Resplendent in purple and gold, the earl smiled and bent to kiss her forehead. “I don’t tell you all my secrets, child. Do you enjoy a pleasant stay with your friends?”
He looked amiable enough, but Naomi watched him warily. “Thank you, yes. And you, sir?”
“I was obliged to come into Town, and guessed I might find you here. Come—I’ll have a word with you.”
“No, really, Collington,” protested the short-sighted duke. “Your lovely daughter has not yet chosen her escort for the Glendenning Ball. Come now, my lady. You know Falcon is too ill to attend. Spare our torment.”
“Really, I cannot,” Naomi answered with a smile. “But—an I find Mr. Falcon unimproved when I return this evening, I will choose my escort—tomorrow.”
Another concerted groan. Chandler called, “When, Lady Naomi? Where?”
The earl was leading her away. Over her shoulder she called, “At the Dowling Soiree. I shall throw my flowers, and the gentleman who catches them may escort me to the ball.”
This pleased them with its suggestion of sport, and a babble of comment arose.
Amused, the earl guided her through the crowded room. “You are quite the Toast, child. I dare swear you may take your pick among ’em.”
“Oh, they are silly boys,” she said lightly. They turned into the wide corridor, and she added, “I am surprised to find you here, sir.”
“Truth to tell,Iwas surprised when you left Collington so—ah, precipitately.” He smiled down at her and opened the door to an ante room. “Did I frighten you away with my bad humours?”
Naomi made her way to a loveseat and sat amid billows of taffeta, wondering why he was really here, and dreading lest he demand that she return to Collington Manor and meet the “fine gentleman” who was “slavering” to lay his riches at her feet. “I do not frighten easily, Papa,” she declared bravely. “But I’ll own you seemed somewhat overset.”
He wandered to the hearth and inspected the Grecian urn placed before the empty grate. “If I was, m’dear, ’twas not by reason of a lost chess piece.” He turned to face her, his eyes grave. “That was vexing, I’ll own, but ’tis not every day one’s child is attacked by rascally rank riders. I have writ to Captain Rossiter expressing my gratitude for his intervention—however clumsily achieved. I—er, trust this was appropriate…?”
“I do not follow you, sir. How could it be inappropriate? Because of the injury to August Falcon?”
“Not at all. However, your footman believed you to have been upset when you left Promontory Point on Tuesday. If young Rossiter dared annoy you…”
Her colour rising, Naomi said, “He did not annoy me, sir. He infuriated me!”
“Did he now,” murmured the earl. “You will favour me by having nothing more to do with him. As to his friend, besides shooting down Falcon, for which I really cannot fault him, would you say he was of some assistance to you?”
“Besides shooting down Falcon, for which I shall not forgive him,” she said, her angry eyes challenging his mocking ones, “I suppose he helped—yes.”
“Escorted you home, I understand. Which was likely quite out of his path. Any soldier returning to England desires to reach home as soon as maybe.”
She shrugged. “I did not ask such a sacrifice of him.”
“Even so, I collect I must send him a note also. You said his name was—Moore?”
“Morris, Papa. Lieutenant James Morris.”
“Alas, memory fails me. Morris… I believe there is a prominent Cornwall family of that name. I wonder…?”
“I seem to recall Rossiter mentioned something about the lieutenant going on to Sevenoaks.”
“Is that so? Then I shall have no difficulty in learning his direction. Now tell me of young Falcon. He will recover?”
Naomi looked at him steadily. “His death would grieve you, sir?”
“Not in the least. Save that I’d prefer not to be involved in the way of it.”
“Then you may be at ease. August took a ball in his arm. A flesh wound merely. He would be recovered by now, save that he stubbornly persisted in returning to London before he was able to withstand the journey, and the following day must ride with me, whereby he took a fever.”
“Typical. And since the fair Katrina is devoted to her firebrand brother, you mean to stay by her through this—ordeal, eh?”
“For the time being, sir.”
