Robert reached for his own glass, his thoughts consumed by Miss Watson. Her behavior was inexplicable. It behooved him to make one last effort to change her mind. If that failed, he would be forced to retreat and try the Grenfell girl. He shuddered.For good or ill, I want Miss Sarah Watson, and damn it all, I’m not giving up without a fight.
Chapter Ten
Robert returned homeand slept off the uncustomary amount of alcohol he’d consumed with lunch, then he rose to wash and change for the evening’s entertainment. He had promised to escort his mother and sister to a recital that evening at Convent Garden, followed by supper at the Piazza.
His valet, Bridges, who had been with him for ten years, laid out his evening wear and handed him his neckcloth. Some gentlemen allowed their valets to tie their cravats. Robert wasn’t one of them. Bridges knew better than to interrupt him during the process, but when he was satisfied with it, Bridges held out his waistcoat of silver satin to slip over his white linen shirt and cleared his throat. A sure sign he had something to say. Robert buttoned up his waistcoat and raised an eyebrow, as Em jumped up onto the dresser and began rubbing her face around the edge of the beveled mirror, tail lashing.
“Something on your mind, Bridges?”
“I’m not one to gossip, Your Grace, but something has come to my hearing that—” he flushed, looking uncomfortable.
“Out with it, man.” the duke frowned, thinking Bridges had got wind of one of Kenrick’s more outrageous pranks.
“Well, Your Grace, we couldn’t help but know about Miss Watson...”
Robert stiffened. “This concerns Miss Watson?” he said ominously.
“Aye, Your Grace,” said Bridges, looking rather wretched. “It was one of the footmen who brought the tale to the hall,” meaning the servants’ hall. “He had it from one of Lady Holbrook’s footmen, you understand. The two of them are friends from the same village.”
“Get to the point!” said the duke, sliding his arms into the coat of a navy silk so dark it was almost black.
“Well, it seems that James, that’s another of Lady Holbrook’s footmen, accompanies Miss Watson and her maid on a walk each morning to Hyde Park and back.”
“Yes?” Robert adjusted his sleeves, glaring at Bridges in the mirror as the man stood behind him.
“It seems that Miss Watson met Lord Lannister this morning in the park,” he said miserably.
Robert’s world tipped off its axis for a minute, and he actually had to reach out to the dresser to steady himself. After a moment he said, “I see.” He cleared his throat and went on, “No doubt it was a chance encounter. Please make it clear below stairs that Miss Watson is not a suitable topic for gossip. On pain of dismissal. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“And if you hear anything further, bring it straight to me.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Thank you,” he frowned and then said, “I appreciate your candor, but there is nothing in it. Clear?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Robert turned on his heel and walked out the door and downstairs, trailed by Em. He was to meet Mama and Ava in the front parlor, but he went to the library first and poured himself a brandy and swallowed it in two gulps. Em settled herself in his favorite chair and blinked at him.
Nursing his glass, he said aloud to the cat, “I refuse to believe she is carrying on a clandestine affair with Lannister. She wouldn’t do such a thing... would she?”
Em made amrrpnoise and stuck out a leg, washing her flank.
“I’m glad you agree. So, the meeting was by chance?”
Em stopped licking to look at him and opened her mouth in a wide yawn.
“Thank you for your confidence,” he said, finishing off the brandy and setting down the glass. He scratched Em under her chin and left the library to find his mother and sister.
The queasy feeling of unease in his gut was not assuaged one bit.
Unless your affections are already engaged?His own words reverberated in his head and her responseYes! Yes, they are—so you see—I—cannot. I’m so sorry!
His mind thoroughly elsewhere, Robert conveyed his ladies to the theater and settled in the box for the opening of the performance, and it wasn’t until the curtains were about to rise that he looked across to the row of boxes on the other side of the theatre and saw that Ravenshaw had guests, just being seated. The lights were beginning to dim as he recognized with a shock Lady Holbrook and Miss Watson.
His plan to circumnavigate the theatre at the first intermission and visit Ravenshaw’s box was stymied at the outset by the sheer number of visitors inundating his box, and the impropriety of leaving his ladies alone was borne in upon him. Instead, he watched with gathering fury as a number of gentlemen entered Ravenshaw’s box and spoke with Miss Watson.
