Page 29 of The Dandy Lyon

The carriage pulled up in front of the familiar Mayfair townhouse, although it no longer gave Joanna the joy it once had. Not long ago she would have been dancing on her toes at the prospect of a journey to London and a stay at their residence here. Such trips had been the pinnacle of treats during her growing up years. Now, however, its chief attraction was that it lay less than a mile from Marcus’s abode. She would lie awake, restless in her bed tonight thinking how short a distance kept them apart. Hopefully, not for much longer. Joanna didn’t know what mad thing she would do if she couldn’t be with Marcus soon.

The coachman handed her down the steps and she shoved a small bag of coins into his hands. “Thank you, Jeter. I will remember your kindness in the future as well.”

The man nodded and helped Coates down as well. They headed up the steps and rapped for entrance. The butler opened the door. “Good afternoon, my lady.”

“Good afternoon, Dixon. Where is my mother?” It was always best to know Mama’s whereabouts.

“The dowager is in the small drawing room with Lord and Lady Longford.”

Which meant Joanna would be going straight to her room. “Please let my mother know I will be down for dinner.” She truly would prefer not to eat with Geoffrey, but she didn’t wish to give rise to any speculation about where she’d actually been today by seeming to act sulky. “How long until the dinner bell?”

“It’s now just half-past five, my lady. The bell won’t be rung before seven.” Dixon eyed her oddly. “Shall I take your cloak?”

Drat. She’d forgotten she was still wearing Marcus’s cloak. “No, thank you. Coates needs to mend it as the hem has come loose.” She removed the garment quickly and handed it to the maid. “I’ll be up in a moment, Coates, so you can fit it for me.”

The maid nodded, took the garment, and continued upstairs.

“Thank you, Dixon.” She turned to follow Coates, relieved that no other notice of her whereabouts had been taken so far. Joanna supposed a person always felt guilty when they did something they should not, and that guilt made them feel that everyone was looking at them suspiciously, even if they weren’t.

Once in her room, Joanna relaxed and allowed Coates to pamper her a bit, helping her bathe and dress in her favorite new gown, a pale-blue, jacquard silk with lace at the neckline and wrists and a deep flounce all around the hem. The maid was just finishing her coiffure when the bell rang announcing the family was gathering for dinner. Joanna pulled on her gloves and Coates dropped a multicolored cashmere shawl over her shoulders before she left the chamber.

The drawing room where the family usually met before dinner was strangely empty, but perhaps she had been more forward than the others. Diana was always slower to dress these days because she insisted on seeing the baby just before dinner. Mama was usually prompt, but she might have mistaken the time. Joanna took her accustomed place on the chaise, across from the sofa Geoffrey and Diana occupied. Glancing around the vacant room, Joanna rubbed her arms as a sudden chill raced down her spine. She should ring for Dixon to instruct a footman to build up the fire while they were at dinner.

Joanna’s head came up as the door opened and to her dismay Geoffrey strode into the room. She’d hoped it would be her mother. The silence when she and her brother were alone together was always uncomfortable. She pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders, avoiding his eyes as always.

“Good evening, Joanna.” He never failed to speak to her, even when he must know she would not respond. “I asked Mother and Diana to wait before coming down. I wanted an opportunity to speak to you.”

She cut her gaze toward his face, pursing her lips in displeasure. Her brother had attempted to break her resolve several times before, without success. Stubbornness ran in the family, no doubt. Glancing away she fixed her attention on the low flames of the fire and prayed this would be quick.

“I trust you enjoyed your drive in the park this afternoon.” Geoffrey moved until he stood before her.

A warning bell went off in Joanna’s head, although that might be the guilt of her secret assignation rearing its head. Both Geoffrey and their mother had given permission for the drive. Steadfastly, she kept her eyes on the fire, denying him a response as usual.

The jingle of coins as something hit the chaise beside her made Joanna jump and turn to find the bag she’d given Jeter that afternoon spilling its treasure out across the pink-and-green floral cushion. Stunned, Joanna could only stare at the gold pieces winking in the firelight, a sense of dread engulfing her.

“If you wish to bribe servants, my dear sister, you should make certain your price is high enough to secure their silence.” The sneer in her brother’s voice matched the cruel look on his face admirably. “Jeter was most willing to divulge your true destination for double your price.”

Joanna leaped to her feet, bent on fleeing out the door before her brother could continue, but his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist in an iron grip.

“You went to see Dandridge, at his club, and remained inside with him for half an hour.” His raspy voice sounded harsher than she’d ever heard it and there was murder in his eyes. “I will go at once and challenge him to a duel, as I should have done in May.”

“No!” Fear for Marcus’s life was the only thing that could have made her break her vow of silence. “Geoffrey, wait. Nothing happened between us.” Not exactly true, but their small transgression wasn’t the violation her brother feared had taken place. “I will swear it to you on Father’s grave.”

“You expect me to believe that?” His fury had not abated in the least.

“It is the truth. I am…” her cheeks heated, but she forced herself to continue, “still a virgin. We talked, nothing more.”

“What could you have found to talk about with that man for so long a time?”

Summoning every ounce of courage she possessed, Joanna looked him in the eyes. “I tried to persuade him to run away to Gretna Green with me.”

The shocked, miserable look on Geoffrey’s face gave Joanna her first twinge of conscience. Eloping was considered a social faux pas on the same scale as ruination. Not only might she and Marcus face the ostracism of the ton, but Geoffrey and his children might suffer as well. Slowly his hand squeezed her wrist tighter.

“Ouch, Geoffrey. You’re hurting me.” Joanna pulled her hand away and he let her go, though he stood blocking the door all the same. She rubbed at her sore wrist, playing for time to figure out what to do or say next.

“Your presence here then indicates Dandridge wasn’t amenable to your suggestion?” A glimmer of something like hope flittered across her brother’s face. “Has he given up his mad scheme to marry you then?”

“It’s not a mad scheme, Geoffrey. We love one another.” Was her brother blind that he could not see it? “He persuaded me to wait and see if we could find a way in which you would allow our marriage to take place.” She snorted derisively. “He seems to be most worried that I will regret being torn from the bosom of my family if you disown me.”