, I wouldn’t mind.”
“I don’t think the people involved in the scandal want others talking about it.” He cleared his throat. “I know I wouldn’t.”
“I doubt my mother would either. It’s different when you’re the one on display.” She put the teapot down and returned his smile.
“I agree. And sometimes a person stumbles into a situation without even meaning to.”
“Exactly. We don’t know why the person did what they did. It’s not up to us to judge their motives.”
After a moment, he sipped his tea. “I was wondering, did you hear Lord Toplyn’s having a ball?”
Hiding her smile, she nodded. “My mother mentioned it. She makes it a point to go to as many as she can.”
“Well, I’ll be there, and I’d be honored if you saved two dances for me.”
Pleased, her face grew warm. “I’ll do that.”
She couldn’t
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