“Please.” Miles held up a hand. “I don’t have any desire to think about my aunt doing that with anyone.”
Susanna chuckled. “You have read the letters, haven’t you?”
He shook his head. “Just the one, and that was before I knew it was her.” Diana was like a mother to him and mother figures did not have sex. Not in his mind anyway. “Continue, minus the embellishments, if you please.”
“The seaside villa where Marlow’s aunt lived was in Weymouth Bay. His aunt married Baron Heyward. If we track him down, we can find out where his nephew currently resides. Don’t you think so?”
“It’s a solid lead. I can look into it.”
“Excellent.” She rose to her feet and Miles followed suit. “You promise?” she added.
Her question stung a little. “If I say I’ll do it then I’ll do it,” he grumbled.
She stepped closer to him, her head tilting to one side to look up at him. The sweet smell of freesia hit his nostrils and he drew in a deep breath. She always smelled like summertime. “Well, I’ll leave you to your work then. Unless you’d like to go for a walk with me, enjoy the sunshine?”
He would love nothing more than to spend the rest of the afternoon strolling next to Susanna listening to her cheerful banter. He pulled out his watch to check the time. “I have an appointment in ten minutes.”
“I’ll leave you to it then.” As she walked past the mantel she paused in front of the small gold clock in the center, then she gave it a half turn so it sat facing the room diagonally. She glanced over her shoulder and winked. Then she bustled out the door, pulling it closed behind her with a softsnick.
Miles sighed again as he studied the askew clock. Susanna Ashby drove him mad. She poked at him as though he was a recalcitrant bear in the royal menagerie. She seemed to thrive on annoying him. But she was the only entertaining thing in his overscheduled life. He ran a hand down over his face. He would definitely go visit his brother next month. He needed a change of scenery and routine. Turning away from the clock, he went back to his window to enjoy the fresh air and softly cascading water.
Chapter Five
Susanna spent apleasant half hour walking home in the sunshine, her maid Jenni trailing behind her. When Susanna walked from one place to another, she liked to walk at a pace that got her blood pumping. She had to do enough mincing about when she attended balls and such things. That’s why she liked to walk with Hawksridge. His long legs easily kept up with her. It never occurred to him to slow down just because she was a lady.
She huffed out a breath, still annoyed that he had not had time to walk. He was always busy with one thing or another. That’s why despite the fact he was terribly handsome and clever she had decided long ago he would make a terrible beau.
It had been nice to have Charlotte and Olivia in town this spring. But Olivia and her husband Max were besotted newlyweds always attached at the hip and Charlotte had baby Emily to take care of in addition to her husband and his seven-year-old daughter Josie. Susanna admired her friend’s dedication to motherhood and baby Emily was very adorable. Having the baby in her arms this afternoon had left Susanna with a strange ache in her chest. She shook her head at her own foolishness as she sped up to pass around two ladies strolling in front of her. She didn’t even have any promising prospects for a husband, she shouldn’t be aching for babies.
A loud whistle warbled from between two trees to her right. She glanced over and Stuart emerged from behind a tree into the sunshine. He tipped his hat to her and stepped back into the shadows. Susanna paused in her tracks and waited for Jenni to catch up.
“My lady, what’s the matter?”
“Mr. Kinrade is here and I need to speak with him. We will need to take a detour into Green Park.”
“What’s he doing up here in Mayfair?” Jenni frowned with disapproval.
“Just walk behind us. But give me some space to speak to him privately.”
“I should be tellin’ your mother is what I should be doing,” Jenni said under her breath.
“I heard that. And if you must know I plan to sever our relationship right now.”
Jenni bobbed her head in agreement. “He’s no good for you, miss. I have a nose for knowing a man’s character. He’s got a no-good look about him.”
Susanna pursed her lips together in order not to laugh. “Well, thank you for your opinion. Please just keep an eye out for anyone we know.” She took in a deep breath and turned onto the pea gravel path that led into Green Park.
As she crossed through the open gates, Stuart came into step next to her. “Good afternoon, luv.”
“What are you doing up in my neighborhood?” Susanna kept her voice even and her gaze straight ahead. But her hands trembled and she clasped them together.
“I had to see you. I didn’t want to wait until the next time you dine at the theater. Didn’t you want to see me?”
“Yes, in fact I hoped we could have slipped away last night and talked.”
He paused and wrapped one hand around her wrist to pull her closer. “Talked. Is that really all you wanted to do?” he murmured in her ear.
“Yes.” Susanna stepped back and continued walking. “You see as much as I have enjoyed our time together, I must end our affair. I cannot continue to see you.”
