“He will love being able to ride with you.” From what she had seen of Augusta’s dogs, they loved being with people.
“That’s what I think.” Lord Littleton nodded thoughtfully.
“When will it be completed?”
“In a few weeks. Perhaps less.” In fact, Frits had agreed to a much higher price for the carriage so it would be constructed quickly. “I impressed upon them that I wanted it as soon as possible.”
Another one of his former lovers tried to get his attention. This was becoming a damned nuisance. “Will you accompany us on its maiden drive?”
“With Maximus?” Her gray eyes turned silver, and Frits hoped that meant Lady Adeline was delighted. “I would love to.”
That was the first time she had been so happy when she’d accepted an invitation from him. He hadn’t even had to ask her when she could not refuse. His chest puffed out until it occurred to him her happiness was probably because of the dog. “Excellent.”
“Oh, look. There is Dorie and Lord Exeter.”
Frits glanced in the direction she was pointing. “So it is.” He sincerely hoped that his friend would capture Lady Dorie’s hand soon. Perhaps once she had formed an attachment to another gentleman, Lady Adeline would not think so harshly of him. In the meantime, he felt as if he was treading water when he really wanted to swim to shore. “When is your come out ball?”
Her eyes widened, as if the question shocked her. Surely her mother planned a ball for her. Then her fine brows pulled together. “Not for another week or so. I think.” She gave a decisive nod. “Yes, I think it’s in two weeks. Mama is waiting for my godmother to arrive in Town, and she lives in the Lake District.”
“Is it too early to ask you for the supper dance?” He prayed it was a waltz. He never got tired of waltzing with Lady Adeline. She was the most graceful lady with whom he had ever stood up.
She hesitated for a second, then her lips curved up. “Not at all.”
“Thank you.” They had completed one circuit and he would have asked her if she wanted to go around again, but the number of carriages had grown, and it would take them at least another hour before he could take her home. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. “Would you care to continue on?”
She glanced at the traffic, opened her watch brooch, and shook her head. “I should go home.”
At least she didn’t look happy with her decision. “I thought that might be your answer. I wouldn’t want your mother to think I’d made off with you.”
Raising her brows, she chuckled. “I am sure she knows you would do no such thing. Speaking of that, our mothers have just entered the fray.”
He looked around and, sure enough, both of them were in Lady Watford’s landau. Unfortunately, coming through the gate was Anglesey, and Frits could not avoid passing the man.
Making himself politely incline his head, he greeted his lordship. “Anglesey, well-met.”
“Littleton,” Anglesey said stiffly. When he glanced at Adeline, his smile reminded Frits of a trickster’s. “Lady Adeline, a pleasure to see you again. I am truly honored to come across you twice in one day.”
Frits was going to be ill on the spot.
“My lord.” She gave Anglesey her hand, and Frits wished he could see her expression. “It is nice to see you.”
At least she wasn’t “delighted.” “We must be going.”
“Until this evening, fair lady.” The rapscallion rode off.
“You do not like him, do you?” Adeline’s head was tilted to one side, and she wore her considering look.
“Not particularly.” Frits started the curricle again.
“Why?”
He pulled to a stop. If she was going to ask questions like that, he needed to pay attention to what he was saying and not his horses. “I can’t really say.” Other than that the man was much too interested in Adeline, and he didn’t like it. No. It was more than that. Frits didn’t trust the lordling. Why else would he have written to Elizabeth Harrington? “It is just a feeling.” He wished he could tell her to stay away from his lordship. But he had no right, nor did he have any evidence against Anglesey. “That is all it is, a feeling.”
“Hmmm. I noticed Maximus did not care for him.” She stared straight past Frits, her eyes unfocused.
“I’d trust Maximus’s reading of the man. Great Danes are very discerning.” Perhaps if she couldn’t trust Frits, she’d trust his dog.
Adeline gave a slight shrug. “You might be correct.”
