“I can’t imagine that to be true.”
“I’m afraid all of my friends abandoned me once Lord Worthington started pressuring me to marry him,” she shared.
“That was wrong of them.”
“I know, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.”
Roswell had the strangest urge to pull Miss Bentley into his arms and provide her with much needed comfort. But that was a ridiculous notion.
“I’d better prepare for my ride with Mr. Cosgrove,” Miss Bentley said, rising.
Roswell pushed back his chair and also rose. “Are you riding alone with Cosgrove?”
“Yes,” she replied. “We are just riding through Hyde Park.”
That thought did not sit well with him. Cosgrove may be an honorable man, but he didn’t want anything to jeopardize Miss Bentley’s chances to marry this Season.
Before he knew what he was about, Roswell said, “I shall join you for your ride.”
Miss Bentley gave him a peculiar look. “Are you in earnest, my lord?”
“I am.”
“Then I shall see you shortly.”
He nodded. “I will notify Thorne to saddle my horse.”
A smile came to Miss Bentley’s face. “We shall have such fun.”
After she departed from the room, Roswell lowered himself onto the chair and groaned. What was it about Miss Bentley that made him lose rational thought? Now he had to go on a blasted ride through Hyde Park with her.
“He agreed to what?” Emma asked as she sat on the settee in Ellie’s bedchamber.
Ellie smiled. “Your brother agreed to accompany me when I go riding with Mr. Cosgrove through Hyde Park.”
Emma gave her a blank look. “And he did so willingly?”
“He did.”
“Are you sure you didn’t threaten him?”
“I am.”
“This just doesn’t make any sense. Roswell rides alone,” Emma said. “How did you convince him?”
“I just asked him.”
“And he agreed to it?”
“Not at first, and he insisted that we weren’t friends.”
“That does sound like my brother,” Emma conceded.
“After I explained that I don’t have too many friends, he seemed to soften towards me,” Ellie shared.
“That’s odd,” Emma said. “Did something else transpire between you two?”
Not wanting to betray Lord Bideford’s confidence, Ellie replied vaguely, “We have only spoken on a handful of occasions.” There; although it was a partial truth, it wasn’t a lie, either.
