Celia smiled and held her head higher. Sophie was right. The first rule of subterfuge: do not embrace the act so tightly as to trick yourself into believing it is real. “Thank you, dear sister,” she said for Sophie’s ears alone.
“We have a glorious day to enjoy, ladies.” Elias bowed to them as they joined him in the hall.
That he persisted in bowing to her rather than offering a polite tip of his head concerned Celia, but she feared reminding him would make him study the Hasterton household even closer. She chose to ignore it for now. Instead, she turned to her ally. “Lady Sophie Redwell, allow me to present Lord Elias Raines.”
Sophie maintained a knowing half-smile as she curtsied. “My lord.”
Elias bowed again. “Lady Sophie.” He made a sweeping gesture toward the front door as the butler swung it open. “To the carriage, dear ladies. Hyde Park awaits.”
Celia and Sophie led the way. The coachman opened the carriage door and offered his hand to steady them as they climbed in and took their seats. Celia sat facing front and assumed Sophie would sit beside her with Elias on the seat behind the driver, facing them. When Sophie made herself quite comfortable on the seat behind the driver, Celia cleared her throat and flared her eyes as wide as she could. Sophie shot back a smile and shook her head, wiggling like a hen settling into a comfortable nest.
Before Celia could move to the spot beside Sophie, Elias climbed in and sat beside her. He nodded to the driver, then leaned back and smiled at them both. “My brother will be beside himself when I tell him of the outing he missed today.”
“I suppose you could have invited him.” Celia opened her parasol for some protective shade. “After all, Lady Sophie is as yet unattached.” Her dear friend deserved that warning shot after creating such an intimate seating arrangement.
“And soon to return to France,” Sophie reminded her, with a slight narrowing of her lovely brown eyes. She opened her frilly-edged parasol and twirled it as if to say,En garde, sister.
“I am a selfish man.” Elias unleashed the smile that made Celia’s strange indigestion flutter at an alarming speed. “An afternoon outing with not one, but two lovely ladies is something I refuse to share.”
“You are too kind, my lord.” Sophie pulled a small fan from her reticule and slowly twirled it in her right hand, signaling she loved another.
Elias turned as if about to say something else to Celia, then paused and seemed concerned. “Forgive me for such a personal inquiry, but are you too warm, Miss Bening?”
Good heavens. No, she was not warm. Well, yes, she was, but not because of the weather. It was the muscular length of his long leg occasionally pressing against hers whenever the carriage swayed. She could not allow him to win at this game. Her cheeks must be red again. The fairness of her skin was indeed a curse in times such as these.
“I’m not overly warm at all, my lord. The ride is exhilarating, and I fear my fair skin betrays my excitement about the outing.” She retrieved her fan from her reticule and opened it wide, daring him to read the subtle signal ofwait for me.
“I see,” he said, then looked away as if to disguise subtly shifting even closer.
Sophie’s eyes danced with mirth above the edge of her fan that failed to hide her soft snort of laughter. She coughed to explain away the sound. “Dear me, I seem to have choked on something.”
“Take care, Sophie,” Celia said while inwardly scolding herself without mercy. She had to regain control and be done with all this silliness. Yes, his nearness felt very nice, but that was no reason to behave like a complete ninny.
As they turned into Hyde Park, he leaned closer still, then feigned an expression of mild shock. “I beg your pardon for crowding you, Miss Bening. Do forgive me.” But he made no effort to move and place more space between them.
Two could up the stakes of this game as long as they did so out of view of the others enjoying the park. Safely hidden by the sides of the carriage, she reached over and boldly patted his knee. “You, Lord Raines, appear to believe it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission.”
His smile captivated her, but not nearly so soundly as his eyes—and the intentions turning them an even sultrier shade of golden brown. “Itiseasier to ask forgiveness,” he said, locking his gaze with hers. “Do you not agree?”
“In some cases,” she brazenly answered.
“Lady Bournebridge and her poisonous pair approach,mon amie.” Sophie tipped a nod to bring Celia’s attention to the spiteful marchioness and the two like-minded ladies accompanying her.
Celia adjusted the tilt of her parasol to shield herself from the directness of their stares as they passed. But that didn’t prevent the judgmental three from turning in their seats and craning their necks to peer at them. “Ahh…the ruling triumvirate of gossip,” Celia said. “According to Duchess Thea, Lady Bournebridge never steps out her door without Lady Essendon and Lady Mardlebon in tow.”
“Pleasant day to you, ladies,” Elias called out to the three with a polite tip of his hat. While still smiling, he lowered his voice for Celia and Sophie’s pleasure alone. “Both the marchionesses and the countess are clients of mine. Or rather, their husbands are.” He chuckled, a warm, friendly sound that sent a far-too-enjoyable shiver through Celia. “Or they were,” he added while still smiling. “We shall see if I hear from them about today. I have quickly discovered that if the wives of my clients are unhappy, then so am I.”
“Oh, I am sure they will remain your clients,” Celia teased. “After all, it is my understanding that this Season is the debut for each of their daughters. I am also told their presentation at court did not go as well as they had hoped.”
“As a second son, I am quite safe,” Elias said with a grin.
“But your brother is not,” Sophie reminded him before Celia could.
“Yes, and they will not wish to upset your brother by severing ties with you.” It was Celia’s turn to appear smug. “You should at least continue to have the pleasure of their patronage until your brother either marries or flees London to escape the Marriage Mart.”
Elias grimaced as if suddenly tasting something very tart. “Lovely.”
Celia laughed, and poor Sophie snorted her amusement and didn’t attempt to cover it this time with coughing.
