“They probably thought you a whore.”
“More than likely.”
“I can’t believe... Whathappened?”
Ethel smirked. She truly smirked. “He answered my questions.”
“Dear heaven. What did you have to do?”
“Nothing much. He was like a cat in catmint. Perhaps he likes women who are big as well as tall. His eyes were almost crossing, especially when I let him have a glimpse of leg. He answered every question I asked and I’m not even sure he’s aware of it.”
Ariana collapsed into laughter, which was a wonderful release. “I wish I’d been there!” When she’d sobered, she reviewed what Ethel had said. “How did Churston know?”
“Mr. Peake said something and it spread from there.”
“I suppose so.” But then Ariana remembered. “Oh, Lord, at the theater! That woman—Lady Hatchard. She mentioned us meeting at Mr. Peake’s and my having been allowed into the cellars. Peake must have spoken to her or her husband about it. Then her husband wanted to know what was down there, and I said Kynaston was with me. This is all my fault!”
“There, there,” Ethel said. “You couldn’t have known.”
“That’s no excuse. I should tell Kynaston.”
“What? Confess your sins?”
“Tell him who’s truly to blame.”
“So he can call him out? Churston’s tall enough.”
“Oh no, you’re right. Best that Kynaston never finds out. But if he confronts Inching, the worm will spill all.”
“No fear of that,” Ethel said smugly. “Apparently Lord Kynaston had been to Inching’s house earlier, but the man had denied being in. He’d no notion of his guilt being known. He simply doesn’t welcome tall gentlemen. When I told him Kynaston knew all, it threw him into a panic, so I suggested he leave Town immediately. He’s off to visit his estates, which are nicely distant in Cumberland.”
“What a worm, but thank you, thank you! Even though I hate to think of him getting away with his malice.”
“Perhaps he’ll never dare come south again.”
“I can hope for that. Churston must be punished as well. He tried to ruin me simply because I didn’t favor him.”
“And because you’re unnatural,” Ethel said. “There’s one with a low opinion of any woman with a thought in her head.”
“That’s not so rare, alas.”
“We could go to his house and give him a thrashing. He’d be too embarrassed to mention it.”
Ariana seriously considered it. It would be so very satisfying. Perhaps she’d beat him about the head with an encyclopedia. She sighed. “Regretfully, no. I need this storm to blow over, which means the visit to the theater. There, I will give a perfect performance of innocent, even empty-headed, purity.”
•••
Later, Ariana assessed her appearance in black and amber and decided it was as good as could be. Ethel’s idea of the fine gold chain around the beads worked to add some very unpenitential glitter.
She, her mother, and Norris traveled together to Lady Cawle’s house, where they were received by Kynaston and Lady Phyllis. Norris went immediately to Lady Phyllis’s side, even though she was as poorly dressed as always.
Was Lady Phyllis’s poor appearance not carelessness, but a deliberate attempt by Kynaston to keep her unmarried? He was frowning at the couple as if he’d like to split them up. Or he might simply have been puzzled. Ariana still found it hard to believe that a serious girl like Phyllis could tolerate her brother, and there was no air of happy lovers about the two at the moment. She should go to Kynaston, for he was to be her partner for the evening, but she felt odd about it. Shy.
Shy?
She put on a bright smile and walked over to him.
He raised his brows at her. “You look in surprising good spirits.”
