“Miss Darvey, Miss Adams, and Miss Burton,” he said.
The three young women walked into the parlor and curtseyed. “Lady Collin, Lady Harriet, good day,” Miss Darvey said.
“Good day, ladies. I’m so pleased you’ve come for a visit. Please have a seat,” Eleanor said.
The trio walked to the large sofa and sat. Miss Darvey looked around the room and asked, “Will Lord Spenser be joining us?”
Harriet shook her head. “No, he’s not here.” She felt crushed that the women had not come to see her but merely to chat with Lord Spenser.
Miss Darvey pouted. “How unfortunate.”
They all made small talk for the next fifteen minutes before Miss Darvey stood, with the other two following her lead.
“It was lovely to see you both again,” Miss Darvey said.
“Thank you for coming,” Harriet said.
After the women left, she slouched in the chair.
“My dear, you mustn’t feel too hurt. We both witnessed Miss Darvey’s interest in Lord Spenser the other day at tea,” Eleanor said.
“I know, Mama, but I was hoping we could become friends. I don’t think that’s likely to happen now if Miss Davey only came here to talk to Lord Spenser.”
“You never know. Things change. Besides, I’m sure you’ll see them again before the summer is through.”
“Perhaps.”
Harriet wanted to be optimistic, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen. Miss Adams and Miss Burton seemed to follow whatever Miss Darvey said without any opinions of their own. They were typical society misses, raised to talk about the weather and hang on every word of a gentleman, and Harriet instinctively knew she would be bored to tears in their company for any extended length of time.
Greenfield knocked on Hartley’sstudy door.
“Come.”
“My lord, you have a visitor,” the butler said. “Would you like to meet him here?”
“Is it the solicitor?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Bring him to me.”
Greenfield returned within a few moments and ushered an older gentleman into Jon’s study. His salt-and-pepper hair was cut short, and his dress, while fashionable and well-made, was plain, without a colored thread in sight. The solicitor was new inHartley’s employ. He’d grown tired of his London solicitor, who while good at his job, had always reminded him what his father would do or what his father would want. Well, his father was gone, and Hartley was now the earl. He wanted a solicitor who did as he wanted without question or argument.
“Mr. Peck, my lord,” Greenfield said.
Hartley motioned for the solicitor to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Mr. Peck, I appreciate your promptness.”
“I aim to please, Lord Hartley. I’ve brought the documents you requested,” Mr. Peck said, handing over a sheaf of papers.
He looked over each document, making a few notations here and there before handing them back to the solicitor. “With these few changes, the documents are final.”
“I shall make these changes immediately, my lord, and have them delivered for your signature.”
“You will bring them to me yourself. I don’t want my business dealings in anyone else’s hands.”
The solicitor nodded. “Of course, my lord. I shall see you tomorrow. Will this same time suit?”
Hartley nodded, and the solicitor left his study. He felt better than he had in years. Now if he could just stop thinking about the most earth-shattering kisses he’d ever experienced, he wouldn’t feel so unsettled. Lady Harriet was so different from anyone he’d ever met. He closed his eyes and relived their kisses, as he’d done repeatedly since the day he’d saved her in the woods. It would only be a few more hours before he saw her again, and he absolutely planned to steal her away for more earth-shattering kisses.
