“I feel as though we are being followed.”
Heather gave her a look of concern. “Perhaps we ought to hire a hackney for the remaining distance, my lady.”
They turned a corner. “I do not see an available one at the moment, but I think you are right. We shall flag down the very first one that comes into view.”
As it turned out, every hackney that rolled by was already fully occupied, and since they were taking the shortest route, the streets were not busy enough to allow for the sort of traffic that one might find on Oxford Street or Piccadilly. Amelia looked back once more and spotted a man, his head bowed low as he walked some distance behind them. She wondered if it might be the same man she’d seen last night. Perhaps she ought to stop and confront him?
No. That would be a terrible idea—the sort of idea that neither Raphe nor Coventry nor anyone else of sound mind would ever approve of. If he did work for Bartholomew, as she suspected he might, he’d be dangerous too. It would be foolish to risk a confrontation with him. Especially when she had Heather to think of, too.
So she kept her pace brisk and breathed a sigh of relief the moment she stepped inside the foyer at Coventry House. The butler took her bonnet and then showed them through to the parlor. “Please wait here while I inform His Grace of your arrival,” he said before exiting the room once more.
“My lady,” Coventry said when he came to greet her seconds later. “What has happened? My butler said you looked distressed when you arrived, and I have to say that even now your complexion appears a bit pale.”
“I apologize for coming here like this without invitation. I know how busy you are and—”
“Amelia,” he told her gently, disregarding propriety in spite of Heather’s presence.
Feeling a flush of heat creep into her cheeks, Amelia glanced toward her maid and was grateful to see she was keeping herself busy with a tiny book that she must have brought along in her reticule.
Coventry’s hand pressed gently against Amelia’s elbow, causing her to jump. She returned her attention to him as he nudged her toward the other side of the room so they could speak more privately. “You are always welcome here. There is no need for you to concern yourself about that. So please tell me what it is that has upset you.”
Inhaling deeply, she allowed the tension she’d felt on her way over to ebb a little. “There was a man in the street last night. It looked as though he was watching Huntley House, and when he eventually left, he tipped his hat toward the window where I was standing.”
“That is no small matter,” Coventry said. His brow knit with concern.
“And then today when I walked over here, I had the distinct feeling that I was being followed.”
“After seeing that man last night, you should have taken a carriage.”
“You’re right.” His eyebrows rose with surprise. “I just didn’t want to acknowledge the possible danger, and with the weather as pleasant as it is and being in Mayfair, I did not think that there would be any threat.”
He studied her a moment. “Did you see someone today who looked suspicious?”
“There was a man with a downcast face who kept walking some distance behind us. He disappeared right before we got here.”
Muttering something that sounded like a curse, Coventry raked his fingers through his hair and considered her. When he spoke again, he sounded more serious than ever before. “No more walks. If you need to go somewhere, you take the Huntley carriage or my carriage with drivers who can be trusted.”
“What about the park? Surely I will be all right going for walks there as long as someone comes with me.”
“Not unless that someone is me.” He must have seen her look of dismay because he quickly added, “Your safety is paramount. We must not risk it for any reason. Not as long as there may be a threat and certainly not when that threat may very well come from Bartholomew.”
“Do you suppose he might be trying to rattle me?”
“It is possible. And if that is the case, then I fear this is only the beginning. In which case, you must remain vigilant.” His fingers found hers in an intimate caress that pushed most of her worries aside, replacing them with helpless longing instead. “If anything were to happen to you...” Stepping back, he shook his head. “Nothing will, as long as we take some precautions.”
“Can I still go to Vauxhall on Saturday?” Lady Everly and the dowager duchess had suggested the outing since Amelia and Juliette had never visited the pleasure garden before. “I am rather looking forward to it.”
“I think that will be fine since you will be part of a larger group. I hear that Burton and Lowell will be there, as well.” He winced just enough to convey his displeasure.
“Lady Everly thought it prudent to invite them.”
“I take it she does not know of Lowell’s proposal or the fact that you turned him down.” When she shook her head, he said, “It surprises me that he would agree to keep your company after that.”
“Perhaps he has set his sights on Juliette instead? Such a thing is possible.”
“I suppose it is.” His eyes turned a deep shade of chocolate, and then a smile touched his lips, affording him that dashing look that invariably weakened her knees. “Thank you for your kindness toward Jeremy yesterday. The gift you gave him was very thoughtful. He has made great use of it since.”
“Did he manage to solve it?”
