“Just look at you.” She threw a hand up, then dipped it down to encompass his entire person. “I have never seen a more miserable person.”
“Perhaps I have a reason to be miserable.” He turned his head toward her. “Have you ever considered that?”
A puff of air slipped past her lips. “Everyone has a reason to consider themselves miserable. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try and make the most of things.”
Leonard scratched his chin, looking back at the window. “Coming from someone who has chosen to embrace the lowest morals.”
“I know you are trying to ward me off with your unpleasantness.”
“And yet you keep trying.”
“Let us say I am your guardian angel. Perhaps this is your one last chance in life to change before it’s too late.”
He rolled his eyes, though she didn’t have the benefit of seeing his annoyance as he kept his gaze to the window. “Too late for what?”
“For happiness.”
Her words baffled him. Why did she care if he was happy? “If you are my guardian angel, then you have a very interesting tactic for getting your way.” He faced her. “You stole from me.And now you are dragging me along on whatever this little—” He flicked his hand between them.
“Tryst,” she supplied, her smile widening.
“Adventure . . .” He punctuated the word to make himself clear. “Is,” he finished. “Shouldn’t my guardian angel be helping me out in more moral matters?” Like helping him navigate his life with his father and brother.
“Certainly.” Mrs. Gillingham tapped her chin. “Please, share what burdens you and I shall do my best to help.”
He pulled his jaw to the side as he gritted his teeth. “I think I will pass, thank you.”
“Why are you in London by yourself this time of year?” Her smile faded, but not entirely. “It is no longer the season, you are not married, you do not seem to have an occupation, and yet, you are still here.”
“My personal life is not on the table, Mrs. Gillingham. I will do what I must to get my money and be done with this . . . situation.”
“I really do think the wordtrystwould be more accurate for our time spent together. You are a handsome young man, and I am a handsome young woman. It seems only right that something comes of this.”
“Yes, my money. But that is all that will be required of you.”
And then Leonard saw her chest jerk as she clamped down on her lips.
With arms crossed over his chest, he turned toward her. “Are you laughing at me?”
“Me?” She put a hand on her chest. “No. Never. I would not degrade a man with such a callous reaction.”
“You were.” He narrowed an eye. “Am I entertaining to you? Is that why I am being dragged along like this?”
“Well—” She leaned to look out her window. “I must admit you bring a bright spot to my day.”
“How very strange, since I do everything within my power to be the opposite.”
“Oh, we are here.” She tapped the window with her gloved finger, then snatched her reticule from the seat.
Leonard nearly gaped at her blatant ignoring of his comment. Instead, he was forced to face whatever it was she had planned for them this evening. “And where are we exactly?”
“Just a quick rendezvous with my . . .” She paused with her hand lightly pressed against the glass. “Friend.”
The coachman opened the door, and Mrs. Gillingham flitted down the steps as if this was a regular occurrence for her. Leonard pinched his nose before begrudgingly following, and when his boots touched the solid ground, he looked about their surroundings.
There was nothing spectacular about it. They seemed to be in a small park. A walking path wove beneath a bridge. It was highly treed, offering lots of places to find seclusion—which was likely why they were at this park in particular.
“Are we taking a stroll?” The lazy tone of Leonard’s voice only seemed to make Mrs. Gillingham gleeful. What was with this woman?
