His fingers had left hers, but Apple felt their comforting pressure still. His words, however, did nothing to settle her growing agitation. Almost she wished for the familiarity of home, even though it contained Marjorie and Walter. At least she was not made to feel an intruder.
Chapter Five
Alex greeted the Edgintons’ butler in his usual insouciant fashion, ignoring the man’s curious glance at the cloaked and shrinking figure beside him.
“Evening, Berryman. Trust her ladyship ain’t dined yet?”
The butler took his hat and coat, setting them aside. “No, sir. Captain Edginton has not yet come in. I will apprise Cook that there are two more for dinner and ensure covers are laid.”
“You’re a good fellow. Where’s my sister to be found?”
“Her ladyship is resting, sir. If you will be so good as to wait in the saloon, I will inform her of your arrival.”
He made for the large room off the hall, but a mental image of the place caused Alex to stop him. Apple would be overawed in there, what with the Adam curlicues and garlands all over the walls and all that elegant painted and moulded furniture of Georgy’s with its striped brocade upholstery. The chit was already scared to death.
“We’ll wait in the little parlour, Berryman.”
The butler bowed and led the way upstairs to the cosy room Georgy had set aside for daily use. It was much less intimidating, with informally scattered tables and easy chairs, and his sister’s ancient harpsichord. Apple might readily regain her confidence. He’d been exasperated by her impertinence and argumentative attitude, but he found it decidedly disturbing to see her subdued like this.
He ushered his charge into the room and held out an imperative hand. “Let’s have your cloak.”
“Must I?”
“Ain’t going to dine in it, are you?”
With obvious reluctance, she slipped back the hood and emerged from its enveloping folds. Alex took it and handed it over to the butler. “Dare say you’ll arrange for a chamber for Miss Greenaway, Berryman.”
“And yourself, my lord?”
“Well, of course. Do you think I’m going to sleep in the coach? Tell my fellows to bring in my gear, will you?”
The butler bowed and withdrew.
Alex urged the girl into a chair by the fire. She sat on its edge, looking about her with a gaze compound of interest and apprehension.
“Nervous as a cat, ain’t you? There’s no need. Told you my sister’s a right one.”
Apple’s grey gaze came to rest on his face. “She may not wish to have me here.”
“Balderdash, why shouldn’t she? Dare say she’ll be delighted. Must be dull work for her alone here if Rob’s off on duty at the moment.”
The stiff pose relaxed a little and Alex gave her a reassuring smile, devoutly hoping Georgy would not make him look nohow by setting up some objection. Not that he supposed she would. Much more likely to take the chit to her bosom once she heard of her mad exploits.
“Is your sister very young?”
“Much of your age, why?”
Apple’s hand made a sweep to encompass the parlour. “This place. It’s — it’s frivolous.”
He cast a glance about, taking in the billowy pink curtains looped at the windows, the motley chairs of different design, some thinly striped with little flowers threaded through, others chintz, and Georgy’s pink and gold chaise longue which in no way matched the rest.
“Suppose it is. I’d not noticed before. You don’t like it?”
A smile crept into her face, which brightened under the light from the candelabrum on the mantel. “Oh, I like it. It’s just I’ve never seen such a room before. At home, everything is neat and terribly ordinary. Marjorie is such a nipcheese, she won’t waste a penny on what she calls unnecessary frills and furbelows. Though Papa kept one parlour looking the way Mama had made it, for visitors, you know. But it’s dark and horridly old-fashioned.”
Letting the rest pass, Alex fastened on the one thing she’d not mentioned before. “Take it your mother died some years ago?”
Apple showed no grief as she had done over her father. “When I was little. I don’t remember much about her.”
