Harry corrected her. ‘And you’re right, there is no reason to lie to me.’
‘I would be delighted to accompany you to the opera, Lord Edgerton,’ Beatrice said.
Harry smiled indulgently, the smile of a big brother to a younger sister. ‘As much as I would enjoy that, we must find something that Anna enjoys, too.’ He turned to her, eyes narrowing. ‘What is it about the opera you dislike? The singing? The impenetrable language? The garish costumes?’
‘I find all that quite enjoyable. It is the audience I dislike, the feeling of being on display.’
Lord Fortescue had enjoyed the opera, often journeying to London for a performance. As always he’d required Anna to be exquisitely turned out for the trip, cataloguing any imperfection to punish her for later. Then he would spend most of the performance looking for signs Anna was flirting with other men. Of course it never happened, Anna wasn’t foolish—she kept her eyes fixed on either the stage or her husband—but the lack of evidence never deterred Lord Fortescue. It meant the opera had gone from a pleasant excursion to a place of fear and horror.
Harry regarded her, his blue eyes seeming to pierce through her protective layer.
‘Let me surprise you,’ he said eventually.
‘As you wish.’
‘Beatrice my dear, help your decrepit father inside,’ Anna’s uncle called from his spot at the edge of the patio.
Beatrice eyed her father reluctantly before bobbing a curtsy to Harry and gliding off to do as she was bid.
‘My cousin seems to adore you after just a few hours,’ Anna said as they were left alone.
‘She is a young woman of good taste,’ Harry said.
‘She is foolish and impulsive.’
‘Like all girls of eighteen.’ It was spoken as if he had personal experience with a foolish young girl.
‘You have a sister,’ Anna said as she slipped her hand through his arm.
‘I do.’
‘Is she the same age as Beatrice?’
‘She’s eighteen.’
‘Is she making her debut this year?’
Harry shook his head. Normally so easy to talk to, he was not forthcoming when it came to his family.
‘Next year, then?’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Are you her guardian?’
‘In a sense. My mother is still alive, but she leaves most of the decisions surrounding Lydia to me.’
‘That must be difficult for you. The minds of young girls are impenetrable.’
Harry smiled stiffly, but didn’t answer, then, swiftly changing the subject, he said, ‘I thought we should discuss this house party I am arranging.’
‘Perhaps we should abandon the idea.’
‘No. It is the only way to get all of our suspects in one place.’
‘They won’t accept an invitation from me.’
‘But they will from me.’
‘How can you be sure?’
‘I’m an earl, people always accept my invitations. Who should we invite? Who might want to cause you harm?’
‘If we agree to have this party, we should invite my late husband’s three children, Miss Antonia Fortescue, the new Lord Fortescue and Mr Ronald Fortescue. Also probably my late husband’s brother, Mr Lionel Fortescue.’
‘Anyone else?’
‘Anyone else dislike me enough to murder my cat?’ Anna asked. ‘No, I don’t think so.’
‘I’ll draw up a guest list, include some old friends to keep it civil, then we can decide on a date.’
‘I haven’t decided whether I want to do this yet or not,’ Anna said.
‘Nonsense, it’s the best way. I’ll organise everything. All you need to do is turn up.’
‘I need more time to think.’
‘There’s nothing to think about. I have it all in hand. This is for the best.’
Anna stiffened, withdrawing her hand from his arm. ‘Do not presume to tell me what is best for me,’ she said icily. ‘You do not know me.’
‘Anna...’ Harry started to say, but Anna held up a hand.
‘I make my own decisions. I do not need any man to make them for me.’
‘I wasn’t trying to make any decisions for you.’
‘And yet that was the end result. I thank you for calling on me today, Lord Edgerton, but perhaps we should end our acquaintance here.’ Before Harry could protest Anna turned and swept away, her heart hammering in her chest. She was inside before he’d moved and safely upstairs before she heard his footsteps in the hallway.
‘Anna...’ she heard him call, followed by the polite, muted tones from the butler. A minute later the door opened and closed as no doubt Harry was shown out. Anna risked a peek through the curtains at her window, drawing back as Harry stood back from the house and looked up directly at her. She was angry. Angry at the presumptive way he’d tried to make such a major decision for her and angry at herself for allowing him to get so close. Independent and single, that was how she would spend the rest of her life, even if the idea of never seeing Harry again hurt more than it should.
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