Page 36 of One Night with an Earl

Alarm inched along Ana’s spine. What was going on inside Penelope’s pretty blonde head?

She loved Penelope, but she was too young to understand her matchmaking efforts could mean nothing but trouble for Ana and for herself. Penelope may not know the shocking truth of how Ana and Oliver had met, but it did not matter. They could never be together.

Their stations prohibited it.

Not to mention the tragic history between their families.

Ana’s gaze shifted to Lady Malvern. If her employer learned of her daughter’s efforts or Ana’s passionate night with Oliver, she would be aghast, and Ana’s future would be destroyed. No one would retain her as a chaperone, and Ana would not be able to support herself, let alone send any spare income to her brother.

Nothing good could come of Penelope’s interference.

As the carriage door opened and the driver lowered the step, Ana wondered if she should have feigned some illness and stayed behind.

Too late now.

Ana walked beside Penelope and her ladyship as they ascended the stone steps and entered the Royal Academy.

They were met with a crush of the well-dressed people who crowded the vestibule, all vying for a glimpse of each other every bit as much as the artwork inside the hall.

“Stay close to me and I’ll be sure to look out for Lord Drake,” Penelope whispered into Ana’s ear.

Lud. She must find a way to squelch her charge’s ridiculous plan.

They made their way through the vestibule, Lady Malvern stopping to greet ladies on their way. Ana’s mind was a crazy mixture of dread and anticipation as her gaze darted from gentleman to gentleman.

What was wrong with her? She didn’t want to see Oliver, did she? She told herself she wanted to spot him first in order to avoid him. Her heart raced as they followed the throng of people into the Royal Academy’s main hall.

All thoughts temporarily fled from her mind at the wall of artwork displayed before her. Framed paintings hung on the wall, from floor to ceiling in splashes of colorful magnificence. Landscapes, portraits, and still-life paintings by prominent artists as well as new, aspiring talent made her gasp in delight.

She spotted paintings by leading artists William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough, and one of the Academy founders, Joshua Reynolds. It was a rainbow of delight for one’s senses.

“They are all so beautiful,” Ana said.

“I don’t see the earl in this crush,” Penelope said, oblivious to the artwork.

Ana tore her gaze away from the paintings to glance at Penelope. “You must end this nonsense. I told you it’s not possible, nor do I like him.” She lowered her voice but did not bother to whisper. The thrum of a multitude of conversations prevented anyone from hearing her.

Penelope continued to scan the crowd. “I understand your concerns.”

“Do you? Because I’d like to keep my position by your side.”

Their conversation was cut short when a man approached.

“Lady Malvern and Lady Penelope, it’s a pleasure to see you both again,” a young gentleman said, then bowed.

“Lord Falksly, what a pleasant surprise,” Penelope said.

The gentleman’s blond hair gleamed in a shaft of sunlight from one of the Academy’s windows. “Are you acquainted with Mr. Kloster, the curator?” Falksly pointed to a man speaking with a group huddled by one of the paintings.

“No.”

“Shall I introduce you?”

Lord Falksly waved the man over. “Mr. Kloster, may I introduce the lovely Lady Penelope and her mother, Lady Malvern? This is Miss…”

“Gardner,” Ana said.

The curator was a bald, stocky man with bushy eyebrows. “Thank you all for coming. The Academy instructs over sixty young and aspiring artists each year. You will notice some of the paintings on display are works of our budding talent.”