Leith opened his mouth and then closed it again.He appeared to be at a bit of a loss for words.
“Ages?”he proffered finally.
“I’m the second oldest of the bastards,” Sally volunteered.“Only Malcolm is older than me.”
“He is twenty-two,” Beatrice said.“Severn is the same age as George.Fifteen.”
“And Philip is the youngest,” Sally said.“He is twelve.”
“I see,” Leith said, rubbing his fingers along his eyebrow, a muscle in his jaw flexing.“And none know your true activities in London.”
“No,” Beatrice snapped.“And you will not tell them.”
“How will you explainmypresence by your side when we arrive at your home?”
She had not considered this problem until this moment, as she had been so lost to worry.
“I will tell them a version of the truth,” she mused aloud.“That you are a friend of Lord Montaigne’s.I told them, you see, that Lord Montaigne’s father was one of the men to whom our father had lent money.All those years ago.I will say that you and Lord Montaigne wanted to help with my predicament.”
Leith gave her a dubious look.
She shook her head.“My mother is not the suspicious sort.She will not be the problem.”
“Even the most unsuspicious mother might wonder at the man traveling at her daughter’s side.”
“Bea is right—Mrs.Salisbury is not… She has a gentle nature,” Sally said.
“It’s not my mother who worries me.Or the younger boys.It is Malcolm.”
“Your oldest brother?”Leith said, with the air of a man who had just been introduced to a complex branch of knowledge.
“Yes.He was not so easily convinced about the nature of my activities in London.”
Sally snorted.“He didn’t believe her.At all.He knew our father too well to countenance that he had lent money to anyone.”
“And he is protective.Which is absurd.As I am his elder.”
Leith tilted his head inscrutably.
“Should I expect to be called out?”
“He is not that foolish,” Beatrice said.“But you can expect to be questioned.”
“I doubt he will believe my story of Christian charity.”
“No,” Beatrice said, knowing he was right.“He won’t.So you must make it seem as though you have honorable intentions.That you are a man in love.I know it will be a difficult bit of acting, but it is the only way forward that I see.”
She could not look at him as she said the wordsin love.She did not want to suggest that heactuallyfelt such strong feelings for her, when she knew that, while undoubtedly fond of her, he was not the type of man to fall in love.
“Very well,” Leith said, his tone light, for which she was grateful.“And I can be a help with Mr.Gordstone, thank the Lord.”
Beatrice froze at the icy confidence in his last statement.“What do you mean?”
Leith scoffed.“Not for nothing am I a marquess.He will not be intimidating or terrorizing anyone at Parkhorne Hall whilst I am in residence.And once we arrive, I will be sending a few letters back to London to inquire into his affairs.”
“No,” Beatrice said, frustration spiraling through her.“That will not be necessary.I can handle Mr.Gordstone.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Beatrice.It is useless to quarrel with me about the subject.I am not going to let a household of women and boys be terrorized in such a fashion.And certainly not the woman that I—” he broke off, with a strange turn to his countenance “—who is my mistress.With men of this nature, they only listen to one thing.”
