She glanced around. “We have no chaperone, what are we to do?”
For a moment he thought her serious, then her rosy lips quirked at the corner. Whoever said that Lady Violet was without humor was wrong.
“If we hurry and sneak away, we’ll have the afternoon of not being watched,” he offered.
Lady Violet’s green eyes twinkled with delight. “I was very good at hiding from my brothers when I was younger,” she offered with pride.
A bit of frivolous activity might be more enjoyable than conversation, Emory reconsidered. “All hid, All hid, an old infant play.”
“A bit of Shakespeare for inspiration.” Violet grinned up at Emory and nearly stole his breath.
“I’ll admit,Love’s Labour’s Lostis a favorite play,” Emory admitted. “However, we must hurry before our chaperone arrives.”
“This way,” she whispered, though there was no one about to hear them. “We need to keep watch so we know where to go without being seen.” At that Lady Violet led him to the side of the house where dormant flowerbeds lined the path that led to the back of the house. She stopped just out of sight then peeked around the corner.
Emory took up a position behind as he could easily see over her head.
Though this was a game, one Emory believed that he’d enjoy as one did with friends, he was all too aware of Lady Violet by his side. He allowed a smile, remembering how he’d decided that she was a delicate garden nymph who preferred flowers to people. Today, she smelled as a garden nymph would as he noted her light scent of violets, or was that iris? Emory wasn’t quite certain, but it was a very delicate flowery perfume, which suited Lady Violet far more than any of the cloying, heavy perfumes that had at times, burned his nose in London.
“Lady Joanna has arrived,” Lady Violet whispered.
They watched as the older woman waited beside the cobbled street, then she checked what Emory assumed was a time piece before placing it back into her reticule. She waited a few moments more before advancing on the Harley household and knocking on the door. A moment later Lady Joanna returned to the street and with hands fisted on her hips glanced about.
The two quickly stood back so as not to be seen.
“Perhaps we shouldn’t play this game,” Lady Violet offered. “It is unkind to Lady Joanna, as she isn’t aware she’s part of our trickery.”
By the pinched lips and narrowed eyes, Emory knew that the maiden sister was not pleased, and the last people he wanted working against him were the Tilson Sisters. “I don’t believe I wish to have her as an enemy,” he whispered.
“Nor I,” Lady Violet agreed. “She might return to Forester Hall and inform Grandmother.”
A place neither of them wanted her to be.
“Shall we alert her to our presence,” he offered.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Lady Violet admitted, then allowed Emory to lead her to the front of the house.
“There you two are,” Lady Joanna marched toward them, and Emory knew they were in for a scolding.
“I apologize for not being here when you arrived. I was early and Lady Violet and I simply strolled the garden path.” He pointed behind him.
It wasn’t quite a lie, as they had been on the path, but he certainly wasn’t going to confess the mischief they’d hatched.
Lady Joanna blew out a bit of frustration. “If this is to work, you must be chaperoned at all times.”
“I promise not to disappear again,” Lady Violet offered.
“See that you don’t,” Lady Joanna waved a finger at her, then took a deep breath, as if she wished to calm herself. “Now, come along, we are off to the ruins.”
That wasthe first time that Violet had felt mischievous since she was a child, and it was quite delightful. That is, until she saw Lady Joanna’s face. She certainly didn’t want to cause the woman any distress.
What had come over her? She knew the pain of being teased, once believing it was cruelty, when that had not been the intent of her siblings. However, she’d always vowed that she’d never inflict the same on another, yet she had done so today, and it was unkind.
“Ruins?” he asked.
“Yes, of a Chapel built centuries ago, though we don’t know when,” Violet answered.
“Does it at least have a name?” Lord Ferrard asked.
