Shemade sure to keep her distance from Mr. Claymoore as shecurled her legs to the side, spreading her mauve traveling dress over them. She hadn’t botheredto donthe bonnet that had been sitting on the seat next to her, finding it no point to stand on ceremony when none of this was part of any custom she had been taughtwas proper.
But then, who would have imagined the staid, boring life of Lady Isabella Resenfeldwould have taken such a drastic and unexpected direction?If someone had told her,when she’d attended her last social eventbefore Simon had whisked her away to Scotland,thatshe would be sitting here now,nearlya month later in this very predicament, she wouldn’t have believed it.
Oh, how she wished she could turn back time and take thepact she’d made with her friends more seriously!
Lady Triana Abernathy had first approached the subject to the rest of them—LadyRowena Freeham, LadyAlyssa Breyton,Miss Korina Aberswyth, the only American among them, along withherself—in that theywould travel to New York once theyhadall reached the age of five and twentythat very year.
Korina wasan heiressfrom theNew World and intended to abandon herparents’pursuitof landing a titled gentleman. Thus,withalltheir prospectivedowries in hand, they intended to become independent women, away from the strictures placed upon them in England.
Perhaps if Isabellahadn’t been so set onsecuringSimon’s affectionwith stars in her eyes, her heart wouldn’t be bruised now, and she would be looking forward to the winter season.Shecertainlydidn’t know what to expectnow.Herhopes weredashed, for her dowrymust certainly belong gone,in the hands of themiscreantwho’dused her for his own ends.
“You seem rather involved in your own thoughts.”
Isabella glanced up at Mr. Claymoore, who was watching her with that unnerving, steady starewhere he reclined on his side, his upper torso propped up by his elbow.
He nodded toward her hand.“You’ve been staring at that piece of bread for more than ten minutes.”
“I didn’t realize my eating habits were of interest to the Crown,” she snapped.To prove her point, shebit off a chuck of the item in question and chewed purposefully.
Instead of appearing chided, he chuckled. “Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
Thankfully, thatappeared to be theend of their briefexchange, for Isabella wasn’t in a chatty mood. She just couldn’t find it within her to speak of theempty,mundane topics that properladies were expected to talk about,such asthe weather orthe lateston dits.
Apparently, Mr. Claymoore wasn’t inclined to accept her sullenreticence, for he said, “Tell me about your family.”
“You don’t already know?” she counteredalmostsourly.
He shrugged. “I do, but I was just trying to make idle conversation.”
As he fell silent, a wave of guilt swamped Isabella. She had never been a cruel hearted person,and while she didn’t yet have faith in Mr. Claymoore, it seemed his intentions to make her feel more at ease were genuine.She dusted her hands together andpicked up herglass of wine. “I’d like to know more about you, Mr. Claymoore. From whence do you hail?”
He reached up and scratched the stubble on his jaw. “I grew up in London, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“And your parents?”
He glanced off toward the distance.“My mother died when I was young,and I never knew my father.”
She frowned.“Do you still not?”
“No.”
She waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, she prodded,“And that doesn’t bother you?”
He snortedand looked back at her. “Why would it? It doesn’t really matter. While I could have used the guidance when I was younger, I had a thorough education at Millicent’s.”
She choked on her wine. “Don’t tell me that you were raised in a…brothel?”
“Why?” His eyes glittered with amusement, and something a bit darker. “Would that shock your tender sensibilitiesas a gentleman’s daughter?” He shook his head. “And here I thought you were a married woman, LadyIsabella.”
She stiffened, the cold wash of unpleasantnesssurroundingher new reality reminding her why she was here.“It may have been a wedding, but I daresay there was nothing to recommendour unionother than a brief, painful affair.” She rose to her feet,careful to keepher gaze averted. “I think I’ll return to the carriage now.”
