“Do you feel strange? I do.”
“Most strange. Forever is a long time.”
“I was thinking the same thing during the ceremony.”
Jenny had started undressing her. Now Kevin turned her around to complete the task of unfastening her dress. “I saw one of the women from Mrs. Darling’s house at the church. Did you invite her?”
“She never would have come if I hadn’t.” She suddenly realized why he had asked. “She was not there for you, if you were worried that she was.”
His fingers stilled on her back, then continued. “Then you know about that.”
“I do. She and I remain friends.”
“I thought they only bought bonnets from you.”
“She was very kind to me when I was there. She was probably the only friend I had in London at the time.”
“I will not be seeing her again, in case you wondered. Even if I ever break my promise to you, it will not be with her.”
He slid down the dress. She stepped out and faced him. “I know. She would not have you now, even if you did go there. She may be a whore, but she understands friendship.” She looked down at his fingers unlacing her half stays. “She gave you the highest recommendation, though. She said you knew what you were about.”
He gave her a charming half smile. “Did she now? How generous.”
“Of course, I already knew that.”
“Actually, you don’t know the half of it, darling.” The stays fell to the floor.
“Perhaps you should be another of my tutors and teach me at least half of it.”
His fingertips skimmed over her freed breasts, drawing lines on the chemise that covered them still. “That is a splendid idea. Today we will have lesson one.”
* * *
The caller was announced ten days later. After breakfast, Kevin had gone to the small study attached to the library. A footman later interrupted to deliver a card. Annoyed that he had been disturbed on the first day he could concentrate in over a week, Kevin set aside the sketches he was toying with and went up to the drawing room.
Rosamund was there, along with the man whose card he held, Mr. Theodore Lovelace.
The man’s back was to him, but he garnered what he could from that view. Ginger-haired. Big. He had the looks of a laborer to him, with his broad shoulders and thick form. One visible hand showed calluses and scars. His coats were of high quality, however.
“Here he is,” Rosamund said. “This is Mr. Kevin Radnor, whom you asked to see.”
Kevin positioned himself to welcome Mr. Lovelace and get a full view. Rough-hewn. Craggy face. Gray eyes. But a smile broke out, and those eyes twinkled as he stood to make a greeting.
“Mr. Lovelace has a mutual friend with us,” Rosamund said.
“Who might that be?”
Lovelace beamed. “Mr. Forestier. In Paris.”
“Forestier? Are you saying he gave you my name?”
“He did indeed, sir.”
“How do you know him?”
“Met him, I did. Was in Paris myself. It was a holiday, but men talk, and his name was mentioned as someone with good knowledge of machines and such. That’s my trade. I’ve a factory in Shropshire and a smaller works out farther on the Thames here.”
“What kinds of machines?”
