His carriage rolled away and he fell in behind Beth. She’d not be pleased to know he was following her again; in fact, it was possible she’d be furious. Leo didn’t care, he simply wanted to understand what was going on with her, and if he had to follow her about to do that he would.
She wore a long, pale green coat and matching bonnet, her back straight, steps confident.
He stopped in the shadows as she halted in front of St. Mathew’s. To the best of his knowledge she attended church on Sunday with her aunt and cousin, but he had not realized she did so during the week.
She said something to her maid that had the woman walking away, and then ascended the church steps. Leo watched her stand outside looking at the doors that would take her inside. He ducked out of sight as she turned his way, and when he moved back, she was entering St. Mathew’s.
Leo followed. When he walked into the cool, dim interior, it was to find her coming back up the aisle. Her head was down, so she did not see him until she was close. He liked to think it was intrinsic awareness of him that caused her head to suddenly shoot up. Her wide blue eyes found him.
“L-Lord Vereton!”
“Miss Whitlow.” He bowed. “How diligent you are to come to church, when it is not even a Sunday.”
She turned and looked to the front, or perhaps to a pew, he wasn’t sure which.
“I, ah, yes. I did not sleep well last night, and felt the need of the soothing presence of a church.”
She was quick-thinking, he’d give her that.
“But you cannot have stayed for more than a few minutes. Are you feeling calmer already?”
Her face was cool, but those eyes were anything but. They were moving left and right with speed, and her hands were clenched around the ribbons of her reticule. Leo stepped closer and took hold of her wrist.
“You and I need to talk.”
