Lucy couldn’t help but feelrelieved that the duke wasn’t here.
“Lucy?” She turned at Arabella’s voice.
“Lord Finbar, this is my best friend, Miss Lucy Bell. Lucy, Lord Finbar.”
He was, as Arabella had said, beautiful. He looked like a Greek statue, with a head full of unruly golden curls, limpid green eyes and a sensual mouth drawn up in a charming smile. He was dressed in silver grey topcoat and high shirt points that nearly stuck into his cheeks.
“Enchanted.” He lifted her hand and breathed a kiss on the back.
“I’ve known Lucy since we were at the Seminary together.”
“Lady Arabella’s friends are my friends.” His vapid smile never reached his eyes.
What a vain dolt,Lucy thought.
“What do you say to this house party, Miss Bell? Charming, is it not? Ashmore and Lady Arabella do their best to entertain us. This afternoon we went to Kloster Abbey. Alas, you missed it. It was charming. Tomorrow we shall ride to those ruins – I forget their name – they’re said to be utterly gorgeous – medieval romance with a touch of decay – you’ll join us, and you’ll love it, yes?”
“I’m not sure—”
“Of course you’ll join us, Lucy. I won’t allow you to stay behind on your own.”
Lord Finbar pulled up the corners of his lips. “Unless it rains. Alas. How much it’s rained this summer. Then we’ll remain here and play baccarat. Or charades. Or whatever game our charming Lady Arabella devises for us.” He bowed to Arabella. “Such lovely games! But also the Lady Louisa Whitehall has some charming ideas.” His glance flitted over to the porcelain doll.
Poor Arabella. Lucy wondered how she could bear marrying this man, especially when she was in love with someone else. But who could it be? Lucy vowed to find out.
The next morning,Lucy crept out of the house after breakfast to search for Henry. Yes, he’d said they should not meet again. But she desperately needed to know how Bartimaeus was doing. She also needed to ask him whether he’d found his horse, carriage and the bushes. And to check whether his eyes were still that lovely, clear and steady shade of blue, whether the smell the mix of tobacco and grass still hung on to his clothes.
A longing washed over her like she’d never known before. It was a feverish homesickness that burned slowly and left her restless.How odd,Lucy thought.I’m homesick for a person I’ve only known for two days.The intenseness of the feeling took her breath away.
She went to the stables to seek Bartimaeus. A fellow who shovelled hay directed to a corner where a little boy was playing with several adorable puppies. But Bartimaeus was not there.
“Hello there,” she said, startling the boy.
He looked at her defiantly. “I’s no doin’ no wrong.”
“Of course you’re not.” Lucy knelt next to him on the floor and watched the little puppies. “I’m looking for a puppy, too. But mine is black and only has three legs. You haven’t seen her, have you?”
The boy shook his head. He couldn’t be older than five. He tilted his dirty face towards her and looked at her suspiciously.
Lucy smiled involuntarily. “What’s your name?”
“Jem.”
“Jem. That’s a pretty name.”
“I’s hungry.”
Lucy’s heart constricted. “Of course you are, Jem.” She got up. “They don’t feed you enough, do they?”
“Jimmy forgets.”
“Who’s Jimmy?”
“Brother. Lamp boy.”
“So he is.” She recalled seeing a rumpled-looking boy frantically refilling the lamps at the bottom of the back stairs. She’d nearly fallen over him. He’d had a tear-stained face because Higgins, the butler, had scolded him for having tipped over a lamp and the oil had smeared the parquet floor. Being scolded by Higgins was like being scolded by royalty. To a servant boy, it must be the most terrifying thing imaginable. The only thing more terrifying than that was to be noticed by the duke. Lucy frowned. Jimmy the lamp boy was one thing. But his little brother Jem, alone and hungry in the stables? That wouldn’t do.
“And your mummy? Or daddy?”
