Page 8 of Indecently Daring

“Oh, we’re so sorry. We didn’t know there was a meeting going on.”

“Miss Steadman, what can we do for you?” Harry asked, fighting to keep the impatience from his voice.

The girl was only sixteen, and had taken to ambushing Harry at every opportunity, lying in wait for him, and even coming to his home unescorted. Despite remonstrating with her mother, the visits continued. Today, it seemed she had gathered reinforcements.

“I brought you some jam tarts,” she said, taking his question as an invitation to enter the hall. “I made them myself,” she added, looking up at him from under her lashes.

Harry experienced a rush of frustration. He had no desire to hurt the poor girl’s feelings, but he had no desire to encourage her efforts either, which could only end in disaster for them both.

“Well, that’s very good of you. I’m not one for sweets, I’m afraid, but I don’t doubt the committee here will appreciate your efforts.”

“Oh,” Miss Steadman replied, obviously dismayed to see her efforts squandered on the rest of the company. “Oh, well, of course.”

Harry squashed down the niggle of guilt at giving away the gift she’d brought him and set about tidying the hall as everyone else gathered around Miss Steadman and her friends and took a jam tart.

“Isn’t lying a sin?”

Harry looked up from the stack of notes he’d compiled to see Miss Cadogan watching him curiously. She took a bite from the tart she held and chewed thoughtfully.

Strawberry, Harry noticed with regret. His favourite.

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow,” he said, his gaze dropping to the young woman’s mouth as her tongue darted out to chase an errant crumb. Something hot and sharp spiked in his blood and he forced his gaze back to his notes.

“You told that young woman you don’t like sweets, but at my aunt’s house, you ate a half dozen sugar biscuits with obvious enjoyment.”

Harry bristled, irritated that she’d noticed such a thing and not a little mortified. “I beg your pardon, I shall be less indulgent the next time I visit.”

Miss Cadogan shook her head. “I don’t care if you eat the entire plate, I just wondered why you’d lie about it. The poor girl looked crushed. I thought vicars were supposed to be kindly?”

“And I’m not kindly?” he said, glaring at her. How outrageous! In the space of a minute she’d accused him of lying, gluttony, and of being unkind.

The girl shrugged, apparently unperturbed by his tone. “I’ve no idea. I don’t know you at all, but you lied about not liking sweet things in order to be unkind. It seemed odd to me. I just wondered why, not that you need tell me. I know it’s none of my business, but I’m notoriously curious. I’m told it will be my undoing one day, which I don’t doubt is entirely true.”

Harry stared at her, so startled by her candour he hardly knew how to reply. Miss Cadogan waited for a moment, and when he did not answer, turned away.

“If you must have it, Miss Cadogan,” Harry said, unable to keep the impatience from his voice. “Miss Steadman has me in her sights as a romantic prospect. I don’t have the least desire to encourage her and so, if I seemed rather harsh, that is the reason. It is for her own good, and mine. She is a mere child, an innocent creature who has no notion of what she is doing, and I do not wish for anyone to speak ill of her.”

Miss Cadogan’s expression cleared. “Oh, I see. Well, yes, of course I can understand your difficulty. I don’t doubt there are plenty of those eager to spread mischievous gossip about the unmarried vicar. Miss Hatchet would be as happy as a pig in—”

“Miss Cadogan!” Harry said in shock.

“—a puddle,” she finished, eyes wide, and far too innocent. The wretch. She had been baiting him. Her lips twitched. “I beg your pardon, vicar. I ought not to tease you. I quite understand. No doubt you are plagued on all sides by young women setting their caps at you. It must be very trying.”

Though her words were sincere, there was laughter dancing in her eyes and Harry frowned, thoroughly unsettled and uncertain if she was still mocking him.

“Lana, do come along,” Cat said, gesturing to her to hurry. “Dr Haysom is going to walk to the manor with us. I am determined to get three hams from Mr Davies at the very least. Your aunt says he’s a dreadful nip cheese, so we must employ our most dazzling smiles and bamboozle the old curmudgeon.”

“All in a good cause, vicar,” Miss Cadogan said to him, though her lips quivered with amusement as she took in his sceptical expression.

Harry watched them go, and despite knowing they were quite right, Mr Davies was stingy and could very well afford to donate four hams without blinking, he could not help but pity the man.

Chapter 4

Dear Miss Milly,

I am beyond relieved to receive your reply. Whilst I would never think ill of you for keeping such a ramshackle fellow as I at a distance, I confess your lack of communication dashed my hopes. You cannot know how reassuring it is to find that my estimation of your character was entirely accurate. You possess an abundance of courage and generosity that I am going to stretch to its limits, my dear, and yes, you may consider this a warning. I must speak to you candidly and alone. Can you allow it?

I hear you are to leave Heart’s Folly soon. So I shall waste no more time and call on you tomorrow. We shall then see just how courageous you truly are. I will not blame you in the slightest for not being at home when I arrive, but I pray you will hear me out.