Rose’s voice rose near the earl’s balcony doors. “Really, Mother. You are making more of this than need be. I simply searched for the reason my brother left. I promise, I did not loosen the seams in his pantaloons. I’m not a child anymore.”
Surely, Lady Enderly wouldn’t venture out onto her son’s balcony for any reason.
Yet something hitting that very door had Dory freezing in place.
“Of course not, Mother. Why would I wish to search the balcony? I doubt very much that my brother left any note he may have received out there to be swept away on the wind.”
Lady Enderly’s tone of voice came through, though her words did not, but they didn’t need to. She obviously expected Rose to open the doors.
Panicked, Dory turned toward the balustrade and swallowed hard.
The latch on the door next to her sounded and she jumped, stepping back.
Lady Sommerset’s eyebrows rose at seeing her there, but before Dory could say anything, Lady Enderly stepped out on Fen’s balcony.
Lady Sommerset waved. “Lady Enderly, what a surprise to see you out here.”
The marchioness turned and looked at them in surprise. “You are up early, Lady Sommerset, Lady Dorothea.”
Rose stepped out next to her mother, her eyes widening. “Lady Sommerset. Isn’t it a beautiful morning?” She gestured toward the lawns. “Mother chose the perfect day for breaking our fast on the terrace. You will be there?”
Lady Sommerset gave a nod. “Oh, yes. Lady Dorothea and I are looking forward to it. We shall be down shortly.”
Without another word, Lady Sommerset linked her arm with Dory’s and pulled her into the room. She let go and closed the doors before turning, her hands on her hips. “What are you about? I saw youjumponto my balcony. Tell me you did not spend the night with Lord Harewood. Tell me.” It was a demand, not a question.
She shook her head. “No, I didn’t.” Though what theyhaddone made her cheeks heat.
Lady Sommerset stalked past her. “I’m your chaperone. As a student of my sister’s school, I insist you conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. Since you say you did not spend the night in the next room, you need to tell me why you jumped onto my balcony. It was not from your room.”
Before turning, she glanced at the curtained door to see that the drapes were sheer and it was quite easy to see all that had occurred. Finally, she faced Lady Sommerset. “Rose and I discovered while in the kitchen that Lord Harewood has left for his estate. She wished to have some fun by finding out why. Her first place to search for clues was Lord Harewood’s room. She was looking for a missive that would explain why he’d left. When her mother arrived to unlock the door for the valet, we knew that if I were caught there, it would do damage to my reputation, so I stepped out onto the balcony, hoping to get to my own.”
She shivered at her remembered fright. “But I almost fell backward between them and couldn’t bring myself to attempt another try. I’m truly sorry. I did not mean to conduct myself in so poor a fashion.” She looked down at her hands, quite sure she would be locked in her room for the rest of the week for such unladylike behavior.
“Well, thank the heavens you didn’t fall. I truly don’t know how I would explainthatto my sister.”
Startled by the thought, she looked up to find the countess smiling. “You aren’t angry.”
“How can I be? It’s obvious Rose was the instigator. She always was as a child, but I thought she’d left that in her childhood. I’m just pleased that you didn’t fall and Lady Enderly did not catch you in her son’s room. It looks as if all is well and we can move on with our day. I would suggest you return to yourroom by the corridor and wait for me there. We will go down for the morning meal together.”
“Of course.” Still feeling very guilty, she quickly left the room and walked the short distance to her door. Just as she’d reached for the knob, she caught movement at the top of the stairs. The man’s face was in shadow and rather than be caught in the corridor unchaperoned, she turned the knob.
“Lady Dorothea.”
At the sound of Lord Leighhall’s voice, she quickly stepped into her room and closed the door, leaning her back against it. He was the last man she wished to talk to now or ever.
“You can’t hide from me. I saw you from the terrace below. You are obviously no different than your mother, as I suspected.”
Her belly squirmed as if filled with the frogs Fen had spoken of. She wanted to argue she was nothing like her mother. Instead, she clamped her jaw tight. She would not have a conversation through her door. But what if he told everyone what he’d seen?
He laughed. “No wish to defend your actions or is it that you admit them?” He paused, obviously trying to goad her into speaking. “Very well. I will keep your little secret for the moment, but only as long as I receive the same attention Lord Harewood receives. Otherwise, I will be happy to inform everyone here.”
She curled her hands into fists, too angry to be frightened but worried nonetheless. She’d never liked the man. Why did it have to be him who’d seen her?
Finally, she heard his footsteps walking away.
Moving into her room, she slumped into the chair at the dressing table. Now what was she to do? If only Fen were present, then they could discuss the best option. Her mind was awhir with calamities that could occur, the tangled mess starting to give her head pains.
What did Leighhall mean, give him the attention she gave Lord Harewood? The earl was gone.
