“Of course.”
Then Danby disappeared down the corridor after his father. Malcolm turned his full attention to Lady Amberley. “Tell me, are you feeling up to walking? You look quite like you would blow over in a stiff breeze.”
“I’m fine,” she replied again in that wooden tone that worried him. She most definitely was not fine, but he wasn’t about to press the lady. Luckily, her maid arrived quickly with her wrap and a velvet bonnet.
When they stepped outside, Lady Amberley raised her face to the sun and took a deep breath. She stood there for a long moment, and Malcolm took the opportunity to study her. Dark ringlets framed her face. She wore a simple day dress of navy wool. Had she been curled up reading in her library? What had made her look so wan?
Her maid came after them and helped her mistress into a vibrant blue pelisse that complemented her dark blue bonnet. Once she was ready, Malcolm winged out his elbow. Lady Amberley still looked dazed but slid her hand through his arm. The chill in the air already pinkening her cheeks.
“Which way?”
She blinked up at him.
“As you know, I am not familiar with London,” he said. “Please take the lead, my lady.”
“Left. We will head over to St. James and take a stroll around the square.”
They headed left along the pavement with her maid trailing behind them. Lady Amberley glanced over at him. “Thank you for this. I did very much need some fresh air.”
“You won’t tell me what’s wrong?”
“No, I can’t.” She shook her head vehemently.
Malcolm let it be, and they walked silently for a few minutes. A cold gust of wind slapped them in the face as they turned a corner. Malcolm tucked Lady Amberley closer to his side. When he glanced down at her, he saw that she looked preoccupied with her thoughts as she chewed on her bottom lip.
“What have you been reading today?” he asked, hoping that the question would distract her from her thoughts.
“Ancient Greek queens of the Hellenistic period,” she replied. But then her gaze flew up to meet his, her eyes wide. “I mean Greek myths, some of my favorite ones.”
Hmmm. He didn’t believe that for a moment. Greek queens of the Hellenistic period was an oddly specific topic to read about. Just like it had earlier when he’d heard the wordauction, his gut told him something was not as it seemed.
“Lord Kingsbury, what has brought you London? Are you leaving the service?”
Leaving the service? He never considered it. Being a navy man was who he was. He couldn’t imagine what life outside the service would be like.
He shook his head. “No, I gave my crew two weeks’ shore leave. We have been on duty for nine months now in the North Sea.”
“Oh, I see. I read in the paper that you were in town looking for a wife, so I thought you were leaving the service to take up your title.”
Malcolm swallowed hard. “You did? Yes, well… Rather, I am…” Damn, he was bungling his alibi.
He paused to look over at those wide whiskey-colored eyes studying him through her spectacles. This might be the opportunity he needed to find out if Rawlings had the artifacts. If he wooed the lady a bit, she might tell him what her father and brother were up to.
He bet that her reading up on Greek queens of old was not a coincidence. “I am interested in settling down, but I am not interested in taking up my title. What about you, Lady Amberley? Your brother mentioned he was trying to find you a husband this fall.”
Her cheeks blushed a charming pink. And her lashes fluttered down as she glanced away. “Yes, he is helping me. If I cannot find a husband soon, my father has plans to marry me to Lord Bellamy.” She huffed, her breath making a white stream in the chilly fall air. Then she glanced up at him with a wry half-smile. “He is sixty-two years old.”
Malcolm couldn’t stop his wince. He laid a hand on hers, where it lay tucked in the crook of his arm, and pulled her closer as an unexpected urge to protect her swelled in his chest. “What is he thinking? Shackling you to a man old enough to be your grandfather?”
She shrugged. “I expect it has to do with his finances. Everything has to do with his finances,” she muttered. Then she clapped a hand across her mouth. “Pardon me, Lord Kingsbury, I should not be speaking so freely about family problems.”
“You can speak freely about anything with me, Lady Amberley. I have no interest in gossiping. But yes, let’s change the topic away from matrimony. Tell me, what would you do if you could do anything with your life outside of marriage?” Her startled look made him laugh. “Surely women have dreams of adventure, too? I’ll tell you mine first. When I was young, I always wanted to be a cartographer. Travel to the ends of the world where no one has ever been and draw maps.”
“Have you a talent for drawing?”
“I like to think so. I enjoy it. So, tell me yours. What did little Adeline Amberley want to do if she had choices?” Her name rolled pleasantly off his tongue. “Adeline Amberley, your name is very lyrical.”
Lady Amberley laughed, and the sound filled him with satisfaction. “Quite purposefully. My mother loves alliteration, and after my father had his heir, he let her name me what she wanted.” She chewed her bottom lip for a moment. “I suppose if I had the choice, I would be a museum curator. All those special items from around the world waiting to be cataloged and researched. It would be fascinating.”
