name. She could only hope that Lord Brough was being as circumspect…wherever he might be.
Reaching his town house at a little after eleven that evening, Robert accepted that he could do nothing more until the morning. He was in any case exhausted by all the chasing around he’d done over the past few days and, after eating a light supper of soup and bread, followed by two brandies, he went up to his room. Falling into bed, he slept through the night, which was a great improvement on the past few weeks and woke feeling much refreshed at eight the next morning.
By ten o’clock he was shaved, dressed and ready to pay calls. He had of course no idea where Miss Merlin had taken the errant pair, but could only hope that she might have gone to stay with that friend of hers…now what was the name?
Ah yes, he had excellent recall and remembered her speaking of Viscount Wrexham’s wife as being one of her pupils. The young woman had married well, although some people whispered about the Viscount’s birth. He was said to be the bastard son of a gypsy woman and the Earl of…… However, he had been acknowledged and adopted by his father and was now the accepted heir. It was therefore a respectable household and Robert uttered a silent prayer that perhaps his sister might have escaped the certain shame he had imagined must be hers.
He knew where the Viscount’s house was situated in an exclusive square in Mayfair and, if he walked there, would arrive a little before eleven. The walk would do him good after so much riding and travelling and the fresh air might help to calm his mood, which veered from fury to a mild optimism.
Setting out in an easier frame of mind than of late, he was crossing Hanover Square when he chanced upon an acquaintance. He was hailed by an officer he had known when serving in the army, and was obliged to stop.
‘Robert, old fellow, how good to see you. Eleanor did not tell me you were in London?’
‘You have seen my sister?’ Robert took a deep breath. He must control his tongue and be cautious. ‘I arrived last night and have not had the chance to call on her and Miss Merlin.’
‘Eleanor looks very well, quite the young lady of fashion,’ Captain George Rush said and grinned. ‘Had she not already been spoken for I might have been asking your permission to pay court to her. Charming, perfectly charming – but then, she has been a pupil at Miss Merlin’s school, has she not? That lady is known for bringing young ladies along for their debuts in society – and having met her I understand why. Failing your sister, I may try my luck there…’ He laughed, clearly thinking it all a great joke. ‘On my way to Brooks. Any chance you would like to lunch with me there?’
Robert gritted his teeth, painting on a smile that might more easily have been taken for a glare. ‘I fear I have other appointments, George. Another day perhaps.’
Walking on before he lost his temper, Robert felt his mood deteriorating. So that woman had thought fit to put it about that his sister was practically engaged to Brockleton had she? How dare she take such a liberty without consulting him? The saner side of his mind might tell him it was the best solution in the circumstances, but the way it had been done – without a word to him – was infuriating to say the least. The woman deserved to be punished and he would see her chastened if it was the last thing he did.
She should be run out of society. Once again, he delighted in picturing his hands about her white throat, but, unfortunately, within seconds the scene changed and he was kissing her…kissing her with such passion that she swooned in his arms, and then he was lying in a bed with clean linen sheets that smelled of roses and…
Damn her! Was she a witch? Had she bewitched him?
Nonsense! Robert did not believe in any such thing. She was a clever manipulating woman and she
Reaching his town house at a little after eleven that evening, Robert accepted that he could do nothing more until the morning. He was in any case exhausted by all the chasing around he’d done over the past few days and, after eating a light supper of soup and bread, followed by two brandies, he went up to his room. Falling into bed, he slept through the night, which was a great improvement on the past few weeks and woke feeling much refreshed at eight the next morning.
By ten o’clock he was shaved, dressed and ready to pay calls. He had of course no idea where Miss Merlin had taken the errant pair, but could only hope that she might have gone to stay with that friend of hers…now what was the name?
Ah yes, he had excellent recall and remembered her speaking of Viscount Wrexham’s wife as being one of her pupils. The young woman had married well, although some people whispered about the Viscount’s birth. He was said to be the bastard son of a gypsy woman and the Earl of…… However, he had been acknowledged and adopted by his father and was now the accepted heir. It was therefore a respectable household and Robert uttered a silent prayer that perhaps his sister might have escaped the certain shame he had imagined must be hers.
He knew where the Viscount’s house was situated in an exclusive square in Mayfair and, if he walked there, would arrive a little before eleven. The walk would do him good after so much riding and travelling and the fresh air might help to calm his mood, which veered from fury to a mild optimism.
Setting out in an easier frame of mind than of late, he was crossing Hanover Square when he chanced upon an acquaintance. He was hailed by an officer he had known when serving in the army, and was obliged to stop.
‘Robert, old fellow, how good to see you. Eleanor did not tell me you were in London?’
‘You have seen my sister?’ Robert took a deep breath. He must control his tongue and be cautious. ‘I arrived last night and have not had the chance to call on her and Miss Merlin.’
‘Eleanor looks very well, quite the young lady of fashion,’ Captain George Rush said and grinned. ‘Had she not already been spoken for I might have been asking your permission to pay court to her. Charming, perfectly charming – but then, she has been a pupil at Miss Merlin’s school, has she not? That lady is known for bringing young ladies along for their debuts in society – and having met her I understand why. Failing your sister, I may try my luck there…’ He laughed, clearly thinking it all a great joke. ‘On my way to Brooks. Any chance you would like to lunch with me there?’
Robert gritted his teeth, painting on a smile that might more easily have been taken for a glare. ‘I fear I have other appointments, George. Another day perhaps.’
Walking on before he lost his temper, Robert felt his mood deteriorating. So that woman had thought fit to put it about that his sister was practically engaged to Brockleton had she? How dare she take such a liberty without consulting him? The saner side of his mind might tell him it was the best solution in the circumstances, but the way it had been done – without a word to him – was infuriating to say the least. The woman deserved to be punished and he would see her chastened if it was the last thing he did.
She should be run out of society. Once again, he delighted in picturing his hands about her white throat, but, unfortunately, within seconds the scene changed and he was kissing her…kissing her with such passion that she swooned in his arms, and then he was lying in a bed with clean linen sheets that smelled of roses and…
Damn her! Was she a witch? Had she bewitched him?
Nonsense! Robert did not believe in any such thing. She was a clever manipulating woman and she
Similar Books
