“Yes. Thank you for seeing the ladies home.” Eli, speaking behind her, didn’t sound grateful. He stood so close his voice vibrated down her back. Fanny had to stop herself from leaning against him.
They stood frozen in place for a moment until Lucy walked around the earl, who had all but turned his back on her. She bobbed a curtsey when she passed. “Good day, my lord,” she said firmly.
After a moment of hesitation, the earl inclined his head and departed. What else could he do?
Eli closed the door and turned his penetrating gaze on Fanny. “You’re trembling! Have you had a fright?”
“No, no,” Fanny said. “Nothing so dramatic.”
The butler gathered the ladies’ wraps. “Tea may be the thing,” he suggested.
“Good man, Mullins,” Eli agreed, wrapping an arm around Fanny’s shoulders and pulling her toward the drawing room. She leaned into his warmth, though all the while, he cast accusatory glances at Lucy, who followed Mullins a few paces and spoke to him quietly.
Eli led Fanny to a plush wingback chair near the hearth. “Is it cool in here? Shall I make up the fire?”
It had been hot all day, but now? Fanny nodded. She craved comfort.
Lucy joined them and pulled up a small chair next to Fanny. “I asked for tea sandwiches. I also sent a note to Maddy. If she had been here, she would never have let me talk you into going. Oh, Fanny, I am so sorry.” Unfortunately, Maddy had sent round notice that she felt poorly.
“What exactly happened to upset Fanny—and what were you thinking driving out without me or Rob’s men? I thought we had all agreed.” Eli glowered at Lucy.
“We agreed? We? You and Rob decided!” Fanny frowned back at him. Her burst of spirit spent, she sank back against the chair. “In this case, I wish we hadn’t gone at all. The palace guard, as Lucy calls it, wouldn’t have made any difference.”
“She’s right on both counts. What happened today didn’t require male oversight. Our problem was cats,” Lucy said.
Eli pulled up another small chair, closer than was strictly proper. She didn’t care. When he reached for Fanny’s hand, she gave it gladly, desiring his warmth.
“I thought you planned to stay in. You told Grimsley you weren’t receiving today,” Eli said.
“Actually,youall but told him to stay away,” Lucy said. She sighed deeply. “And of course, you were right. Fanny needed today to recuperate and to let the blasted cats move on to some other prey.”
“I take it the cats in question are of the human variety?” Eli raised one eyebrow.
Fanny nodded. “On full parade in Hyde Park.”
“You did the fashionable see-and-be-seen march through the park?” Eli gasped.
“If I realized what he intended, I wouldn’t have gone,” Fanny said. “He’s always seemed a perfect gentleman. And he did rescue me last night. He was very kind.”
“A gentleman wouldn’t have invited you in a closed carriage,” Eli murmured. His opinion had come to matter, and his criticism stung.
“Maddy would have known better. I’m so sorry, Fanny. I’m still new to this world,” Lucy said.
“Maddy certainly would have refused the closed carriage,” Eli said, peering from one to the other sternly.
Fanny groaned, feeling like the ignorant provincial Lady Parmbarton had dubbed her. She had been not so subtly enlightened by the old witch on the matter of riding out in a closed carriage with a single man. Even now, the memory made her heart sink.
Lucy dropped her gaze to stare at her toes. “I almost turned back when I saw it, but it was a glorious afternoon.”
“And we were cooped up in the house,” Fanny added.
“I didn’t want to make a scene, so I went along,” Lucy said. “He offered to show Fanny some of the prominent buildings.”
“And he did. Whitehall, Horse Guards…,” Fanny murmured, damning her curiosity for leading her into his carriage.
“Mostly he seemed eager to point out the homes of what he called ‘those who matter.’ He drove us through Mayfair, turned around Bedford Square, and of course pointed out his own townhouse, one certainly larger and more fashionable than we’re sitting in.” Lucy sounded bitter.
Fanny leaned toward her. “Are you implying he meant to puff up his consequence at your expense, Lucy?”
