Taking the last step to the main level, Mrs. Gillingham tipped her head to the side. “I thought we were going to meet at eight.”
“Yes.” He bent his head, scuffing a foot on the floor. “I suppose I got the time wrong.”
“And the location.”
“Apparently,” he said, mumbling beneath his breath before he cleared his throat. “Might I escort you home?” He held an arm out to her, which she took with a look of great enthusiasm.
“How lovely. An afternoon stroll sounds like just the thing.” She turned around, addressing the man she had walked down the stairs with. “I will not be needing the carriage, Mr. Hind. I appear to have other means of transportation.” She spun her head back to Leonard. “Bettermeans of transportation at that.” Her lips quirked into a grin.
She might change her mind upon seeing his horse, which only fit one passenger.
“Are you ready to go then?”
“Yes, let us go.” She waved a hand over her shoulder. “Thank you for the visit, gentlemen. Until next time.”
When the door was safely shut behind them, Leonard pulled his arm back, causing Mrs. Gillingham to scowl.
“Ma’am—”
“Honora,” she corrected.
Leonard gained his patience before answering. “Honora.”
She smiled, giving him a nod. “Yes?”
“What was all that about?”
She glanced up at a window in the townhouse, her smile tightening. “Perhaps we should put more distance between usand this location before we speak.” She glanced around, clearly looking for something. “Where is your carriage?”
“I brought my horse.”
“Horse . . .”
“Yes. Unless you would prefer to go back to Mr. Hind and request to use his carriage.”
She sighed. “I suppose a walk will suffice.”
Leonard pulled the reins off the hitching post, clasping them around his hand. “So, do you care to explain what all that was about?”
She took his free arm, which he had not offered. “Only a simple misunderstanding.”
“Nothing about what just happened seemed simple. I watched you get whisked off into the carriage.”
“That’s how you found me,” she said, turning to him with a lifted brow. “I had wondered.”
“The gentlemen escorting you seemed to be doing so rather forcibly.”
“Yes, Percy was not thrilled with my hesitance. You see, I was not enthusiastic about the idea of speaking with Mr. Hind. But they were rather convincing.”
Leonard’s hand tightened around the reins. He understood this woman was frustrating and clearly gray in her morals, but forcing a woman into a carriage was too far. “They did not hurt you, did they?”
“Goodness.” She put a hand to her chest. “I am flattered, Mr. Stanton. A girl does love a bit of attention now and again.”
When he didn’t smile, hers slowly melted away from her face. For the first time since he’d met her, her countenance seemed genuine. Nothing haughty or flirtatious or assuming about it. “Thank you, sir. That was rather gallant of you to come and check on me.” She took a slow breath as she looked at the ground. “And no. They did not hurt me.”
“Good.” He gave a single nod.
“Warming up to me, are you?”
