would never do anything to hurt Lady Lavinia.’
‘Nor I, Corringham.’
‘Lavinia, I think that you must not go out again on foot,’ James said as they reached the front door of Stanmore House. ‘Not until these troubles are over.’
‘Just what I said,’ Edmund put in, almost triumphantly. ‘I have offered my escort whenever it should be needed.’
‘But you have no carriage.’
‘No, but I intend to acquire one very soon.’
James did not reply to that, as a footman opened the door and stood holding it, his mouth gaping.
Lavinia smiled at him. ‘Dobson, have you seen Daisy or Tom?’
He recovered himself quickly. ‘Yes, my lady. They came home some time ago, but as you had not preceded them, they went out again to look for you. We have all been most concerned and wondering if his Grace should be summoned…’
‘I am glad you did not do that,’ Lavinia said, imagining how angry her father would be at her foolishness. ‘But we must go and look for Daisy and Tom.’
‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ James said. ‘You must go and change you clothes before the Duchess comes home. Lord Wincote and I will go. That so, Wincote?’
If Edmund had been hoping to be invited in, he did not show his disappointment, but bowed to Lavinia and smiled. ‘Of course, my lady. We will bring them both safe home.’
They turned and left together and Lavinia, who had recovered from her fright, burst out laughing. James and Edmund certainly did not like each other and, as she climbed the stairs to her room, she wondered why. Surely they did not see each other as rivals for her hand?
James had never given her the slightest hint that he felt anything more than a brotherly interest in her, and she had only known Lord Wincote a few days, certainly not long enough to form an abiding attachment. But that was not to say she could not or would not do so in the future. His eyes had held hers so that she was unable to look away and his touch sent fire through her limbs. If the romantic novels she was constantly reading were right, that was how love was supposed to strike you, wasn’t it? Is that what Stepmama meant, when she said Lavinia would know when it happened?
But what about James? She adored him, knew she could rely on him without reservation; it did not matter what kind of a scrape she landed herself in, he would be there to haul her out of it. Even today, though he had not been present in the crowd, he had been ready and willing to defend her honour. But surely that did not mean he wanted her for a wife, or that she could view him as a potential husband?
She went into her room, flung her odd shoe on to the floor and sank on to her bed, trying to imagine James married to someone else: to see a woman’s figure beside him, holding his arm possessively, looking up at him with shining eyes and him returning that look as if no one else in the world existed for him. How she hated this imaginary wife of his! It was something she had not thought about before and this feeling was so strong it took her by surprise. ‘You are selfish beyond redemption,’ she scolded herself. ‘If anyone deserves to be happy, it is James.’
Not one to give way to the dismals for long, she left her bed and went to look in the long cheval mirror near the window. The sight which greeted her made her gasp and then laugh aloud.
She looked like a street urchin; her hair was in a tangle where the coils which had looked so shiny and neat when she left the house had become unpinned. Her light spotted gingham gown was decked with more than embroidery and ribbons; it was covered in dust and daubed with mud. The skirt was torn, too, and one white stocking was in tatters, revealing a leg which had several lengthy scratches. She did not know when that could have happened; she had no recollection of being hurt, except that her feet were very sore. Unlike an urchin’s, they were soft and unused to going without shoes.
Stripping off, she flung everything in the corner, then washed in the cold water which stood in an ewer on her washstand, finishing by sitting on a stool and paddling her feet in the bowl. It was such a hot day it was refreshing and soothing. After patting herself dry, she sat in her shift in front of her dressing table and picked up her hairbrush.
She had almost restored her hair to shining strands when Daisy appeared, hot, dusty and worried. ‘Oh, my lady, we thought we had lost you. We searched everywhere and all we found was your bonnet. Someone had trodden on it and it was ruined. When we came home and found you had not returned, we were really afraid. I was so relieved to see the Earl and know you were safe.’ She flung herself on her knees in front of Lavinia. ‘Please forgive me. Please don’t turn me off.’
‘Oh, Daisy, do get up, there’s a dear. No one is going to turn you off.’
Daisy scrambled to her feet. ‘Lord Corringham was very angry. He said it was no thanks to me that you were safe and well and, if I wanted to keep my job, I should look after you better and not leave you to be picked up by any Tom, Dick or Harry.’
‘Did he now?’ Lavinia said, with a smile. ‘And was Lord Wincote present when he said that?’
‘No, my lady. Why?’
‘No reason. Now, you are to take no notice of Lord Corringham. It is not his place to reprimand you and I do not blame you for what happened. We were separated, which could not be helped, so we will say no more about it. I do not think I shall even bother the Duchess with it.’
‘Oh, thank you, my lady.’
‘Now, go and clean yourself up and throw those clothes away.’ She indicated the pile in the corner. ‘Is Tom safely back?’
‘Yes, my lady. He brought your books back, except the one you were carrying. They are on the table in the hall.’
‘Good. I must remember to thank him.’
‘The Earl is downstairs, my lady. He said he wanted to speak to you.’
‘I’ve no doubt he means to ring a peal over me, but he will find himself mistaken if he thinks I will pay any attention,’ she said. ‘Daisy, pass me the blue silk pelisse-robe and a fresh pair of stockings. Then go to your room and rest for a while, you must be exhausted.’
Five minutes later, with the robe tied about the waist with a wide sash and her hair lying loose about her shoulders, she went down to the drawing room on the first floor. There, James stood with his back to the room, gazing out on to the parched garden.
He turned on hearing her enter and caught his breath at her creamy loveliness. Her green eyes sparkled and her hair shone from its recent brushing and hung in a curtain of rich chestnut brown, which contrasted beautifully with the pale blue of her gown. The wonder of it was that she seemed totally unaware of the devastating effect she had on her beholder.
‘Vinny, are you all right?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘I am sorry I was angry with you.’
‘And I am sorrier still that you should have redirected that anger at Daisy, my lord. You have frightened the poor girl to death. She is under the impression you have the authority to turn her off.’
‘I apologise for that, but when I came
