“What is the matter?”
“The Harleys live at the end of that street.” She pointed away from Liam’s home. “The sisters believe I’m staying there when I am not.”
“We’ll simply continue onto the inn and hope they don’t ask any questions,” Emory offered.
Lady Violet gave a quick nod as they continued.
“Lady Violet, won’t the Harleys be expecting you?” Lady Joanna called.
“I don’t believe they will,” Lady Violet answered.
“Why is that?” Lady Esther asked as she hurried to catch up with them.
“She is not staying with the Harleys.”
Emory turned to find Lord Eardly bearing down on them from the opposite direction. Where the blazes had he come from? Why wasn’t he at Forester Hall wooing Lady Lucinda?
“What happened to you?” Emory asked as the gentleman grew closer, and before he thought better of his question.
“A slight accident and none of your concern,” Eardly dismissed.
Theaccidenthad left Eardly’s eye swollen and blackened, as well as bruising across the bridge of his nose. If he wasn’t mistaken, theaccidenthad been Eardly’s face meeting up with a fist and not so long ago, likely earlier today. Emory had received enough bruises at Gentleman Jackson’s to be able to almost determine when an injury had been received based on discoloration alone. Given there were eight other gentlemen who remained at Forester Hall, any one of them could have been prompted to do the damage, though Emory wasn’t interested enough to ask further questions. He’d known Eardly since Eton, and there were several instances when he’d wanted to plant him a facer.
“I just attempted to call on Lady Violet, only to be told that she’d returned to Forester Hall, when I knew that was not the case,” Eardly responded.
“How would you know?” Lady Violet questioned. “Unless you are a guest of my father’s.”
“Wasa guest,” Eardly answered. “Your sister and I came to an agreement that we do not suit.”
As Emory recalled, Eardly’s opinion in the billiards room had been that Lady Violet would be easy enough to manage, and the least likely to be bothersome.I’ve gardens aplenty and will never need to bring her to London.However, he had preferred Lady Lucinda since there were times that he’d need to entertain, which couldn’t be done if his wife abandoned her guests for flowers.
“If you are not staying with the Harleys, nor have you returned home, where have you taken up residence, Lady Violet?”
“Why should it be a concern of yours?” she countered.
Eardly smiled and bowed. “So that I might call on you, of course.”
“You came to Forester Hall for my sister, Lord Eardly. Am I to serve as a substitute?”
Emory did admire how Lady Violet spoke right to the point with none of the niceties he’d expect from others.
Eardly didn’t even hesitate. “You are both beautiful and intriguing women. As I was already in Laswell, I’d hoped to further our acquaintance.” He glanced to Emory. “Lord Ferrard had also been invited for your sister, yet here he is escorting you about.”
“How could you further your acquaintance with me, Lord Eardly? We’ve not met until now.”
It was all Emory could do not to laugh.
“Yes, well, you are still known to me from your Seasons in London.”
“Such is the inconvenience of being an unwed daughter of a duke. One does not need an introduction to be known.” It was stated in such a matter-of-fact manner that Emory decided it was this attitude that might have earned her the reputation by some of placing herself above others, when to Lady Violet, it was simply a statement of fact.
“Lord Ferrard did not attend the house party for Lady Lucinda,” Lady Joanna announced, her eyes hard and her tone cold. “He’d come hoping to gain the attention of Lady Violet, which he’d already informed Her Grace.”
Eardly didn’t even glance in her direction but continued his focus on Lady Violet.
“When and where might I call on you?” he asked earnestly.
“You will not be calling on Lady Violet, now or ever.” Lady Joanna stepped between Lord Eardly and Lady Violet, much to Emory’s shock.
