Ethan drew himself up as if he were facing a firing squad and said, “I can’t read, Miss Tibby. Or write.”
She didn’t say a word.
After a moment he looked at her. Her brown eyes were wide and steady on his face. “Mr. Delaney,” she said softly, “I’d be honored to teach you how to read and write.”
Thirteen
London was bigger than she remembered. Bigger, noisier, dirtier, and more exciting. Callie started feeling a little apprehensive.
She’d quarreled with Gabriel at luncheon. He’d been quite unreasonable. She’d simply asked him to recommend a hotel, and he’d told her in no uncertain terms that she was not staying in any hotel, that she was staying with his aunt, Lady Gosforth, and no argument. He’d written ahead and Aunt Maude was expecting them.
Callie pointed out that she had no claim on his aunt or her hospitality. His aunt would be delighted, he said, and that was the end of it.
Callie didn’t see how any aunt would be delighted to have complete strangers foisted on her. He’d made a rude noise and said he thought he knew his aunt better than she did.
The small cavalcade drew up in front of an imposing house on Mount Street. Gabriel handed her and Tibby down from the chaise and conducted them up the steps to the front door. It opened smoothly as they reached it.
“Afternoon, Sprotton, keeping well I hope?”
The very dignified butler bowed. “Good afternoon, Mr. Gabe, I hope your trip was pleasant and uneventful, and may I say how good it is to see you here, sir? Ladies.” He bowed to Callie and Tibby. “Lady Gosforth asked me to conduct you all upstairs to Wash and Compose yourselves—”
“I did,” a tall, elegant, Roman-nosed matron interrupted him. “But I’ve decided I can’t wait to meet you.” She swept forward holding out both her hands in a warm greeting, at odds with the severe cast of her countenance. “The height of inconsideration I know, my dears, to greet you when you are fresh from a long and tedious journey and I hope you will forgive me for it. How do you do? You are Prin—no, Mrs. Prynne of course—I know, Gabriel, but I am being very discreet—what glorious eyes you have my dear—and you are—?” She looked down her long nose at Tibby.
Callie jumped in, seeing a way of escape. “Miss Tibthorpe, my—my lady-in-waiting.” She did not want anyone looking down on Tibby. “And my, er, equerry is waiting outside, with my…son’s companion. I am sorry, indeed I had no intention of imposing on you but your nephew—”
“Nonsense, no imposition at all, my nephew was quite right to bring you to me. I presume your maids and footmen are following on. They’re all welcome. I am delighted to have you, for the season so far has been utterly tedious and this house is far too empty.”
She held out her hand to Tibby and said, “How do you do, Miss Tibthorpe, and you are, of course, Nicholas.”
“Nikolai,” he corrected her, then bowed very correctly and clicked his heels.
“What excellent manners, Nikolai. You will take note, Gabriel, this child has greeted me and you have not.”
He bowed ironically and grinned. “I was waiting for you to draw breath, Aunt Maude.”
“Nonsense, for you know perfectly well you would never get a word in otherwise. Now, up you all go. Sprotton will conduct you to your bedchambers and arrange hot water. Did you say your maids are following?”
“No,” Callie said awkwardly. No lady would travel without her maid.
“She lost her maid and footman and several grooms in a storm,” Gabe told his aunt. “Washed overboard on the way to England. Terrible tragedy. When I met Mrs. Prynne she and her son had just waded out of the sea and were dripping wet.”
Lady Gosforth stared. “How frightful, my dears. What a mercy you survived. I presume that’s what happened to your clothes as well. Never mind, my maid shall attend you and tomorrow we shall procure new clothes. Tea in half an hour. Gabriel, where are you going?”
Gabriel, who had been heading back toward the front door, turned back. “I’ll stay at my club—”
“Nonsense, you’ll stay here with me, and so will that wretched brother of yours and don’t try to tell me he is not with you for I looked out of the window and he is sitting outside on a rather good chestnut, looking handsome, brooding as usual, along with that lovely Ramsey boy and the other one—you know, what’s his name?—the one the girls all sigh after. Divinely handsome with a fatally attractive air of tragedy.”
“Luke Ripton,” said Gabriel, trying not to smile.
“That’s it, the Ripton boy. And the other man who looks like an elegant prizefighter, the one with the small boy sitting beside him—he’s not a groom, is he? He doesn’t look like a groom.”
“No, that’s Mrs. Prynne’s, er, equerry and her son’s companion.”
“He looks interesting. Run outside and tell them they are all invited for tea and I won’t take no for an answer. Cook’s baked lemon curd cakes and gingerbread and some newfangled sugar wafers, which he fills with cream and are positively decadent. And you and Harry willnotstay at your club.” She gave him an imperious look down her long nose. “Well, run along, Gabriel. Take your horses around to the mews or they’ll take a chill in this frightful wind.”
Gabriel bowed ironically, then winked at Callie, who was trying not to giggle. “Now you know why I’m terrified of women.”
Callie and Lady Gosforth both snorted in disbelief. Lady Gosforth turned to Callie with a smile. “My dear, I can see you’re just what my nephew needs.”
