Nora was just finishing afternoon tea with Lady Roundtree when Mr. Grenville was shown into the parlor. He hadn’t strayed from her thoughts ever since the gallery opening. To be so close to him once again…
She put down her fork and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her serviette. Splendid timing. With her luck, if she smiled at him her teeth would be dotted with mulberry seeds.
“Heath Grenville!” Lady Roundtree smiled at him warmly. “Sit, sit. There’s always room for a handsome man at a tea table.”
Truer words than perhaps Mr. Grenville realized. In the weeks since Nora had come to town, she hadn’t witnessed the baron take a meal with his wife even once. Nonetheless, Lady Roundtree always ensured a place was set for him.
Mr. Grenville bowed and took a seat close to the baroness. “What bother. I’ve just come from my club and haven’t a sliver of space left for another morsel of food. Those scones do look devilishly tempting. Is that blackberry jam or mulberry?”
“Mulberry,” Nora replied, hoping her lips weren’t stained purple from the vast quantity she had just consumed.
With a yip, Captain Pugboat pawed at the corner of Lady Roundtree’s settee.
The baroness surreptitiously lowered a piece of biscuit from her plate to the puppy. It disappeared in a trice. Lady Roundtree affected an innocent expression.
“We can see you,” Nora pointed out with a grin. “Would you like me to arrange a place setting on the floor for Captain Pugboat?”
“Don’t be absurd, Miss Winfield.” Lady Roundtree gave an emphatic sniff. “Pugs don’t eat from plates.”
“Why is his collar festooned with yellow ribbons?” Mr. Grenville asked.
Lady Roundtree beamed at her pet. “Because he wanted to be a lion again today.”
Mr. Grenville cast a baffled look toward Nora. “Captain Pugboat is now a lion?”
“Don’t be absurd.” Nora playfully echoed Lady Roundtree’s words. “Captain Pugboat isplayacting. He is still very much a puppy.”
“Aha.” Mr. Grenville nodded gravely. “He is a master of disguise.”
Lady Roundtree let out an agonized sigh. “If only His Highness would master a few simple commands. Can you not teach him to come when called, or heel when so ordered?”
“I will,” Nora promised. She cast a doubtful glance at the wiggling puppy and added, “That is, I willtry.”
The baroness yawned sleepily and nestled her head in the crook of the settee. “Rouse me when you’ve increased his vocabulary.”
Nora peered into Lady Roundtree’s empty teacup. Every drop was gone, including a dose of laudanum. The baroness was unlikely to wake for another hour. “Shall I have a footman escort you to your chamber?”
“I’m not sleeping,” Lady Roundtree mumbled groggily. “I’m resting my eyes. I’ll be waiting right here when he’s ready to give his performance.”
Nora lifted her brows. “Where willIbe?”
Without opening her eyes, Lady Roundtree waved a dismissive hand. “You and Mr. Grenville will be teaching my new dog old tricks.”
Nora cast an embarrassed look toward Mr. Grenville.
To her surprise, he grinned right back at her with a what-can-you-do shrug.
He pushed to his feet and whispered to Captain Pugboat, “Come on, boy. Come on. Here, boy. Here, Captain. Who’s a good boy? Come-come, right this way.”
“If any of that rubbish worked,” Lady Roundtree said without cracking an eyelid, “I would not have asked you geniuses for assistance.”
Mr. Grenville’s shoulders wracked with silent laughter at the rebuke.
Nora grabbed the three-tiered silver tea tray from the table and lowered it near the floor.
Captain Pugboat immediately bounded toward her.
She held it just out of reach and backed out of the parlor toward an empty sitting room. Captain Pugboat and Mr. Grenville followed right behind the bouncing cakes, like children trailing the Pied Piper.
