“You are still wearing that ribbon,” Hayward whispered, moving toward her side as the butler hurried out of the entrance hall and off to the carriage.
“What?” Phoebe took hold of the ribbon tighter around her neck.
“Is the bruise still visible?” he asked, pointing to her neck.
“You…you know about it?” she asked, feeling a little breathy.
“I could see it the night at the assembly,” he said softly. “Is it still visible?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” she said miserably, lowering her hand and looking down at the floor.
A string of curses erupted from him, so strong that she snapped her head up toward him.
“I’m sorry,” he said hurriedly, “I should not use such language, but the fact that he…” He breathed in deeply then sighed. He looked pained, as though he had been physically hurt too.
Phoebe lifted a hand without thinking and placed it on Hayward’s arm, trying to offer some silent comfort that she could not give with words. He didn’t step out from her grasp.
“Well, I am glad to see you are still here!” Lady Dodge’s voice echoed as she entered the room made Phoebe lowered her hand and turned to see her friend hurrying toward her. “I hear at one point you were threatening to return home on my account, I am relieved to see it is not the case. I hope my brother is being a good host to you,” Lady Dodge said, taking Phoebe’s hands and placing a kiss to her cheek.
“I am the finest of hosts,” Hayward said with a falsely proud smile at himself. “I have not frightened her away yet, have I?”
As the Marquess of Dodge approached Hayward and shook his hand, they exchanged a few lower words, giving Lady Dodge the chance to loop her arm through Phoebe’s and lead her toward the drawing room.
“There is much we must talk about,” Lady Dodge said with a whisper.
“I heard about what my husband said to you. I am so sorry,” Phoebe said, holding onto her friend.
“Oh, do not worry about that. He certainly shocked me at the time, but he has not been back to the house since, so I think we managed to convince him that we do not know where you are.” Lady Dodge led Phoebe to the other side of the drawing room and urged Phoebe to sit down with her at a settee. “Now, before dinner, I wish to be certain that my brother is taking care of you, despite all his jests.”
“Taking care of me?” Phoebe said with a laugh. “Well, yes, he is a very good host.”
“No, I want to make sure he is being more than a host,” Lady Dodge said with a soft shake of her head. “Everyone can be a good host. You have been through a lot, my friend, and your husband has sent out constables searching for you. Anyone would need someone watching over them.”
“I suppose so,” Phoebe said as she glanced across the room to where Hayward and the Marquess were walking in, already collecting glasses of port from a drink’s cabinet at the side of the room.
He is taking care of me.The thought struck hard as she thought of all that had happened since her arrival, from Hayward’s intent to see her smile, down to teaching her to sword fight.He is a caring man indeed.
“You can rest assured, your brother is looking out for me,” Phoebe said softly, earning a great smile from her friend.
* * *
“That was an interesting dinner,” Josiah said after Diana and Lady Ridlington had retired to the drawing room for tea. Francis and Josiah stayed in the dining room for a few minutes as the butler poured out two brandies for them and left them alone.
“In what way?” Francis asked, with his eyes still tarrying on the doorway through which Lady Ridlington had left.
“You and your guest seem to get on very well.”
“She is easy to get along with,” Francis said nonchalantly and turned back to his friend. “I have rarely met anyone like her.”
“What does that mean?” Josiah asked, pausing with his brandy and tilting his head to the side.
“Nothing,” Francis said with innocence, realizing how close he had come to singing Lady Ridlington’s praises. “She…well, she has a fine humor for one thing.”
“That is the only thing you admire in her?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“So, you admire her for other reasons too?” Josiah’s words made Francis look up from his brandy glass again and offer his friend a frown.
