Page 42 of An Unexpected Pleasure

“No, I insist,” Theo replied, his affable tone underlaid by steel. The face he turned to her was as implacable as his voice. “Really, Miss Henderson.”

Megan’s smile was more of a grimace as she shot back, “No, please, Lord Raine, I will not allow you to put yourself out. I am quite capable of finding my way about a city.”

“I am sure you are. But as a gentleman, I cannot allow you. We shall take the carriage.”

“No doubt Con and Alex and I could take the carriage without your accompanying us. You needn’t bother.”

The other three people with them stood watching Theo and Megan with interest, their heads swinging from one to the other throughout their sharply polite exchange.

“Now, now, Miss Henderson,” the duke said, patting her arm and smiling benignly at her. “You must let Theo accompany you. It takes at least two people to keep an eye on Constantine and Alexander.”

“Of course.” Megan gritted her teeth and gave in with as much grace as she could muster. She could scarcely refuse her employer’s order, even one given as graciously as the duke’s. “Thank you.”

The look she turned toward Theo was anything but grateful. “We shall leave early.”

His eyes dancing with inner amusement, Theo gave her a short, precise bow. “I shall be ready.”

Damn the man! How could he manage to thwart her at every turn when he didn’t even know what she planned?

It was excessively frustrating. She didn’t want Theo to know that she was going to the Cavendish Museum, let alone have him accompany her there.

Megan itched to slap Theo’s smug face. Instead, she turned on her heel and swept away.

CHAPTER 9

Megan hurried the twins through breakfast the next morning, hoping to get out the door before Theo appeared. Much to her chagrin, when she and the boys came down the stairs, Theo was standing by the front door waiting for them, arms folded.

“Theo!” Alex cried out gleefully. “Are you coming with us?”

“Do!” Con urged.

“Yes, I’m coming. Didn’t Miss Henderson tell you?” He cast a wicked grin at Megan.

“I was not sure that you would be able to accompany us,” Megan retorted in a frosty tone.

“You doubted me?” Theo’s green eyes danced, and he leaned closer, murmuring, “Or did you just think that you could sneak away without me?’

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Megan swept toward the front door, and the footman jumped to pull it open for her.

Theo and the boys followed.

Con cast an eye up at Theo and whispered, “Is she in a snit? She’s acting just like Kyria when she’s in a snit.”

“I’m not sure,” Theo replied. “Do you think an American snit looks the same as a British one?”

The three glanced at Megan, then back at each other, and nodded, bursting into laughter. Megan cast a sharp glance back at them.

No doubt Theo was enlisting her charges against her, she thought darkly. Well, let him. Perhaps she would be able to saddle him with the twins so she could slip away to talk to the museum’s director.

The ducal carriage stood in front of the house, the coachman waiting patiently to open the door and hand Megan up into the vehicle. The twins bounced in after her and plopped down side by side in their usual way on the seat across from her. This left Theo to sit down beside Megan. She managed with some effort not to turn her head to look at him.

“Where are we going?” Theo asked cheerfully. “The British Museum?”

“No!” Con and Alex chorused. “The Cavendish!”

“The Cavendish?” Theo repeated in surprise.

Megan turned. “Yes. The twins said they had never gone, and I thought it better to start out on a lesser scale than the British Museum.” She lifted her brows a little. “Is there some problem?”