Page 21 of A Wicked Business

“An excellent choice,” Charles agreed, nodding. “When will you go to visit? You said in the next few weeks, I think?”

Felix considered this and made a sudden decision. “I’ll go tomorrow. My parents leave in the morning so I can catch a lift with them.”

Charles looked at him in surprise. Felix usually made excuses to delay family visits, not wanting to leave the city and his work, as Charles knew. “Very well, sir. Er… The Gibson papers?”

“Oh, you know what to do as well as I do,” Felix said, shaking his head. “I trust you to take care of it.”

“Thank you, sir,” Charles said, looking gratified by this confidence in his abilities.

In truth, Felix ought to have given him more responsibility long since but he found it difficult to hand work over, needing to know it was all done precisely as it should be and trusting no one else to do it. That was unfair to Charles, who was more than capable. He knew this refusal to delegate where appropriate was a failing, as his father had pointed out before now, and so Felix assured himself this was the reason for his getting out of town. It would give Charles a chance to shine and perhaps keep his thoughts from dwelling too long on Miss Bodrott. He could see Charles had been struck by the woman, but he knew the man could do better, and marrying a woman like Doris would do his career no good. So, it was with these philanthropic notions in mind that Felix made his arrangement to quit the city for a week or two. It certainly had nothing to do with getting himself as far from Lady Belinda as he reasonably could. Nothing at all.

8th July 1850, Regent Street, London.

Belinda glanced across at Doris as they waited for Cat, who had seen a pair of gloves she simply must have and had dived into a milliner’s shop to purchase them. Her maid was uncharacteristically quiet, her expression pensive.

“You and Mr Kirby seemed to hit it off,” Belinda said as casually as she could.

Doris shrugged, looking unconcerned. “I suppose he seemed a good sort,” she said in an offhand manner, which made Belinda frown. “Not at all uppity, as some fellows can be, I’ll give him that.”

Belinda watched her maid for a long moment, thinking Doris seemed rather too unconcerned when she had been lit up like a firework for the past couple of hours.

“I wonder if we shall see him again,” she mused, giving Doris a gentle nudge with her elbow.

To her surprise, instead of smiling, Doris only scowled. “Don’t go getting any daft ideas, my lady. A fellow like that won’t go calling on me, so don’t think it. Not with any honourable intentions, anyhow.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Belinda asked, a little shocked. “Tell me he did not overstep the mark with you. I thought he seemed a most respectful young man.”

“Oh, he is!” Doris said impatiently. “I didn’t mean… Just don’t go thinking you just witnessed something ‘cause you didn’t. We had a pleasant couple of hours in each other’s company but that’s all, and that’s all it ever will be, so don’t go thinking otherwise. I don’t want to hear none of your romantic notions, for my life ain’t like in one of them daft stories you like so much.”

Belinda stared, startled by the vehemence of Doris’s words.

“Doris, whatever is the matter?”

“Nothing. There ain’t a single thing the matter,” she said, and stalked off to the next shop as Cat came out of the milliner’s.

Belinda stared after her maid in surprise. Whilst Doris could be rather too bossy when the mood took her, and was certainly outspoken, she was rarely, if ever, bad-tempered, certainly not with Belinda.

“Is something the matter?” Cat asked, hurrying over to her.

“I don’t know. Doris seems to be rather out of sorts,” Belinda said in concern. “I thought she’d had a lovely afternoon with Mr Kirby but when I mentioned it, she… well, she seemed rather angry.”

“Ah,” Cat said quietly, taking Belinda’s arm. “Well, you know, when you see something you want rather desperately but know you cannot have it, anger is a common emotion.”

Belinda looked at her, perplexed. “But why—”

“Dearest Belinda, I know you adore Doris, but she’s rather… er… Well, Mr Kirby would be quite a catch for her,” Cat said, obviously striving to be tactful. “He told me his father was a schoolteacher, somewhere in Hampshire, I think, and he has excellent prospects, working for a man like Felix. I’m afraid he could look far higher than Doris for a prospective wife, and she knows that as well as he does.”

“Of course,” Belinda said, shaking her head at her own stupidity. “I spend so much time with Doris, I believe I am guilty of forgetting the disparity in our situations, at least a little. Though, lady’s maid to an earl’s daughter is quite a sought-after position too,” she countered, feeling the need to defend Doris, who might be a little rough around the edges but was kind and loyal and very capable… so long as you didn’t need anything sewing up.

“It is,” Cat said thoughtfully. “And you know, with a little polish, supposing she wanted to make the effort, she could make herself more acceptable. Not that she ought to change a thing if she does not wish to,” she added hurriedly, seeing Belinda’s worried expression.

Belinda frowned over Cat’s words, considering this thoughtfully. “Do you think I ought to speak to her? I could help her if she wanted me to.”

Cat shrugged. “I cannot say. You know her better than I do, but tread carefully if you do. Try to judge her feelings before putting both feet in and discovering you’ve insulted her.”

“Yes,” Belinda said fervently, agreeing that this advice was definitely worth heeding.