Prudence turned, and upon seeing them, smiled. Inexplicably. And it wasn’t one of those tight polite ones, but true delight. The kind that made his stiff exterior soften just a bit. Which was not what was required to save a damsel in distress. Nor was she drowning in guilt. Which he had expected her to, somehow. It stung.
They were not exclusive, nor were they lovers in the true sense of the word. They had a... business deal. One that was flesh-based, but business all the same. It was an agreement that didn’t involve feelings.
And now Leo was having them. Feelings. Which was preposterous, and he needed to get a hold of himself.
“Mrs. Moon! Mr. Moon. What an utterly delicious surprise!” Prudence took two steps forward to grasp his mother’s hands. Pearlescent beads swayed upon her bodice as she walked. It was distracting to say the least. He felt as if one of those charlatan hypnotists were practicing their arts upon him.
“We saw you across the way, and I insisted to Leo that we come say hello.”
“How kind,” Prudence said, an expression that was far too malleable, as if she’d just seen a baby animal she wanted to hold.
Leo scowled. No one in their right mind should be so emotional. Let alone him.
“Not for me, ol’ chum?” Grabe said, catching Leo’s eye.
“That’s right! You two are friendly,” Prudence said, as if the sheer joy of acquaintances thrilled her to her toes.
Leo would not sayfriendly.He would not use that word at all at the moment, since he was currently wondering if Eyeball would survive a fall off the balcony.
“Went to school together,” Grabe answered. “Leo was the smartest; I was another one.”
“I’m sure you had talents as well,” Prudence said, smiling up into Grabe’s stupid multi-colored eyes.
“Undoubtedly,” Leo said. But Leo wouldn’t be so crass as to innumerate the talents Eyeball had bragged about in their later school years. The sort of vulgar tell-all that no one outside of a boys’ hall should speak of. Despite Eyeball’s vociferous rants on the subject.
Instead of the warning glance that Leo expected from Grabe, the viscount gave an amused chuckle. “Indeed. When we entered school, I was no bigger than a tadpole. Tiny, scrawny, terrified.”
“I don’t believe you were ever terrified,” Leo countered. At least he’d had a title to hide behind. Leo had only his wits and experience. No title. No height or breadth.
“You would be appropriately horrified to hear of the hazings we went through, Pru.”
Pru?Grabe’s usage of a nickname clanged in his head like a hateful bell. She didn’t like nicknames. Very few of her friends used them with her, and the ones that did had special dispensation.
“Animals,” Leo’s mother interjected. “There isn’t anything wilder than a group of boys without supervision.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Prudence said. “Most of my siblings were sisters. Enough that my brothers always had feminine company.”
“Even in the wilds of Minnesota?” Grabe asked.
Her eyes twinkled as she raked that gaze across all of them. “Unsupervised girls, of course, are not much better behaved.”
“Do tell,” growled Grabe.
Leo wanted to punch him in the mouth. But he kept his iron façade in place.
“Mud pies, unexpected haircuts, death-defying falls from haylofts, learning to spit from the fieldhands during harvest.”
His mother laughed. “That sounds like an excellent childhood.”
Prudence gave a shy glance over. “It wasn’t much, but I enjoyed it.”
“Wasn’t much?” Grabe asked. “Look at where you stand, madame. In an opera box in the center of the world, wearing a dress dripping with pearls.”
There was a flinch before Prudence’s smile erupted. Leo remembered that reaction from when he told her that she had amassed her own fortune, as she tried to hand the credit to her dead husband. She didn’t like the credit she was due. Didn’t want the attention that such capabilities wrought. “I am a fortunate woman, Lord Grabe. I shan’t forget it.”
“Grabe. Mrs. Cabot. Very nice to see you both.” Leo bowed his head to them. He couldn’t warn her of Eyeball’s intention to use her for her money. He offered his arm to his mother.
“Mrs. Cabot. I expect to see you in my drawing room tomorrow. I should be very put out if you forego our visit.” His mother tutted and hooked her arm lightly with the handle of her cane.
