Page 29 of A Lady of Conscience

“Done,” James said. He flipped the costermonger the coin. The man caught it in his fist. James called to his tiger. “Bill? Take this donkey back to my stables.”

“Yes, Lord St. Clare,” the tiger said.

The costermonger’s eyes goggled to hear James’s title. He scraped off his cloth cap and sketched James a clumsy bow. “Your lordship. Your generosity⁠—”

“Miss Heywood.” James offered his hand to Hannah. “Allow me to see you home.”

Hannah looked from James to the costermonger and back again, as if she couldn’t decide whether to be grateful for James’s high-handedness or outraged by it.

James addressed her in a low voice pitched for her ears alone. “The less time we spend in the street, the less chance this unfortunate interaction will damage your reputation.”

A flush of color rose in her cheeks. “Yes, of course.” She set her hand lightly in his. “Ernsby? Will you⁠—”

“I shall take your dogs back to Camden Place, Miss Heywood,” the lady’s maid said.

“Oh, no,” Hannah replied. “They don’t know you well enough yet. It would only distress them. I shall take them up with me.” She glanced at James as he assisted her into his curricle. “If you don’t object?”

“Not at all,” James said. “I’ll hand them up to you.”

He waited only long enough to make sure she was settled on the high seat before turning to retrieve her dogs. He had met both of them last month at Heywood House. The three-legged spaniel was a shy creature. She cringed away as James gently gathered her into his arms. He passed her carefully to Hannah. “Here is Evangeline.”

Hannah enfolded the dog in a reassuring embrace.

“And here is Tippo,” James said. Unlike Evangeline, the ancient pug was happy to be held regardless of who it was doing the holding. He gave James’s cheek a cheerful lick as James relinquished him to Hannah.

“Thank you,” Hannah said. Her voice held a vague note of amazement. “I did not expect you would remember their names.”

“Naturally, I remember.” James vaulted back up into the seat. He took charge of the reins from Bill. The instant the tiger stood back from their heads, James gave the pair of grays the office to start. They surged forward at a brisk walk.

Hannah cast a final look back at the little donkey. Bill was standing beside it as the costermonger unhitched it from its cart. Her lady’s maid lingered nearby, staring anxiously after her mistress. “Poor Ernsby. She takes it all very personally. I do hope she won’t hand in her notice.”

James guided his team into the street. “Takes what personally?”

“Spectacle,” Hannah said. “She was hired to safeguard my reputation. She’d rather not be obliged to witness me plunging it into infamy.”

“I’d say you’d managed to avoid infamy for the moment,” James replied. “But only just.”

Hannah gathered her dogs closer. She bent her head to them. Her face was half hidden from James’s view. “I thought you’d gone to London.”

“I did,” he said. “I’ve come back.”

“Your family has already gone from Bath.”

“I didn’t return for them.”

She fell quiet again.

James felt a flicker of uncertainty. Frowning, he expertly guided his team around a slow-moving carriage blocking their way. “I’ve never seen you as you were today,” he said at length. “You looked…”

Perfect.

“I know how I must have looked,” she acknowledged grimly. “I don’t often consider the propriety of my actions when an animal’s welfare is concerned.”

“So I observed.”

She stiffened. “I won’t apologize for it. Had I not seized the moment, that donkey would have been gone. As it is⁠—”

“He’ll be safe in my stable within the hour.”