“Yes, Miss Templeton. Mysister, Harriett. You do remember her, do you not? A young lady with blue eyes, and dark hair?”
“No— ah, that is, of course, I remember her, my lord, but I haven’t seen her. No indeed, I have not. She’s not in the music room if that’s where you were thinking of looking. I was just in there, you see, and it’s utterly deserted.” She caught his arm and began to tug him down the hallway. “Shall we check the library?”
“We, Miss Templeton?”
“Yes. I’d be most happy to help you search for her.” She hurried down the hallway, dragging him along behind her, and stuck her head into the library. “Harriett? Are you here? No, it seems not, my lord. I was just about to go into the gardens for a walk. Would you care to join me?”
He glanced down at his coat sleeve as if her hand was some strange and objectionable insect that had landed there, and he couldn’t decide whether to swat it away or crush it entirely. “Joinyou, for a walk?”
Dear God, was there ever a more infuriating man? “Yes, my lord. Now that I think of it, I did see, er… someone scurrying about the garden from my bedchamber window earlier.”
“Scurrying, Miss Templeton?”
“Yes, indeed.” She tugged him down the corridor toward the entryway. “Perhaps it was Harriet. Yes, I daresay she’s already outside, waiting for you.”
Chapter
Five
If James didn’t know Miss Templeton to be a quiet, meek little mouse, he might suspect she was up to something.
What that something might be, he couldn’t begin to guess, but one thing was certain. She didn’t care for him any more than he did her, and thus there wasn’t a chance she’d request his company if she could avoid it.
So, why had she invited him to walk with her?
Her manner was suspicious, as well. She’d glanced over her shoulder at least half a dozen times since they’d left the hallway outside the music room. “Are you looking for someone, Miss Templeton?”
She startled, as if she’d forgotten he was there, the guilty flush he’d noticed earlier once against flooding her cheeks. “Me? No, indeed. Who would I be looking for, my lord?”
The woman was maddeningly difficult to decipher, but that blush told a thousand secrets those lips would never utter. “I wouldn’t presume to question your honesty, Miss Templeton, but it did occur to me that you might know where Harriett is after all, and are looking for her.”
“Ah, so youdopresume to question my honesty, then. I already told you, my lord, I haven’t seen Harriett this afternoon.”
“It’s not like her to fail to appear as promised.” Although God knew she’d become adept at avoiding him since he’d revealed his wishes concerning Lord Farthingale. If Harriett didn’t wish to be found, he wouldn’t find her.
He never would have guessed his sister could be so slippery.
“She was quite upset after that scene in the Ring.” Miss Templeton turned down one of the narrow, crushed stone paths that led from the main walk to the fountain in the center and sank onto one of the stone benches there. “Perhaps she merely needs some time to herself, my lord.”
He seated himself beside her. “I daresay you agree with her that I was too harsh with Viscount Gilbert.” Perhaps he had been, but damn it, a proper gentleman knew how to control his horses. It was a bloody miracle no one had been hurt.
“You might have been kinder about it, certainly, but in the moment, time was of the essence. Indeed, I thought you managed the whole thing rather neatly.”
He glanced at her, surprised. “A compliment, Miss Templeton? Be careful, or I might begin to think you don’t despise me, after all.”
“I don’t despise anyone, Lord Fairmont.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Everyone despisedsomeone, and usually more than one someone, and he’d certainly never given her any reason to think kindly of him.
Which was just as it should be. He’d never sought Euphemia Templeton’s friendship, and he didn’t seek it now. He would just as soon his aunt had never involved the woman in their affairs.
“Then I’m sorry for you, my lord.”
Shewas sorry forhim? The infamous Euphemia Templeton, the lady all of London was gossiping about, who couldn’t takea drive in Hyde Park or set foot inside a ballroom without everyone staring at her, and whispering behind her back, was sorry forhim?
He took her in, assessing her from head to toe.
Gray. Everything about her was gray. Her bonnet, her pelisse, and the day dress she wore underneath it. A lady with such remarkably dark blue eyes should wear blue at every opportunity, but she dressed as if she wished to make herself invisible.
