Naomi stood, stifling a yawn. “I wish my father would let me explain in the morning.”
“Aye, you’re proper wore out, poor lamb. Just tell his lor’ship as quick as you can, and don’t loiter about down there.”
Naomi’s smile was rueful. Maggie followed her into the hall and said, “I be going to put a hot brick ’twixt the sheets, so by the time you come back upstairs your bed will be all toasty warm waiting for you.”
Naomi thanked her and walked along the hall.
Watching that rather slow progress to the stairs, it seemed to Maggie that her lady’s glowing head was not held quite as proudly as usual. She thought, ‘I hope she doesn’t tell his lor’ship where we was today.’ She had seen the earl’s scowl, and picturing his reaction to that piece of news, murmured, “Lawks a mussy! The fox would be in with the hens and no mistake!”
She gave a little squeak as the first footman came up silent-footed to bestow a pinch upon her plump derriere.
“That won’t be nothing new and strange,” he said with a grin. “Not in this here household it won’t. Why’re you droopin’ like last week’s dirty wash, Maggie?”
“No such thing, Mister Audacious,” denied Maggie huffily, then added with a worried frown, “only… sometimes I feel that sorry for her. She’s so alone, poor little thing.”
“Go on, woman! What is it? You got windmills aloft, or something? Ain’t she surrounded by friends, and all the fine gents admiring and flattering her day and night? Ain’t she got a great fortune to keep her company, and everything she could want for?”
“You’re a wicked young man, Robert Hinton,” said Maggie without equivocation. “With naughty roving hands. And like most men you don’t see what’s under your nose ’til you get bit by it! My lady’s got everything, all right—’cepting the thing she most wants.Kindness,Mr. H. A look with a bit o’ love in it now and then.” She scowled. “Precious little affection she got from her mama. Andhedon’t know the meaning of the word, with his high-in-the-instep pride, and his glooms and rages!”
“Ar, well you should’ve heard his peership ranting and raving when you was so late coming home. Cor! And the look on his face just now’ll have her shaking in her shoes, I shouldn’t wonder!”
Maggie looked troubled, but said staunchly, “She ain’t afeared of him, never think it! Not of him nor of nothing! A right plucked ’un she be.”
When Naomi entered the withdrawing room, however, for a brief moment she did feel a surge of fear. Simon Ordway Lutonville, seventh Earl of Collington, was standing by the glowing hearth, one hand on the mantel, the other holding a half-full wineglass. He was not a tall man and enjoyed his table, but he had refused to allow himself to run to fat, and at three and fifty wore his clothes well. He stood very still, his immaculately bewigged head slightly downbent as he gazed into the flames, but anger radiated from every line of him, and when he swung around as the lackey closed the doors, the expression on his handsome face was the one his wife had so dreaded.
Nerving herself, Naomi walked across the luxuriously appointed room, affecting not to notice the heavy scowling brows, the spark in the light green eyes, the tight set of the jaw of this man who had sired her, and whom she so little understood. “Why, Papa,” she said, with faint irony, “how upset you are, and have left your card party early! I had not dreamed you would be anxious for my sake.”
His lips thinned, and the scowl deepened. He said coldly, “So you take me for an unnatural parent. Be comforted. I already ascertained that you were not hurt. When the rogues are caught, they’ll pay for daring to lay hands on you. That, I promise! Was your fool of a coachman foxed? How came he to squat there like a curst block while a lady of Quality was assaulted by crude animals?”
Politely stifling a yawn, Naomi sank into a chair. “I am very tired, sir. Might this not wait until morning?”
The earl watched her. The rich satin dressing gown clung to her shapely figure, and her hair, brushed free of powder, glowed in a rich chestnut-brown cloud about her lovely face. She was a vexatious and defiant chit, not yet broken to bridle, but in a way he was proud of her spirit, and certainly she was a credit to him. Controlling his burning impatience, he crossed to the sideboard, poured a glass of wine and carried it to her. “No, it might not wait ’til morning. Here. This will restore you. And let me hear no missish airs about its being the first you’ve ever tasted.”
Naomi sipped the wine, then said demurely, “As you say, Papa.”
He gave a faintly amused grunt, and returned to prop his broad shoulders against the mantel. “Well?”
“I think you have already questioned Roger Coach—”
“The man’s a dolt. I’ll have it from you, if you please. And firstly, I’ll know what the devil you were doing frippering around Canterbury Cathedral.”
“Improving my mind, sir. I was so long out of England there is much I’ve not seen of my own land.”
“You shall see it when you’ve my permission, and are properly chaperoned.”
“With all due respect, Papa, I am of age and—”
“And are a lady of Quality, and will behave like one.”
“La, but you are become very prim of a sudden.”
“Perhaps. But I have told you before that what I countenanced in Italy will not do in England. Never flash your eyes at me like that, my girl! You’re not too grown up to be spanked, I’ll remind you, and so long as you dwell under my roof, you’ll obey me!”
Pale with anger, she said, “On the day you raise your hand to me, sir, I shall leave your roof. I am not cut of the same cloth as poor Mama.”
The earl’s lips set tightly and he took a pace towards her. She saw the fine eyes narrow with wrath, and her heart beat faster. “Besides,” she went on, struggling to keep her voice steady, “had I been accompanied by three chaperones and Falcon’s hound, they would have availed me nothing. The thieves were waiting for us and we were surrounded before Roger had a chance to so much as think of his blunderbuss.”
“Waiting for you? What the deuce d’you mean by that?”
