She bit back a grin. At least, there was that.
“Something amuses you, Miss Cosgrove?” Cerise snipped at her.
“No, my lady.”
Cerise gave her a suspicious look, as Lord Lowell and Lady Hester hurried towards her.
Lowell, every polite, gave a short bow to Helen. “Miss Cosgrove.”
“How did your friend fare, my lord?” she asked Lowell, as they started in the direction of Galway’s carriage.
“I believe he won the favor of Lady Hester,” Lowell’s eyes twinkled with a nod at Hester who had taken his elbow.
“Possibly mine as well,” Cerise sent him a sideways look, dropping her gaze to her friend’s fingers. “I should hate for that to be the case, my lord.”
Lowell immediately detached himself from Hester. “Perish the thought, my lady.”
WhatdidLowell see in Cerise? She was vapid and empty-headed. Mean-spirited. Manipulative. But maybe he only wanted a beautiful, pedigreed wife.
“What a lovely day,” Lady Hester added.
“Yes, and now we must return home,” Helen said, increasing her steps to keep up with Lowell, Cerise, and Hester, all of whom were much more long-limbed than herself. “Lord Galway will be expecting us at home. We must not dally.”
Cerise gave a pained sigh.
“She’s so tedious,” Lady Hester whispered behind her hand, loud enough for Helen to hear.
“Miss Cosgrove is quite right,” Lowell sent Helen a sympathetic look. “Lord Galway’s wishes must be honored. I’ll see you ladies to your carriages and be off myself. But,” he gazed at Cerise. “I shall call upon you soon, my lady.”
Helen appreciated Lowell’s courtesy towards her. He was a good man, one who was destined for unhappiness if he continued to pursue Cerise. She’d likely cuckold him immediately after their wedding night. Helen was torn between wanting to warn Lowell away from Cerise and pushing him towards his eventual fate since their marriage meant her freedom.
“But I wish to walk further in the park,” Cerise implored.
“Not today, I’m afraid,” Helen murmured as they approached the carriage. “Lord Galway was most insistent.”
“Fine.” Cerise dropped Lowell’s arm and came up beside Helen. She pretended to stumble, digging her heel into the hem of Helen’s well-worn skirts, and ground the poor muslin into the grass. The fabric, nearly paper-thin at the hem, tore.
“Oh dear, Miss Cosgrove,” Cerise placed a palm over her mouth in false horror. “Forgive me. I’m so clumsy.”
Helen barely flinched. She didn’t dare chastise Cerise, not with that innocent look pasted on her face. Instead, she looked down at her ruined dress, one she could ill afford to replace with a shrug. “A little needle and thread is all that is needed. No harm done, my lady.”
Hester laughed softly.
Lowell handed Cerise into Galway’s carriage and once she was settled, assisted Helen. “I’ll escort Lady Hester to Miss Amherst.” He doffed his hat. “Lady Cerise. Miss Cosgrove.” Then with a polite bow, he took Hester’s arm and led her away.
“Pity about your dress,” Cerise said in a mild tone.
Helen said nothing as the carriage started to move. Clasping her hands, she turned to the view outside which was far better than Cerise’s knowing grin. Lifting her eyes to the stand of trees where Roxboro had been, she searched the dappled sunlight for any sign of him, still feeling the press of his mouth on hers.
But there was nothing at all lingering in the shadows.
Not even a bird.
Chapter Eight
Fletcher strode quicklyto the other side of the park, away from Miss Cosgrove and the temptation she presented. Staying off the path to avoid detection, he stopped next to a thicket and discarded his coat, carefully tucking it beneath a shrub and retrieving his other coat. There wasn’t time to return to Cheapside and Mrs. Baldwin’s boarding house today and change completely. He’d already been gone from The Dancing Swan for far too long.
Flinging some dirt on his trousers to disguise the fine fabric, he also rubbed a bit on his cheeks and mussed his hair before starting the walk back to The Devil’s Acre. As much as he hated dirtying up his ‘Roxboro’ clothes, Fletcher knew he’d have little use for them in the future. His days of impersonating a duke were coming to a close. No hack today, either. He’d risked enough.
