“I did. Do you ride?”
“I love to ride,” Serafina said, her face brightening. “But Bath doesn’t offer too many opportunities. My own horse is in Sussex, at Uncle Carlton’s estate.”
“You look so familiar…and the name Kerr…” the Duchess of Featherly said, thoughtfully tapping her chin with one elegant forefinger. “Where are your people from?”
“Aberdeen,” he answered before he could stop himself.
Damn and blast.Of all the questions she could have asked, it had to be that one. His mother’s family was from Aberdeen. What if she recognized him? If she did, any hope of slipping quietly through Bath as a simple painter would be well and truly finished, as well as any hopes of relaxation.
Baron Cornelius Grimsbylurked in the shadowed mouth of the alley opposite the Duchess of Featherly’s townhouse, where the four dowager duchesses lived, watching as Miss Serafina Davies stepped from the carriage beside an unfamiliar man. His fingers gripped the brick wall, nails scraping with frustration as Serafina Davies disappeared inside.
“So,” he murmured, “It seems her so-called aunts are now allowing her to take in strays now…dogs and nameless fellows plucked from the gutter outside her guardian’s club. YetI—a baron—and her aunts summarily denied my request to courther, without even an introduction to her. No matter. I am a patient man when it serves me, my lovely Serafina. For two years, you disappeared, and no one would say where you’d gone—but I knew you would return. I waited. Now that you’re back, I vow to have you on my terms—and this time, you’ll not escape my sight.”
A thin, humorless sound escaped him, more a rasp than a laugh.
“Such beauty and innocence—I must have you. This time you won’t get away, my dear Serafina. And you will come around to my way of thinking…” He leaned forward, eyes glinting with cold anticipation. “Soon.”
CHAPTER 3
The next morning~35 Brock Street~Bath, England
Good morning, everyone! I could smell that wonderful ham and bacon wafting all the way to my room,” Serafina said, walking into the dining room. “Can I get anyone anything?”
“No, darling, the omelet on my plate is so big that the hens had to get back to work laying more eggs, so you just get what you like,” Aunt Sophy said.
Charles entered the room with a silver salver. “This just arrived, Your Graces. It’s addressed to all of you.”
“Thank you, Charles,” Aunt Dora said, accepting the missive and sliding her knife under the seal. “Mr. Kerr has accepted the invitation we sent him,” she said after reading the note. “He says he looks forward to having tea with us and will bring some samples of his work. This is wonderful. If we agree to have him paint our portrait, we should schedule it.”
Serafina’s heart skipped a beat, and she almost dropped the serving spoon for the scrambled eggs. She had no idea why she would react in such a way to a missive by Mr. Kerr.She hardly knew him.Had only just met him.Heavens,why was she reacting this way to a simple note from Mr. Kerr?
Well…he is the most handsome and charming man you’ve ever met,her traitorous mind supplied.And those dimples…
And then there was the way he had come to her rescue—calm, capable, unexpectedly kind—and how he had insisted on escorting her home, as though her well-being were a matter of personal importance.
No wonder her pulse had chosen this moment to thunder in her ears.
Besides, she was there when he’d spoken to the GDs about his work. Of course, he would be in touch with them. He was an artist. He made his living with his art. He would be a fool not to show them his paintings.
She took a deep breath and carefully returned the serving spoon to the trivet and carried her plate to the table. She was just feeling out of sorts; that must be it. She was anxious about her tearoom and everything that still needed to be done. That was it. Of course it was, she told herself as she sat in her usual seat.
“And what a handsome young man he is,” Aunt Bianca said. “His looks are so distinctive.”
Serafina could not disagree with that notion. Mr. Kerr was indeed handsome and distinctive, but in more than his looks. Yes, he was tall and broad-shouldered. His build was like Uncle Carlton’s.Oh dear, there I go again, thinkingabout Mr. Kerr…she really needed to get a hold of herself.
Two years had passed since she’d let herself get carried away by a handsome young man. She’d been so foolish. But Edward had been nothing like Mr. Kerr. He had been more boy than man. Yes, he’d matured in the past two years as they’d settledinto a friendship. But he still had those boyish looks. There was nothing boyish about Mr. Kerr.
“Does he look familiar to any of you?” Aunt Sophy asked, drawing Serafina from her musings. “I never forget a face…but this one has me stumped.”
“Oh, Iwishhewerefamiliar, if you catch my meaning,” Aunt Bianca said, arching her brows as she slathered strawberry preserves on her toast. “He has a physique that turns heads the moment he walks into a room. You don’t see men that gorgeous drop from the sky too often. Serafina, darling, where did you find him…and does he have a twin?”
“How can he have anoldertwin? That’s not how twins happen, Bianca,” Aunt Sophy asked, buttering her toast.
“Who said anything aboutolder?” Aunt Bianca said, apparently just realizing Sophy’s subtle insult about her age.
“I think I just did,” Aunt Sophy said, looking up from her toast. “You’re much too old for Serafina’s young man. Did you really need to hear me say it? Besides, you’ll turn heads when you walk into a room, for all the wrong reasons, if you keep inhaling those strawberry preserves.”
“Oh, hush. I still have the same figure I did on my wedding day. Why, I wager I can still fit into my wedding gown!” Aunt Bianca huffed.
