“She is pretty?” Henri asked.
“Very.”
“Even more trouble.”
Henri was definitely right about that. As entertaining and alluring as Lady Rosalind was, he was not quite ready to be caught by any woman. It was not the right time. This was a season for taking apart a housebreaking ring, not pursuing a lady.
Nevertheless, he was certain he should be endlessly entertained to watch Lady Rosalind put other gentlemen through their paces.
*
Fortunately for Rosalind,her sisters and Miss Mayton were well-versed in her expressions and signals. Her sisters had all been abed when Rosalind had got home and so had been eager to hear of Almack’s over the breakfast table.
Rosalind had described it in the vaguest terms possible and claimed her beloved gentleman had not made an appearance. Finally, her father had retreated to his library and Darden had gone off to his club.
Now, they told Tattleton that he and the footmen need not stay—they were quite content on their own and would linger over cups of tea.
The door closed behind their butler and Cordelia said, “We must know, Rosalind. What has happened that you have not said.”
“We can tell you have held something back,” Juliet said.
“We know your looks,” Viola added.
Glancing toward the door to be certain it was closed, Rosalind said, “Ever so much has happened.”
“Goodness, I did have a terrible time at pretending it had not,” Miss Mayton said. “I just kept eating toast so I would not have to speak.”
“My gentlemanwasthere, and my gentleman is…Conbatten.”
“The duke?” Viola asked.
“The very one,” Rosalind said.
“I was as shocked as anybody that it should be Conbatten,” Miss Mayton said.
“And did you feel just the same when you viewed him again?” Cordelia asked. “Are you still in love with him?”
“Oh yes,” Rosalind said, nodding. “He is divine. And what a conversation we had! He pressed me on my requirements.”
“Because he wished to know how he could fulfill them,” Juliet said.
“Just so.”
“Now he knows that he is to act courageous on your behalf,” Viola said.
“Yes, he knows it very well,” Rosalind said. “He did bring up one thing, though. He said it was not at all usual for a lady to need rescuing. He wondered how it would happen.”
“Oh, dear, I hadn’t thought…” Miss Mayton said softly, buttering her sixth piece of toast.
“But I said that the fates were sure to arrange something,” Rosalind said.
“Do you think they will?” Juliet asked. “What I say is, there have been no end of times I’ve wished for something to happen and then it doesn’t. For instance, just yesterday I was hoping that somehow a publisher of books would have heard of my poems and come to the door insisting that I share them with the world. So far, nothing.”
“Maybe the fates only choose to intervene at the right time?” Cordelia said hopefully.
“Maybe the fates are like God, himself. After all, they must work for him,” Viola said. “And does not the vicar always say that the Lord helps those that help themselves?”
“Goodness, that vicar does not care for your idea of the fates,” Miss Mayton said. “It is well you only mentioned it the one time.”
