Something to cure his cotton mouth and uneasy stomach.” Hayden looked to Leo and said, “You can thank me later for the cure-all you’re throwing down your gullet. ”
“Much gratitude, Hayden.” He scrubbed his hands roughly over his eyes, wishing the spinning would settle long enough for him to drink up the remainder of the fizzing mixture in front of him. “Back to Jez for a minute here. Have you seen your solicitor yet?”
“Not for another two hours. But I should warn you, changing the outcome of the will is about the only way she’ll listen to reason. I’ll try and have it held up in court. Perhaps Mr. Warren will draw up a settlement to appease Jez if he’s made to wait a lengthy period.”
Jez’s choices were few: she could marry again, and hope the man was decent, or she could figure out a way to live on a small fraction of the money she was used to.
Leo pulled out his fob, and flipped the gold case open. Nearly eleven and he wanted nothing more than to sleep off his headache. Though it seemed to be receding with every minute that passed.
“Right, then,” Leo said. “I’ll take myself about the shops and buy something nice to cheer her up. What do you reckon she desires most?”
Between bites of his poached eggs, Hayden said, “Aside from dashing Mr. Warren’s chances of ever marrying, I suggest something frivolous and completely useless. She does love her baubles and she was admiring a fan inlaid with jade on Bond Street last week. Or perhaps some new hair combs?” With a shrug of his shoulders, Hayden wiped his mouth on his napkin and tossed it down on his finished plate. “I have some errands to attend. Will I see you at Tristan’s before you make your way to the Carletons?”
Leo nodded and pressed his fingers to his aching temples again. Saying no to Jez was not something he or Tristan had ever been able to do. “I believe ‘after eight’ were his words, though I can’t be sure.”
Hayden laughed at him as he stood, doffed his hat, and slapped him on the back of his shoulder. “Till this evening,” were his parting words.
Once Leo finished his meal, he felt marginally better and called for his jacket and hat. It was time to head over to Bond Street to buy something for Jez. And he would shamelessly use said gift as a bribe to persuade Jez that she should plan a trip to the countryside. She did need to get away from the hubbub of the city at least for a short time.
As he turned off Piccadilly, whom should he see but Miss Camden and her cousin? He paused at the corner of Old Bond and watched them for a moment. The driver of the coach helped Genny’s cousin down the last step of the carriage. Done with his task, the driver held out his hand for his coin, which Genny placed in his ungloved palm.
Well, didn’t this just make his day a little brighter? He did enjoy the fact that he could fluster Miss Camden so early in the day—maybe he enjoyed doing that a little too much.
Genny’s dress was a white-sprigged muslin, with little yellow flowers dotting her bodice and skirts, simple yet elegant. Though her companion wore a pink and green checked silk day dress with a slight dip in front and back, and of a much finer material, his gaze swung immediately back to Genny. She clasped a white parasol in her delicately lace-gloved hands. Unfortunately, a silk moiré bonnet shaded her face from his vantage point.
She would not see him coming, then. He’d have the opportunity to take her unawares. What would her reaction be on seeing him today?
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he picked up his pace, heading in their direction. They disappeared behind the dark-stained wooden door of a jeweler’s.
Leo pushed his way through the same door they had entered a few minutes later. A brass bell jingled above his head, heralding his arrival. It was busy—there were about a dozen patrons looking over the wares—so no one turned or took notice of him, aside from the shopkeeper
“Much gratitude, Hayden.” He scrubbed his hands roughly over his eyes, wishing the spinning would settle long enough for him to drink up the remainder of the fizzing mixture in front of him. “Back to Jez for a minute here. Have you seen your solicitor yet?”
“Not for another two hours. But I should warn you, changing the outcome of the will is about the only way she’ll listen to reason. I’ll try and have it held up in court. Perhaps Mr. Warren will draw up a settlement to appease Jez if he’s made to wait a lengthy period.”
Jez’s choices were few: she could marry again, and hope the man was decent, or she could figure out a way to live on a small fraction of the money she was used to.
Leo pulled out his fob, and flipped the gold case open. Nearly eleven and he wanted nothing more than to sleep off his headache. Though it seemed to be receding with every minute that passed.
“Right, then,” Leo said. “I’ll take myself about the shops and buy something nice to cheer her up. What do you reckon she desires most?”
Between bites of his poached eggs, Hayden said, “Aside from dashing Mr. Warren’s chances of ever marrying, I suggest something frivolous and completely useless. She does love her baubles and she was admiring a fan inlaid with jade on Bond Street last week. Or perhaps some new hair combs?” With a shrug of his shoulders, Hayden wiped his mouth on his napkin and tossed it down on his finished plate. “I have some errands to attend. Will I see you at Tristan’s before you make your way to the Carletons?”
Leo nodded and pressed his fingers to his aching temples again. Saying no to Jez was not something he or Tristan had ever been able to do. “I believe ‘after eight’ were his words, though I can’t be sure.”
Hayden laughed at him as he stood, doffed his hat, and slapped him on the back of his shoulder. “Till this evening,” were his parting words.
Once Leo finished his meal, he felt marginally better and called for his jacket and hat. It was time to head over to Bond Street to buy something for Jez. And he would shamelessly use said gift as a bribe to persuade Jez that she should plan a trip to the countryside. She did need to get away from the hubbub of the city at least for a short time.
As he turned off Piccadilly, whom should he see but Miss Camden and her cousin? He paused at the corner of Old Bond and watched them for a moment. The driver of the coach helped Genny’s cousin down the last step of the carriage. Done with his task, the driver held out his hand for his coin, which Genny placed in his ungloved palm.
Well, didn’t this just make his day a little brighter? He did enjoy the fact that he could fluster Miss Camden so early in the day—maybe he enjoyed doing that a little too much.
Genny’s dress was a white-sprigged muslin, with little yellow flowers dotting her bodice and skirts, simple yet elegant. Though her companion wore a pink and green checked silk day dress with a slight dip in front and back, and of a much finer material, his gaze swung immediately back to Genny. She clasped a white parasol in her delicately lace-gloved hands. Unfortunately, a silk moiré bonnet shaded her face from his vantage point.
She would not see him coming, then. He’d have the opportunity to take her unawares. What would her reaction be on seeing him today?
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he picked up his pace, heading in their direction. They disappeared behind the dark-stained wooden door of a jeweler’s.
Leo pushed his way through the same door they had entered a few minutes later. A brass bell jingled above his head, heralding his arrival. It was busy—there were about a dozen patrons looking over the wares—so no one turned or took notice of him, aside from the shopkeeper
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