His foot came down over hers and she instantly cried out in pain.
“Sorry. I didn’t—”
“Release me,” she sputtered while trying to yank her arm free.
He let her go at once. “Please forgive me, Lady Emily. I was only trying to help.”
“I ought to be on my way,” she muttered. “I’ll see you on Friday, Ada. Three o’clock?”
“Looking forward to it,” Ada said and added a smile.
“Come on,” Callum told Peter. “We’ll visit Hatchards and stop by Gunther’s on the way home.”
Peter shrugged one shoulder and gave a despondent, “All right.”
Callum tipped his hat in Lady Emily’s direction. “My apologies once again. Enjoy your walk.”
“What on earth was that?” Anthony asked a few moments later.
“What?” Callum asked.
“You looked like a bloody green boy on wobbly ground. I’ve never seen you so flustered in all my life.” He sent Callum a frown. “I wasn’t even aware men could get flustered until today. And just so you know, you’re still blushing all the way to your ears.”
“I’m not…” Callum groaned with annoyance. “This isn’t a blush. It’s frustration.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Ada told him.
“What?” Callum croaked while Anthony chuckled.
“You’ve clearly taken a fancy to her,” Ada said.
Callum responded with a dry laugh. “I’ve done no such thing. The woman just has the annoying talent of putting herself in the path of my feet or elbows.”
“Considering how suave you usually are in the presence of women,” Anthony mused, “I think it might be worth noting when you’re not. Especially if there’s a pattern.”
“Girls can be scary,” Peter said, his voice low.
“Lady Emily isn’t scary,” Callum told him. “She’s just incredibly vexing, that’s all.”
“Is that why you didn’t want to walk with her?” Peter asked.
“Yes,” Callum told him.
It had nothing to do with the fact that he didn’t feel quite himself when she was near.
2
Emily hurried toward the park as fast as she could while Heidi kept pace with her much shorter legs. It was imperative that she add distance between herself and the Duke of Stratton. She should have known that standing near him would be a mistake. Had any other gentleman tried to help her, their foot would never have landed on top of hers
She winced in response to the pain she still felt. Her shoes were made from thin leather and her toes had been crushed beneath his full weight. Checking the street and finding it empty, she crossed toward the park entrance.
Had it not been for him, shewouldhave invited Peter to visit so he could spend more time with Heidi. Emily wasn’t sure who the boy was or why he was walking with Stratton. As far as she knew, he had no son. Illegitimate or otherwise. And since he had no siblings, the boy could not be his nephew either. Which left few options. In Emily’s estimation, Peter was either a distant relation or Stratton’s ward.
She slowed her movements while pondering this and gave Heidi a little more leash so it was easier for her to sniff the ground. Peter’s expression had been solemn. Too solemn for any child. Of course, he might just be temporarily in Stratton’s care while the parents travelled.
Curious, she pondered these various possibilities while continuing through the park. Stratton had never struck her as a family man, so it was interesting to see him assuming a father figure of sorts. In her experience, he’d always been a bit of a rogue – the sort of man who flirted with every woman without ever courting a single one.
Handsome, titled, and seemingly well-poised, he appeared the perfect candidate for England’s most eligible bachelor. When seen from afar, that was. Up close, he was an utter disaster. At least from her point of view.
