“Don’t try to badger me with that thing. The djinns can stay in the desert. Nor do I care about overly large wolves. I’m married to one.” Tamsin fell back against the settee, plate nowonly full of crumbs. “I’m rather out of sorts today. And I’m exhausted. This,” she thumped her stomach and Aurora reached over quickly to snatch the teetering plate, “is all rather tiring. I only wanted to visit to see how and if things were progressing with Aurora’s gentlemen callers. There’s two at last count. Which is two more than I ever had.”
Aurora glared at Holly, who had the decency to look ashamed. He was supposed to keep such things to himself. She should have known he would tell Tamsin whatever she wished to know. He always did. But she’d expected better of Odessa.
And now Alyss knew, which meant both Grisham and Healey would be thoroughly investigated.
Traitors.
Odessa merely shrugged.
She supposed this was far better, to have the family’s attention on Healey or Grisham rather than Worth. Whom she had not seen since he’d given her the explicit, shockingly detailed memoir of an infamous courtesan. He had been notably absent from the variety of parties and balls she’d attended. Purposefully, Aurora surmised. If Worth assumedThe Bloom of the Rosewould shock her into modesty, his plan had failed miserably. Aurora was now more curious than ever. The tome had only given her already fertile imagination that much more to consider.
“Aurora?” Tamsin pinched her. “Goodness, the look on your face. Someone has made an impression. Tell me all about it.”
Yes, someone had made quite the impression on Aurora: Miss Rose Wildenhurst. Author ofThe Bloom of the Rose. A young girl of sixteen who decides her true calling is to become London’s finest courtesan. Even Aunt Lottie would blush reading Rose’s recounting. Which begged the question of why Worth had given it to her.
Another flutter between her thighs took up residence. Aurora imagined Worth in every scenario recounted inThe Bloom of the Rose.
“I’ve been paid a total of three calls,” she said carefully. “One by Lord Grisham and two by Mr. Healey. He is the nephew and heir of Lord Kenebruke.”
“Lord Kenebruke?” Alyss asked in a suspicious tone. “I’m not familiar.”
An investigation was about to begin. Alyss tended to beoverprotective, particularly when it came to a young lady and her suitors. Her skills at gathering information were incredibly useful, considering Malcolm investigated for various members of society. Mostly corrupt relatives or spousal affairs, unless he was doing work for Lord Curchon which he never discussed with anyone.
“Mr. Healey does not need further inquiry, Alyss. Nor your parasol.” Alyss had a reputation for swatting the overly amorous gentlemen. “He’s perfectly well-mannered. Staid, if you will. Lord Kenebruke is an earl from Northumberland, as it happens. Mr. Healey accompanied his uncle when Kenebruke called on Aunt Lottie. He likes books.”
“All true. I was here when Lord Kenebruke arrived, but I had an appointment with the modiste and did not stay.” Odessa’s gaze held a question for Aurora. “Lovely gentleman, though I am unaware of my aunt’s history with Kenebruke. Did they become acquainted recently?”
Aurora gave her an innocent look. “I’m not certain.” Kenebruke was Aunt Lottie’s story to tell, not hers. If she hadn’t confided in Odessa, there was likely a reason.
“And Lord Grisham?” Tamsin’s eyes glinted. “Ware claims he’s a bit chilly. Something of a prig.”
“Ware is a bit chilly,” Aurora reminded her. “And Lord Grisham is not a prig. Merely reserved.” Slightly boring. Lacked a sense of humor. But she didn’t add that part.
“Polite and intelligent, if a bit quiet,” Odessa added. “Well behaved.”
“Well behaved? He isn’t a dog, is he?” Alyss bit into a biscuit. “I know all about Grisham.”
Thank goodness.
“Healey,” Odessa ignored Alyss’s comment, “in my opinion, is more the prig. I thought him rigid.”
“You decided to relate the gruesome details of a pirate’s execution and he objected,” Aurora shot back in annoyance. “It is hardly something one discusses at a first meeting, Odessa, let alone over tea. His discomfort at the topic does not make him a prig.”
AuroralikedHealey, though he wasn’t Worth. But still Aurora thought she should defend him. If Healey was just a trifle less polite, she would like him even more. “At any rate, I’m not sure if either will suit me well enough to wed.”
At Grisham’s hand taking hers in greeting at the Wymouth ball, Aurora had felt an excessively mild, tingle in her arm, but nothing else. Healey created a bit more warmth in her mid-section, but further time in his company or a kiss would be more helpful to determine his suitability. Aurora hated to admit to it but both gentlemen were somewhat prudish, but perhaps that was merely for her benefit. That was why a liberty or two would be required. Grisham especially seemed to have a stick shoved up his rather perfect—
Aurora clasped her hands and took a deep breath.
A proper young lady wouldn’t be focused on a man’s masculine form. Or compare Grisham and Healey to the magnificent, goldenly graceful, Charles Worthington.
You couldn’t simply gift a young lady an overly detailed memoir from a courtesan and assume the matter settled.
Goodness, London was littered with rakes. Any one of them would have agreed to Aurora’s proposal without a second thought. She should have found one of them.
“Whatever are you thinking about?” Tamsin murmured, eyes slowly narrowing into slits. She’d be snoring in moments.
Holly really needed to summon Ware and have her taken home.
