His head wobbled in indecision. Bella laughed.
“I’d like to return to Mivart’s now,” she said. “I believe the Duchess of Malmsby will send around a note to invite me to stay with her at Malmsby House until I might find a property to lease.”
“Do you wish to do that? She is Nowlton’s mother and Candelstone’s mother-in-law.”
“I know; however, I don’t believe I should see them, but nonetheless, I’m willing to risk it to get out of the Mivart Hotel.”
“Get out of Mivart’s? That is considered the best hotel in London. That’s why your solicitor recommended it,” Andrew protested.
“Perhaps for a gentleman it is; however, I can attest that they consider any single woman who walks through its doors a light-skirt. Why else would a woman be there?” She said as she steered her brother toward the entrance.
He stopped, forcing Bella to stop. “That is ridiculous! I should speak to the management of the hotel. I am certain that is not an attitude they want to promote.”
“They know,” she said, urging him forward again. “I have complained. Doesn’t do any good. They don’t want to alienate any gentlemen who stay there now or would wish to do so over the month. However, I am considering how to drive the point home.”
Her brother shrugged. “That’s easy. Just tell him your duchess friend was appalled and is having you come to stay with her instead. Won’t like that. Guaranteed.”
Bella looked at him. “Sometimes, Andrew, you amaze me. That is a brilliant idea.”
He shrugged again. “I ain’t the smartest fellow, I know that, but it stands to reason. He’d not like to lose potential custom should a duchess put it about how his hotel treated her friend.”
Bella tucked her arm in his. “Let’s hurry and return to Mivart’s. Suddenly my day is looking better.”
CHAPTER2
MALMSBY HOUSE
Bella felt a qualm of misgiving the next morning as she stepped down from the carriage that brought her and her luggage to Malmsby House.
Is it wise to accept the Duchess of Malmsby’s invitation to stay here?she asked herself for perhaps the hundredth time. The Duchess was Candelstone’s mother-in-law, and Aidan Nowlton’s mother. She was bound to meet both gentlemen here. Bella wasn’t sure how she felt about those meetings.
Or how she should feel.
Since Harry’s death, she’d come to terms with the knowledge Harry had never loved her, nor ever could have loved her. It wasn’t in his personality to love anyone beyond himself. He was a great dissembler, which was also what made him a great spy. What she could not understand, and probably never would understand, is why he worked so hard to end the courtship between her and Aidan Nowlton? And afterward, why he wanted to marry her.
The Malmsby House butler swung open the door before Bella could ring the bell.
“Lady Blessingame, to see the Dowager Duchess of Malmsby,” she said.
“Yes, my lady,” the austere but pleasant butler said, bowing slightly. “Her grace is expecting you. She is waiting just down the hall in the Lady Margaret Parlor. Jimmy here,” he said, indicating a footman in dark green livery, “will see to the coachman and have your luggage taken to your room. If you will follow me, I’ll take you to her grace.”
“Thank you,” Bella said, nodding her head slightly in acknowledgment.
She followed the butler down the black-and-white marble tiled floor of the long entrance hall to a pair of doors on the far side, near a bank of windows that looked out to a terrace that ran the length of the house. The terrace abutted a small park-like garden.
“Lady Blessingame, your grace,” intoned the butler as he pushed open the white-painted double doors.
The parlor the butler escorted her to was an amazingly ornate pink, white, and gold confection. Not at all what she would have envisioned as favored by Lady Malmsby.
“Bella!” enthused her hostess, her smile bright. Dressed in shades of green, she looked like foliage for the overly pink floral parlor. She held out her hands to Bella, inviting her to sit by her on a strawberry-pink settee. “Mr. Harold,” Lady Malmsby said, looking past Bella to the butler. “Please tell Ann that Bella is here. And have refreshments brought in.”
The butler bowed. “Right away, your grace,” he promised, as he closed the double doors.
“Come in, come in, girl. And do take off that bonnet. Though your blue bonnet is fetching, you are not a visitor expected to leave momentarily. You can put your bonnet, gloves, and reticule on that table, there,” Lady Malmsby said, pointing to a round table at the other end of the settee.
After Bella placed her things on the table, she turned back toward Lady Malmsby who took her hands in hers.
“I could not help but note that you didn’t just leave our company the other day to find your brother, you virtually ran away. Why is that? You must tell me, my dear.”
