“Only recently have I read them, my lord. My mother read about the pearls in Lord Truefitt’s Society’s Daily Column and discovered you had them. She asked me to come to London and get them for her. The attic at Chapel Glade is full of old newsprint. I asked the Duke of Blooming if I might spend time going through the copies, reading about you and your cousins as well as many other people.”
“See, that is the reason I will not read gossip of the past about you or ask others about you. Not much of what you read in the scandal sheets is true.”
“So you don’t believe in the old adage that ‘where there is smoke there is fire’?”
“Of course not. It sounds like something Lord Chesterfield would have said, and I’ve already told you what I think about him.”
When she saw sincerity in his eyes, his smile, suddenly her past indiscretion that had all the gossipmongers chattering for weeks didn’t seem so bad.
“I believe you.”
“Good. Besides, how could I read about you? I don’t even know your name.”
Susannah lowered her parasol to her shoulder and lifted her face to the warm sunshine and said, “Sometimes I forget I have a name other than Duchess or Your Grace.”
“But you do have one.”
She darted a curious glance his way. “Of course.”
He changed the food basket to his other hand and moved to walk a little closer to her. “You’re not going to tell me what it is, are you?”
She stifled the urge to smile. “My name is listed in the documents I have with me.” She lifted her arm, showing him her drawstring reticule dangling from her wrist, papers sticking out of the top of it.
He laughed. “You are very clever, Duchess. I am not ready to look at the documents.”
Why did her heart seem to dance in her chest every time he looked at her? Of all the gentlemen in London, why did she have to be tempted by the one man who had the pearls?
“I am a patient lady,” she told him, echoing one of his statements. “I can wait. Let me know when you are.”
“Look,” Race said, pointing in the distance. “A crowd is gathered over there. Do you want to see what is going on, or should we look for a place under one of the trees to spread the blanket and enjoy our fare?”
She smiled eagerly. “Oh, by all means, let’s go see what has caught everyone’s attention.”
“All right, but first, might I ask a favor?”
“Of course.”
His eyes turned serious. “Since you know my name, will you call me Race?”
She would love nothing better, but should she? Already he was filling her dreams at night and her thoughts during the days.
“Perhaps it wouldn’t be wise for me to be that familiar with you, my lord.”
She saw what looked like disappointment flash in his eyes, but he quickly hid it by saying, “All right, Your Grace, we’ll continue to play by your rules. Let’s go see what has enthralled this crowd.”
Susannah knew she had put a sudden damper on their lovely afternoon, but Lord Raceworth was already too charming for her own good. Somehow she had to keep him at a distance, and formality might give her an edge. For a time, anyway. If she allowed herself to become too entangled with him, she might be reluctant to deny his tempting appeal and to fight for the pearls when the time came.
She watched as Lord Raceworth scanned the crowd.
He lightly touched the small of her back, but the warmth of his hand spread all over her.
“Come this way. I see Gibby, Sir Randolph Gibson whom I mentioned earlier. I’m sure he will know what’s happening.”
They walked up to a dapper older gentleman with a head of beautiful silver hair and lively brown eyes. “Gibby, what’s going on here?”
“Afternoon, Race,” the tall gentleman said as his gaze quickly fell on Susannah. He swept off his hat and bowed.
Race immediately made the introductions.
