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She was wearing a traveling dress he hadn't seen before and her hair was pinned beneath a bonnet. Clarissa appeared beside him. "She seems well," she said, watching Arabella's retreating form. "Considering."

For a moment, he forgot all of Arabella's troubles that had nothing to do with him, and he turned to Clarissa with alarm. "Considering what?"

His sister gave him a look. "Considering everything, John."

He offered no response. Right. Yes. Arabella must have had quite a bit on her mind. She'd likely already forgotten about his ill-advised kiss and the embarrassing speech that had followed.

Clarissa gave him an odd look when he cleared his throat and mumbled something about needing to freshen up.

They were back on the road within the half hour. Kit slept. Clarissa read. John stared out the window and tried not to think about the woman in the other carriage.

When this business with Pierce was resolved, she would return to London and he would remain in the country with Lucy, and they would go back to being Lord Alderton and Lady Arabella. Two people who had once been briefly and uncomfortably entangled.

This was the correct outcome. This was what a sensible man would want.

John was beginning to suspect he was not an entirely sensible man. But he kept that suspicion to himself.

The estate came into view in the late afternoon. The gray stone of the main house was visible above the tree line, then the long drive through the elms. Finally, they drove up to the front steps where a small figure in a blue pinafore was already bouncing on her toes.

John grinned at the sight of her. Lucy.

She was down the steps before the carriage had fully stopped. The door opened, and no sooner had he stepped down than Lucy was in his arms, her face buried in his coat, her voice muffled. "You are late."

"I know." He held her tight, one hand on the back of her head. "I am sorry, my love."

"You said the end of the week." She leaned her head back to pout up at him. "It has been considerably longer."

He squatted down so he was eye level. "I have no defense. I am very sorry."

She studied him with a narrowed gaze, then her expression softened. "You look tired, Papa."

He let out a huff of laughter. "I am tired."

"Good. Then you shall stay put this time." She gripped his hand with both of hers. "Mrs. Lennox says there is cake."

He straightened. "Then we had better go in."

Clarissa was already out of the carriage, and Lucy released John long enough to fling herself at her aunt. Kit, as the newest addition to their little family, received a slightly more restrained greeting. A handshake, which made Kit grin so broadly that Clarissa had to look away to keep from laughing.

And then Lucy's attention shifted. She peered around John's arm at the second carriage, where Thea was descending with her usual air of mild distraction. Behind her came Arabella.

Lucy looked up at John. "Who is that?"

He glanced back. Lucy had met Thea at Clarissa's wedding, so he could not feign ignorance.

Who was Arabella to Lucy?

No one. An acquaintance who would be out of their lives in short order.

Arabella had paused at the carriage door, one hand still on the frame. She was looking at them—at him and Lucy. But her expression was unreadable.

Lucy tugged his hand. "Papa. Who is she?"

John looked down at his daughter.

"A friend," he said. "She will be staying with us for a while."

"She's pretty," Lucy observed.