“Not this morning.” She raised one dark blond brow. “Napoleon?”
“That’s just it. We don’t know anything. There has been no word confirming that he has even left Paris. King Louis is still in Ghent.” Geoff pressed his lips together. She had done so well setting the house up in a short time. He did not like to tell her they may be moving soon. Yet, there was no way out of it. “We may be asked to move to Ghent to keep an eye on him.”
Elizabeth nodded as she dug into a soft-boiled egg that had been placed next to the toast. “Do we still have a house there?”
His jaw dropped, but he recovered almost immediately. Elizabeth was taking this extremely well. “I believe so. At least, it has not been given up.”
“If you are ordered to go to Ghent, we shall pack the trunks and move.” The faint sound of artillery floated on the air, and she pulled her lower lip between her teeth. “I believe one of my questions may have an answer.”
He quickly ate the rest of his food and gulped his tea. “I should go.”
On his way out, he kissed her again. This time on her mouth. “Do not forget the ball.”
Elizabeth turned in surprise. “Do you think it will still be held?”
“Deuce if I know. If it isn’t, I’ll send word. Otherwise be ready by seven. We dine with the duke and duchess.”
Elizabeth placed two fingers on her lips as she watched Geoffrey stride out of the breakfast parlor. Both kisses had surprised her. The first because she had not been expecting it.
He had not attempted any intimacies since she had heard the conversation with his father. She had not been at all prepared for his kiss on her lips. She missed his kisses and caresses. Still, she must keep the long game in mind.
What, exactly, did his kissing her mean? Did they mean that her pose of being cool to him was working? She could think of no other reason for him to suddenly be so affectionate. That must be the reason. Geoffrey was finally beginning to truly care about her.
Elizabeth smiled to herself. It will not be long now.
She finished her breakfast and called for her bonnet, cloak, and gloves, and said to Preston, “I shall need Kenton as well.”
Vickers hurried down the stairs. “Do you want me to go with you, my lady?”
“Not this time. I wish to see what is going on, and I do not know how safe it will be.” After Vickers placed Elizabeth’s bonnet on her head, she drew on her gloves. “Which gown did you take out for the ball this evening?”
“The new pale pink gown with the silver netting,” Vickers said.
“Perfect.”
“You’ll be careful?” Her maid’s brow wrinkled and her lips were pursed.
“If there is any danger at all, I’ll come right back,” Elizabeth promised. “I will carry my pistol as well.”
Elizabeth and her footman strolled through the park. When they reached the other side, she was shocked at the number of carriages in the street. “And I thought yesterday was bad. Is everyone in Brussels evacuating?”
“Does seem like it, my lady,” her footman said.
“I’ve seen enough.” In a few minutes they were back at the house, and she called for Mrs. Robins to attend her in the back parlor.
“Yes, my lady.” The woman bobbed a curtsey.
“Please tell the cook that his lordship and I will be dining out this evening.” Elizabeth tapped her finger on the writing table deciding what she should tell her staff. “There is a good chance we will be departing soon. I want you to tell Preston. I shall notify Vickers. How much is unpacked?”
“Just what we required for a few days, my lady. It won’t be a problem to get everything ready again.”
Elizabeth did not know what the circumstances would be when they did leave, but it was better to keep their business to themselves. “Not a word to anyone else.”
“No, my lady.”
Once her housekeeper left, she decided to act as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. That, however, was easier said than done.
Fortunately, the day went more swiftly than she’d thought it would. She wrote letters to her aunt and brother, and then to her father. Then she wrote Geoffrey’s mother and grandmother, telling them the same thing she had told her family. They had arrived safely and he was busy with Sir Charles.
