“Why?” she demanded.
“I do not trust Eardly,” he answered. “He is a desperate man.”
“You think Eardly would break into the Harleys’ and compromise me.” It was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.
“Yes, I do.”
All ration and reason disappeared, and before Violet could recall herself, she allowed her frustration to be released. “You’ve quite the imagination, Lord Ferrard. Or perhaps you’ve read too many gothic novels, where damsels are kidnapped and squired away to dark castles by evil villains.” Until now, Violet had been confident in his intelligence and rationale.
“I’ll have you know that I donotread gothic novels, nor would I ever be susceptible to allow a fictitious tale to influence my good sense.”
“Good sense?” she countered. “If you possessed such, you’d realize how ridiculous it is to have a young man standing outdoors all night watching a house where I am perfectly safe.” Violet fisted her hands on her hips. “You have younger sisters, do you not?”
“Yes,” he answered slowly.
“How would they feel if you set a guard on them.”
“I’d need not worry because they would remain safely at home, not take up residence in an inn without proper protection.”
Violet gasped. “You mean, you’d not allow it.”
“That’s exactly what I mean,” he returned.
“Lady Violet! Lord Ferrard!”
They both turned to find Lady Esther bearing down on them.
“I could hear you from nearly a street away,” she chastised. “What is this argument about?”
Goodness, Violet hadn’t even been aware that she’d raised her voice until Lady Esther brought it to her attention. What was it about Lord Ferrard that tested her at every turn? First it was a mere flip in her belly, then warmth through her being, shortness of breath, unfamiliar anticipation at being in his presence, and now she was yelling, which she’d not done in years. All in all, Lord Ferrard was not good for her peace of mind and caused her to abandon her normal disposition of being sensible, logical, and in full possession of her emotions.
“Lord Ferrard doesn’t think I can take care of myself,” Violet finally answered, hoping that her tone was now calm.
“That is not what I said, Lady Violet,” he ground out. “I don’t trust others.”
“I don’t need anyone protecting me from imagined lords who might steal inside under the cover of darkness.”
“They’d have a difficult time doing so,” Lady Esther offered. “Mrs. Harley is diligent at keeping every door and window locked, especially when her husband is not in residence.”
It was all Violet could do not to roll her eyes as she focused on Lord Ferrard. “As Lady Esther just assured you, there is no need for Tommy Shilling to linger outside.”
“Who is Tommy Shilling?” Lady Esther asked.
“I hired the young man to keep an eye on the home through the night because I do not trust Eardly,” Ferrard admitted. “For good reason as he called on her today, and apparently she encountered him yesterday afternoon as well.”
“Oh, very good,” Lady Esther brightened. “Thank you.”
“Very good,” Violet nearly screeched, which was completely out of character, as she never screeched, screamed, or lost such control of her emotions. At least, not until she became acquainted with Lord Ferrard.
Lord Ferrard and Lady Esther must hear reason, which they would not if she were screaming. And the only excuse she could offer for this temporary loss of control was that Lord Ferrard was being quite vexing.
“Yes, dear. One can’t be too careful when the likes of Lord Eardly are about, especially since you refuse to return to your family estate.” She stepped closer. “Lady Lucinda was not the first lady he had attempted to compromise.” She glanced about to make certain no one was near, which they weren’t.
“There were three last spring, once during a house party this past summer and another in the fall. He is no longer invited anywhere, which is why I’m surprised he was invited to Forester Hall. However, neither your father nor your grandmother had been aware of the rumors.”
“That does not mean he’ll go so far as to try and find a way into the Harley home,” Violet argued. However, if he truly were so desperate, she’d need to be careful when she was out, though there was still no need for Tommy to watch the house all night long. It was a ridiculous precaution.
Violet placed her hands on her hips and glanced between Lady Esther and Lord Ferrard and willed herself to remain calm. At the same time, she also came to the conclusion that no matter how sound her argument, both suffered from preconceived notions based upon their own experiences, values instilled, and societal rules as a whole. She should expect as much from Lord Ferrard given his age and title, and the mere fact that he was a man. However, for Lady Esther, who had never married and traveled the world with her sisters, to believe Violet needed to be watched over was a surprise. It was likely that she’d been influenced by Grandmother and thus, saw Violet as helpless as well.
