Why did Robert feel the need to keep it a secret? And why go to another building instead of having private instructors come to his home? Surely he could afford it. “Does Lord Griffith box as well?”
“Louisa,” he said, tone low, lightly scolding her.
“Well, I should like to come.”
He picked up his letter once more. “No. That is simply out of the question.”
“I know the day,” she gloated. “I will simply go by myself.”
Robert massaged his brow, eyes scrunching shut. “You are not going to leave this be, are you?”
She kept her gaze level, batting her lashes. “I am surprised you have to ask.”
He rubbed his brow again. “Fine. You may come. But you must do as I say and keep quiet about what happens. We do not need a repeat of the last time you were there.”
She stood from her seat, running to his side of the desk. “Thank you. You shall hardly notice I’m there.”
“For some reason, I highly doubt that,” he said dryly. Sighing, he glanced up at her. “I cannot seem to say no to you.”
“And I will try not to abuse my power,” she said, solemnly placing a hand over her heart.
“Now out with you.” He waved her off. “I have work to do and you are a distraction.”
“You are not to say those things to me, remember?”
“I remember telling you I wouldnotstop saying those things, actually. I only promised not to kiss you.”
Her swallow stopped mid-throat, wedging itself there. “Well, I should go.” And run far, far away. “I had only come in to ask after the letter.”
As she walked to the door, Robert’s voice sounded at her back. “You keep telling yourself that, Duchess.”
She turned and was met with playful eyes as he unabashedly grinned at her. Yes. She needed to be very careful going forward.
He donned his glasses.
Much, much more careful.
Chapter twenty-one
Thursday arrived, and Robert’smood was much less sunny than his wife’s, as she kept pelting him with questions on the ride over.
“Who else will be there?” she asked. The topics of her inquiries were beginning to overlap.
Norman sat out front with Robert’s coachman, Gulliver. Both men were paid handsomely to encourage discretion. “Lord Griffith and several others.”
“Do you think they will mind that I’m there?” She turned toward him.
“Yes,” he said. “I do think they will mind. But you did not give me much choice in the matter.”
“You could have ordered me to stay home.”
“I could have. But that would not have endeared you to me, now, would it?”
She gazed out the window, not answering his question. Whenever he tried to pay her a compliment or move their relationship forward, that was her response. Silence.
“Seems like you would all be found out if you always use the same building,” she mused as she watched the buildings pass by.
“We all have one.”
