“By traipses, she means I leave my boots at the back door and take the servants’ stairs directly to my bath.”
“That is unforgivable.” Aunt Almeria patted his mother’s hand. “What a thoughtless, tiresome son he is.”
“I honestly do not know where I went wrong with him.” His mother topped off his aunt’s cup.
“You tried your hardest with him, Constance, so do not castigate yourself. You brought him up to be a gentleman but if he chooses to roll around in the mud instead of taking his rightful place in society as a gentleman, what can you do?”
“I am still here, you know.” Guy waved in case he had suddenly turned invisible. “Can anyone hear me?”
“I can.” Miss Travers sailed through the door looking all windswept and bright eyed. No doubt from all the exercise she had had all afternoon. She offered him a smile which, much to his chagrin and against his better judgment, warmed him from the inside out. “For what it’s worth, I think its admirable that you work in your fields. My father always says that if you don’t have a feel for the soil then you will not have any clue what to best put in it.”
“What the devil kept you, gal?” Finally his aunt seemed concerned at her absence. Until she ruined it. “Guy has been worried sick about you! Haven’t you, Guy?”
A statement that made it sound as if he cared about the vixen, which he was quick to correct. “I really haven’t been.”
“He was about to send out a search party.”
“I really wasn’t. I merely inquired as to where you were.” Which also sounded like he cared. “Seeing as you left Maidstone hours ago.” As soon as he blurted that he regretted it. “Assuming that was you that I happened to notice leaving the bakery in the market square earlier.”
“You saw me at the bakery?” Her eyes darted to Lady Frinton. Guiltily, if her ferocious blush was any gauge.
“I did. You were carrying a big box of cakes.”
“Ah, thank goodness!” That came from his aunt. “You managed to get my éclairs. Well done for tracking some down, Travers, for éclairs are a rare thing this far out of London.”
“They are indeed, my lady. But I managed to finally find them in Maidstone.” Miss Travers’s smile was overbright as she nodded. Insincere. Trying to convince them all that butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. “That is why I took so long.”
A likely story that did not explain why she had arrived back tousled and empty-handed. “Éclairs, you say. The perfect accompaniment to an afternoon tea. I could murder an éclair right now.” Guy patted his stomach for effect, wondering how the lying menace was going to explain the fact that she and her paramour had devoured them—either before or after they had devoured each other on his trusting aunt’s shilling. “Go fetch them, as I am starving.”
Her awkward reaction did not disappoint. “I… well…”
“Go fetch your own éclairs from Maidstone if you want one.” Quick as a flash, his aunt came to the temptress’s defense. “Those are mine.”
“All of them? Surely not. The box she had was huge and you eat like a bird.”
Aunt Almeria bristled as if he’d insulted her. “Only in polite company, nephew, as is proper. Alone, I eat like a horse.” She then turned to Miss Travers. “Did you get the rest of the items from my list?”
“More than expected.” She beamed with staggering pride considering she had shirked her duties so brazenly. “Brazen” being the operative word when one considered how indiscreet and improper she had been, going off unchaperoned with that man. “I put everything in your room, Lady Frinton. Along with the éclairs.”
Aunt Almeria chuckled and rubbed her hands.
“What else was on the list?” Because acquiring “more than expected” suggested Miss Travers wasn’t quite done with making a meal out of running his aunt’s errands and was doubtless contemplating a second trip to see her Adonis. “I’ll send out one of my servants first thing to get them all for you, aunt. Save Miss Travers the trouble ofwastinga whole afternoon in Maidstone again when I am sure that you need her.”
“Personal things,” answered his aunt for her when all Miss Travers could do was blink in response, and when he dared to query that with an arched brow, she clarified with a jabbing finger. “Personalwomen’sthings that are none of your damned business.” A response that Aunt Almeria knew he wasn’t brave enough to challenge any further. “Now if you’ve finished with your inquisition about where I choose to spendmymoney, Guy, I’m off to my room for a lie-down before dinner.”
As she stood, his mother did the same. “I think I’ll go for a lie-down too.” This coming from a woman who not only never took afternoon naps but who had also nagged him narrow to be sociable. “I am sure that you could do with a rest too, Miss Travers, after your tiring journey to Maidstone.”
“Oh, I’ll bet she’s tired,” said Guy, pinning the minx with his glare. “You must be exhausted after all thatexercise.”
Both ladies had reached the door before a rather shifty-looking and still blinking Miss Travers went to follow, and she would have if he hadn’t caught her arm. “Are you going to tell my aunt that you spent half of this afternoon galivanting with a gentleman unchaperoned, or am I?”
Her damning blush this time was crimson but the tilt of her chin wasas defiant as ever. “I wouldn’t dream of spoiling your fun, my lord.” Disdain radiated from her lovely cornflower eyes. “I hope the telling gives you great joy.” She tugged her arm away and dipped into an insolent curtsy. “For goodness knows I’ve never met a man in more dire need of some.”
She sailed out of the room with her nose in the air, leaving him dumbstruck. He had never felt so insulted, petulant, and so thoroughly put in his place all at the same time.
ChapterTWELVE
“I’ve told you, Travers. Pay it no mind. If he comes to me telling tales, he’ll get short shrift.”
