Seth chuckled and for the briefest of moments almost had the butler deliver a message that Seth had decided not to call, simply to show that two could play her game. But he did not want to anger or lose her. And he needed to see her.
“Please wait here and I will tell her that you have arrived.”
This time, Seth did obey and cooled his heels in the entry and glanced at the closed doors. Beyond that was where the members of Athena’s Salon gathered for intellectual conversation and gambling. Would he ever be allowed to attend?
If Tessa insisted that he allow women into The Emerald Garter first, then it was likely he would never cross the threshold.
Seth had expected the butler to retrieve him. Instead, Frances glided down the stairs dressed in her pelisse and bonnet.
A wave of disappointment swept over him. “You are going out?” he asked. She was to be at home to him.
“We are going out,” Frances dictated.
Relief quickly replaced his disappointment. “Where are we going?”
“I would like to stroll along Bond Street.”
“Shopping?”
“Oh, I have no intention of purchasing anything.”
Seth frowned. “Then why stroll along Bond Street?”
“Because I enjoy looking.” She graced him with a smile. “I also understand if you do not wish to accompany me for I understand that most gentlemen find the very idea of shopping with a woman quite grueling.
While this was an accurate statement, Seth suspected that would not be the case with Frances, especially since she did not intend to purchase any items.
Though, he still did not understand the purpose of simply looking.
“I would be honored to accompany you.”
Seth offered his arm and escorted her outside to his low phaeton.
Frances fought the urge to smile when she saw the phaeton. He had already anticipated that if they were to travel anywhere that she would refuse to get into a closed carriage with him.
It was not only because she did not want to see her reputation damaged, but she did not trust him, or herself, to be secluded and alone.
Goodness, his kisses and caresses had flustered her as her body heated yesterday. Had Bethany not called up, who knows what more they would have done and even now, her body craved his touch and her nether region had the oddest ache. Seth frustrated her in so many ways, but mostly it was her physical state that was affected. She needed to be very careful when alone with him until the time was right.
He tooled the carriage into traffic and drove through Soho until they reached Piccadilly. He then found a place to leave his low phaeton and assisted her to the walk before he offered his arm and began their stroll past the various shops. Occasionally she would stop and gaze into the windows.
“How come you do not enter any of the establishments?” he finally asked.
“There is no purpose to as I do not intend to buy.”
This was a favorite pastime of hers. She enjoyed seeing what the latest fashions were, and the gloves, hats and parasols being offered. There were watchmakers, jewelers, and all manner of items being sold that Society coveted.
“There is nothing that you want?” he asked.
Frances laughed. “There are many things I want, Seth. However, there is nothing that I need.” Even though she could spend some of her funds, Frances would not do so on frivolity. She had only done so once and that had been on the emerald gown that she did not wear for nearly a year, and a delicate necklace with the small emerald. Even after she had made the purchase, she had been filled with guilt. Her uncle still struggled, as did her brother, to restore the estate to what it had once been and she should have assisted instead of spending money on items that she did not need. Since then, Frances had not purchased anything that was not necessary.
“Is it because you were so poor when you were younger?” he asked quietly.
“That was the original reason,” she answered. “I have also found that it is foolish to purchase items simply because they are wanted or, as many in Society, to be surrounded by useless decorations because of how a person wishes to be viewed or who they want to impress.”
“Some purchase decorations because they do not wish to sit in an empty room that contains only a settee, chairs and tables.”
“I understand,” Frances answered. “There are paintings that I appreciate very much, and vases that have been artfully crafted. These items serve a purpose because they bring joy and could improve a mood. But to have items simply to own them serves no purpose. At least to me,” she answered. “One day, if I have my own home, I will likely purchase such items—the ones that make me happy to look upon—but never anything that others believe are necessary when they serve no purpose.”
