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* * *
‘Will this do for a few days?’ Gray turned on his heel, the better to inspect the sitting room of the suite he had engaged for Gabrielle and Miss Moseley at Grillon’s Hotel on Albemarle Street.
Beside him the manager voiced a mild twitter of protest at his choice of words. ‘This is one of our best suites, my lord. Many ladies of rank express themselves most satisfied with its amenities.’
‘It appears to be just what is needed, Mr Montjoy.’ Gabrielle came out of one the bedchambers with an expression that Gray had no trouble interpreting as displeasure at the manager for addressing him, not herself. ‘Have our luggage brought up directly, if you please. And a tray of tea and cakes for Miss Moseley.’
The manager bowed himself out, expressing his delight that Miss Frost found the suite suitable.
‘No tea for us?’ Gray queried.
‘I was hoping that you would take me to call on Aunt Henrietta and she is sure to ply us with refreshments. I thought it good tactics to take her by surprise before she discovers we are in London.’
‘I agree. We could call on my man of business on the way and set him to finding you a house.’
‘And so present her with a fait accompli?’
‘A statement of intent, certainly, if you mean to begin as you will go on. But do you not want to bring Miss Moseley?’
‘She is lying down and resting and I do not need a chaperone when I have you, surely?’
Gray silently reviewed the parts of his anatomy Godmama would attack at the news that he was squiring her niece around London unchaperoned. He shrugged. He was most attached to all of them, but he could probably move faster than she could. ‘On your head be it.’
Gabrielle tied the ribbons on a particularly elegant bonnet and paused to admire the effect in the mirror. ‘Well, this is what is on my head at the moment—the best the Lisbon milliners can produce.’ She picked up her reticule. ‘Lead on, my lord, and we will face her wrath together.’
* * *
Gaby was not certain whether she was terrified or excited at the prospect of bearding Aunt Henrietta in her den. Probably both. It certainly felt like one step she must take to clear her way to fulfilling her plans for the future. Besides anything else, if she was able to find a suitable, willing father for her child she did not want him dissuaded by rumours that she was promised to George.
Gray’s stables at his town house were shut up so he had hired a carriage, complete with driver and a smartly liveried groom who jumped down from the back to knock as they arrived in Mount Street.
‘They are in residence.’ She had been harbouring a sneaking hope that the knocker would be off the door and the family in the country. But of course, if Aunt Henrietta had been expecting Gray to bring her back, she’d be in London, scheming.
‘She is waiting for me to return with you meekly at my side,’ Gray said as the door swung open and the groom presented his card. ‘Expecting it. See, the butler has not even had to enquire whether his mistress is receiving.’ He stood as the man returned to let down the carriage steps. ‘Chin up, shoulders back. I tell myself that it can’t be any worse than a dressing-down from Wellington.’
‘You have never been on the receiving end of one of those, surely?’ Gaby took his hand and allowed herself to be helped down in a decorous manner. Aunt was doubtless peeping from behind the curtains and it would not do to begin the encounter by leaping out of the coach like a hoyden.
‘I once queried an order.’
‘No! Isn’t that tantamount to mutiny?’
‘Fortunately what I was suggesting was rather more, shall we say, aggressive, than his original intent, so he could hardly accuse me of cowardice. I escaped with the words, impudent, improvident and impetuous ringing in my ears, but with no further damage.’
They were through the front door as Gray finished speaking and Gaby suspected she had been most effectively distracted from any nerves she might be feeling. Gray was relieved of his hat and gloves and they were ushered through to the front drawing room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the curtains sway slightly. Yes, they had been observed.
‘Gabrielle, dearest child!’ Aunt Henrietta swept down in a cloud of elegant dark blue draperies. ‘Gray, dear boy, I knew I could rely upon you to bring her home to me.’ She moved too fast for him to dodge a kiss on the cheek before she whirled on Gaby and gathered her in a fond, and very uncomfortable, embrace against a substantial bosom embellished with a fine diamond brooch.
They were not alone, Gaby realised as she extricated herself. A stocky young man she vaguely recognised had risen to his feet from one of the sofas flanking the fireplace. ‘Welcome home, Gabrielle.’
‘Thank you for the welcome to your home, Cousin George,’ she said with emphasis on cousin. ‘But hardly mine, I think. I hope I find you both well. And my uncle Orford?’
‘At a house party in Herefordshire. He will be desolated that he was not here to welcome you,’ Aunt Henrietta said with the air of woman not to be contradicted. Given that Lord Orford spent as much of his time out of London and away from his wife as possible, Gaby took leave to disbelieve this. ‘And this will soon be your home, just as it became mine when I left Portugal for London and marriage. Now, we have a guest to meet you.’ She gave Gray a very arch look. ‘Someone you will be happy to see, Gray. Caroline Henderso
n is staying with me for a few weeks. Caro, dear, see who is here.’
A young lady rose from the other sofa. A very young lady, Gaby saw. Pretty and blonde and as sweet and shy as a chick just hatched from the egg. And she was gazing at Gray with the air of a juvenile saint sighting a vision. Oh, no. Beside her she felt Gray stiffen and, in the sudden awkward silence, she realised that her aunt was matchmaking twice over. But Gray to this girl?
‘Lord Leybourne.’ Miss Henderson’s cheeks were pink and her copybook curtsy wavered along with her voice. ‘I am very pleased to meet you again.’
