“Nigh on noon.”
“Good heavens.” Maeve scrambled from the bed. She stumbled to the basin and splashed cold water on her face. She immediately felt better. Even last night’s debacle didn’t seem so bad in the light of day. All she had to do was hold her head high. No one need know of her folly. Who was Harlowe likely to tell anyway? “I’ll wear the blue striped walking dress today,” she told Parson.
Parson pointed once again to the windows. “It’s pouring out, milady.”
Brilliant. “No matter. I have things to accomplish. A little rain never hurt anyone.” Luckily, one didn’t usually drown in a heavy downpour as there was the little matter of locating another place to reside.
For once Maeve sat without complaint, letting Parson dress her hair to perfection. She had every need to hold her head up for the day to come. As a result, it was over an hour before she made her way to the morning room for something to eat.
Of course, she walked in on a roomful of visitors. The Brockways had stopped in with an invitation to a musicale the Duke of Addis was hosting the day before Christmas Eve. Kimpton sat at the head of the table with Irene on one side of him and Cecilia on the other. It was an unusual sight. But clearly, the girls had a special bond with the earl. Only Lorelei and Harlowe were missing from the fray. Still, a twinge of unease skittered through her.
“Goodness,” Maeve said. “Did I miss the summons?”
“Of course not, Lady Alymer. We are here to let everyone know that I shall be making my musical debut,” Irene said. “I’m to sing two songs.”
“Ah, I see. I’m sure you shall do brilliantly,” Maeve assured her. “I look forward to hearing you.”
“Um, Maeve,” Ginny said. “After you departed the Martindales’ last night, a rumor began circula—”
Lorelei stalked in. “Maeve Pendleton, I cannot believe you didn’t tell me.” She sniffed. “Of course, I’m thrilled, but—”
Maeve’s stomach dropped. Surely, no one had overheard her exchange with Brandon. There’d been no one on the terrace but the two of them. Her head swiveled from Ginny to Lorelei, fully aware of the heat in her face.
“Hello, everyone.” Harlowe swept into the room, interrupting his sister. He strode over and pulled out a chair for Maeve.
“Of course, you must take Nathan, no matter how much it saddens me. He belongs with his new family.” Maeve caught the quaver underlying Lorelei’s voice, despite herself being flabbergasted.
There was no question in Maeve’s mind. She’d been abducted in one of those dangerous whirling storms she’d heard occurred on the plains in the Americas’ flattest territories. The air had left her body. She’d been plunged back into her nightmare, only rather than being underwater, she was now being sucked into an entirely different whirlpool. “Take Nathan where?” Her voice rose hardly above a whisper.
“Molly must go with you, of course,” Lorelei went on, her voice stronger with each word she uttered. “I insist, Brandon. She loves that child as if he were her own.”
“Of course, Lorelei,” Harlowe said gently. “We would appreciate it.”
We? What was this?Maeve’s gaze shot to him, a wariness settling over her. Harlowe placed his hand on her shoulder and firmly pressed her into the chair he’d pulled out. Before he moved away, he leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on her lips.In front of everyone.
“Good morning, darling.”
Maeve’s burning face jerked her from her stupor. “What the devil do you think you are about?” she hissed.
The silence in the room shrieked at Maeve until she thought she’d gone deaf.
Ignoring her, Harlowe moseyed over to the sideboard, loaded up two plates, brought them back, and set them on the table, one in front of her. “Maeve asked me to marry her last night,” he announced to the room at large.
Blood roared in Maeve’s ears that stifled the screams of joy from Cecilia. Irene, of course, would never lower herself to such an egregious show of exultation, grinning broadly instead. The sight of Irene grinning was a shocking enough sight.
Maeve’s tongue stuck to the top of her mouth. She had no words.
Harlowe turned a tender smile on her, and said, “I’ve accepted her proposal.”
Eating was out of the question. She pushed her plate away and came to her feet, grabbing his arm before he could sit. “I think I require a word with my betrothed,” she bit out through clenched teeth and dragged him from the room.
“Is there a problem?” he asked with all the innocence of a rat.
She wasn’t fooled in the least. “Just what sort of game are you playing, Lord Harlowe?”
“I’m sorry. Did I misunderstand your proposal last evening?”
“DidImisunderstand your reaction?” She pointed to the closed door while her foot tapped violently against the heavy rug. “Do you realize what you just did in there?”
