The next day when the coach pulled up outside the Pulteney Hotel, her father leaped down from the box where he had traveled beside the coachman, put down the step and opened the door.
Verity said her goodbyes and kissed Henrietta. She climbed down onto the pavement, smiled, and touched her father’s cheek.
“A bientôt.” He kissed her hand, pressed bank notes into her palm and curled her fingers over them.
Verity shook her head. “I cannot!”
“I shall worry if you don’t.”
Verity nodded, took the money, and blew them all a kiss. She walked through the door held open by the doorman.
Henrietta watched her sweep regally into the foyer her head held high, despite the plain, ill-fitting gown. She laughed as the carriage pulled out onto the road. “Verity is so wonderful. I declare I want to be just like her. I do hope she will agree to help me become an actress.”
Christian cleared his throat. Her father caught his eye and shook his head. She vowed to charm them both around to her way of thinking, but now wasn’t the time.
“I’ll call on you tomorrow, if I may,” Christian said, as the carriage stopped outside his bow-fronted house in Brook Street. He pressed a kiss on Henrietta’s hand.
“Come early, Christian, before other callers.”
“You must call him Mr. Hartley now, Henrietta. It’s going to be hard for you to accept, but here in London your behavior will be judged,” her father warned.
Henrietta fought the urge to say pooh! But she just smiled and swiveled to look back, catching a last glimpse of Christian mounting the short flight of steps. Such formality seemed odd after all they’d been through. Odd too, to be parted from him. She suffered a sudden sense of misgiving and wanted to stop the carriage and rush back to hug him.
She covered her mouth to hide her grin when Aunt Gabrielle’s butler admitted them. Their curious appearance caused his imperious air to fail him. “Lady Belden is in the drawing room,” he said in a faint voice.
Henrietta ran along the corridor. She waited impatiently, until Phillipe and her father joined her, then they all went into the drawing room together.
Aunt Gabrielle shrieked. The two dogs erupted into fits of barking. She fell back onto the sofa again and for once, had nothing to say.
Philippe picked up her fan. He fanned her briskly.“Aren’t you pleased to see your brother?”
“Oh, Phillipe.” She touched his face as if she feared she was dreaming. “I had begun to fear I would never see any of you again.”
Henrietta knelt to soothe the dogs, glad her aunt seemed better. She suspected that once Aunt Gabrielle recovered from their return, there would be some sharp questions for her. But happiness sparkled inside her and she would worry about that later.
