Page 21 of The Season of Lady Chastity

“Oh, my dear!” Lady Camden leaned precariously over the small table and set her open palms against each of Chastity’s cheeks, cradling her face. “My sincerest apologies for not recognizing you. When I entered, I assumed the pair of you were, well, for lack of a better term, together. You appeared to know one another.”

“We met yesterday by the moat.” Chastity kept her stare on Lady Camden, an unassuming smile upon her face. Could the woman read Chastity’s attraction for Bastian, or only their quickly budding friendship? Her skin heated at the thought. “And we joined Luci and Roderick for games in the parlor last evening.”

Chapman entered the breakfast room, giving Chastity the opportunity to take in Bastian’s reaction to Lady Camden’s words as both women stood. He seemed unbothered by the lady’s mistake, neither alarmed nor embarrassed.

“My lady,” Chapman said from the doorway. “The room is set up for your use. I will have a maid bring refreshments to you.”

Lady Camden glanced about, confusion etched on her face as if she’d forgotten where she was and what she’d been doing.

“You requested tea and a light repast while you work,” Chapman continued. “Cook is honored to prepare something special for you, my lady.”

“Heavens, my dear.” She shook her head with a light laugh. “I fear I would lose track of my head if it weren’t attached. This entire affair has me bustling about as if Queen Charlotte herself were arriving at any moment.”

“I cannot fathom all that occupies your time.” Perhaps the day was not right to speak with Lady Camden about her husband’s past. Or was the time exactly correct, and Luci’s mother would share more insight than she otherwise would if her mind were solely in the right place? Either way, Chastity might not gain another chance to speak with Lady Camden in private before the wedding was over and done and the guests were departing.

Again, the day was not right, but when would the time be appropriate to ask such probing questions? There may never come another occasion when Chastity would be in the same home as Luci’s mother—and the questions Chastity needed answered were certainly not suitable to convey by a letter.

Lady Camden gave a quick smile that didn’t completely reach her eyes and issued a wave before following the butler from the room.

Oxburgh Hall was a sprawling estate with two wings, five floors, and too many guest rooms, salons, and sitting areas to count—or search before the group returned from their excursion. If Chastity didn’t make haste and follow Lady Camden now, she could very well lose sight of her.

Once more, she thought of Bastian and asking him for help in discovering if Lady Camden knew anything of her mother and whom dearest Cam was. But no, this was a private matter. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the earl with her family’s secret. It was more that, if Bastian knew the circumstances surrounding Chastity’s birth—her possible illicit beginnings—he might very well distance himself from her. See her in a different light with an unworthy aura.

It was an absurd reason for keeping things from Bastian, though.

But with time, her mother’s secret might very well be the only thing Chastity had if her suspicions were proven correct.

Though she longed for them to be wrong; for everything to be as Prudence stated, for then Chastity would not need embark on the larger quest to discover who she was and where she belonged. Despite her conviction to continue on her current course, doubts and insecurities had nearly stopped her and had her question her decisions thus far—to the point where she’d wondered for nearly two long months if the words in her mother’s letter meant what they appeared to mean. It was why she hadn’t begun searching until now, or perhaps it was the mention of Lord Camden—Cam—that had her mind spinning once more.

Her mother had been infatuated with another man, but the letter had never been delivered and, therefore, the pair had never met to consummate their affection.

Or that was what the undelivered letter led her to believe.

Before Chastity had met Bastian, she could have believed her mother was drawn to another man but never acted on her desires.

But now…

Chastity’s eyes narrowed as she resisted the temptation to glance in Bastian’s direction. Even the newly sparked connection between them wasn’t easy to resist. How could her mother have fought against her draw to her dearest Cam?

She finally gave in and took in Bastian at her side, both of them still standing, awkwardly silent.

The aristocratic set of his jaw and the natural fall of his dark hair, as well as his gentlemanly manners, had caught Chastity’s notice at once.

It could not be anywhere near the affection her mother had expressed for Cam, though it was definitely more than should have developed over a mere two days.

Could she be falling in love with Bastian?

Heaven’s no. It was impossible.

Had Chastity’s stomach fluttered when Bastian spoke after entering the breakfast room?

Yes.

Did something about his reserved, pensive nature draw her to him and make her want to know more about this unique man?

Without a doubt.

As Lady Camden had been forward enough to say, gentlemen were rarely willing to take care of another before seeing to their own proclivities. Yet, Lord Mansfield hadn’t ridden off with the other men. He hadn’t stayed in the salon with the gathering but had instead departed to see to his mother. He’d even offered Lady Camden his assistance with decorating the manor. He was unlike any other lords Chastity had witnessed during her Season. There was not even a hint of arrogance or self-importance about him. In no way did his presence intimidate her into silence or cause her to seek the shadows and remain unnoticed. If anything, she saw much of her sister, Prudence, in Lord Mansfield. He seemed content to live his life peacefully and without zeal.