Page 27 of How to Start a Scandal

Even displeasure was acknowledgement that he was alive, that he was an active member of the household. Better unhappiness than indifference.

He considered the little girl now and knelt down beside her. Eye to eye, giving her every ounce of his focus.

He tilted his hat to her as he’d done with Lady Violet. ‘How are you today, Lady Felicity?’

She scuffed her toe on the ground. ‘I’m well, thank you. And you?’

‘Quite well, thank you.’ He made a show of looking about. ‘Where is Hedgehog? I am quite eager to see what bonnet he’s sporting today.’

A smile edged into her pout. ‘He’s in the carriage, wearing a yellow bonnet. There’s a feather on it and it’s driving him half-mad. He keeps rolling about in an effort to get at it.’ She giggled.

It was rather a funny image. ‘I imagine he’ll have it removed by the time you return,’ Seth said.

‘I imagine so.’ Felicity grinned at him so widely he noticed she’d recently lost a bottom front tooth.

‘I was on my way to get an ice at Gunter’s,’ he fibbed. In truth, he’d been on the way to White’s. ‘Would you ladies care to join me?’

Lady Violet cast a longing glance towards the shop. ‘I shouldn’t...’

Felicity turned her face to her aunt. ‘Mother says ices aren’t for ladies who—’

‘We should be on our way,’ Lady Violet said in a rush. ‘Thank you kindly for the offer.’

Whatever Felicity had meant to say had evidently rattled her.

‘Nonsense,’ Seth said. ‘A man cannot eat an ice alone. Especially when he has the opportunity to do so with a lovely young lady and a well-behaved girl.’

‘I’m not especially well behaved,’ Felicity conceded.

‘Truly?’ Seth raised his brows. ‘I’m sure that’s not correct. Tell me something good you’ve done recently.’

Felicity scrunched her face in deep thought. ‘Hedgehog was making a sound as though he was going to evacuate his stomach into Aunt Violet’s slippers, but I moved him away before it happened.’

Lady Violet gave a squeak of surprise.

‘That was very good of you,’ Seth agreed. ‘And quite deserving of an ice.’

Felicity beamed up at him.

‘Shall we, ladies?’ He rose, brushed off his trousers and escorted them both to Gunter’s.

They ate their ices in the sunlit afternoon with laughter and good conversation. The unexpected detour left a warmth in his chest.

These were the simple moments in life, the ones he had missed during his time as a soldier. Moments where there wasn’t danger lurking around him, where he didn’t have to plan where he might hide in the event of an attack.

This was a slow reclaiming of pieces of a life he’d once lived, a life he had not truly appreciated. He only hoped he might gather enough to eventually be whole again.

When the ices were finished, he bid farewell to Lady Violet and her niece before making his way to White’s. His pocket watch informed him he was nearly half an hour late for his meeting with Rawley, an offence he knew the Viscount would notice, but would forgive.

Seth entered White’s and immediately found Rawley sitting beside a window with a fresh cup of tea in front of him and a steaming one in the empty seat across from him. He got to his feet when he saw Seth approach.

‘Dalton.’ He nodded in greeting. ‘I see they still let you in.’

‘Thanks to you, I’m sure.’ Seth took a seat opposite his friend.

Rawley shrugged as if smoothing ruffled feathers so Seth wasn’t blackballed was inconsequential. ‘Is everything fine with Nash?’ He settled back into his chair.

‘Yes, of course,’ Seth replied. ‘I met with him and he is looking into the matter regarding the solicitor.’