to me.’
Early the next morning Sloane sent a message to Morgana that he would bring her tutor to her at eleven o’clock.
Morgana and Miss Moore spent the morning drilling the girls in how to walk, sit, stand and curtsy as a lady might do, but all Morgana could think of was that Sloane would be calling—with the tutor, of course.
Soon the clock struck eleven. Ten more excruciatingly slow minutes passed before the knocker sounded and Cripps came in to announce that Mr Sloane and ‘a female person’ were in the front drawing room.
‘Very good, Cripps.’ Morgana rushed out of the room. She left her grandmother and Miss Moore with the girls. With Sloane, the pretence of a chaperon was unnecessary.
When she entered the drawing room, he turned to face her. He was resplendent in dove grey pantaloons, shiny black boots, and a coat in a blue so dark it was almost black. He quite took her breath—and her speech—away.
‘Miss Hart.’ He stepped aside to reveal the woman he had brought with him. ‘May I present Madame Bisou.’
The woman looked perfectly respectable in a plain brown walking dress and spencer. Only the flaming red hair peeking out from under her sedate matching bonnet gave hint to her profession.
‘Madame Bisou.’ Morgana offered her hand. ‘I am grateful you have come.’
The woman appraised Morgana as she accepted the handshake. She gave Sloane a significant look. ‘Cyprian, I begin to understand how you came to make this request.’
His face filled with colour, and Morgana rushed to speak. ‘Mr Sloane is acting as my friend only because I have given him little choice, Madame.’
‘Little choice indeed!’ Madame Bisou exclaimed. ‘As if Cyprian does anything he does not wish to do.’ She put her hands on her hips. ‘Now, what is it you require of me?’
Morgana begged them to sit while she explained.
When she finished Madame Bisou’s eyes danced. ‘I am well able to teach your girls how to be pleasing to men. I have some experience in such matters, do I not, Cyprian?’
Sloane returned her glance with an ironic gleam in his eye. ‘You do, indeed, Penny.’
Madame Bisou made a face at him, and Morgana realised with shock that the madam must have once been intimate with him. Was she still? Morgana felt the same sick feeling she experienced when realising her father must have used The Whoremonger’s Guide.
No. Not the same feeling. This felt worse somehow.
She regarded Madame Bisou, her eyes narrowing. Surely the woman was older than Sloane, who must be in his thirties. There were faint lines around her eyes and at the corners of her mouth. Her skin had lost the tautness and clarity of youth. Still, she had an aura about her that made Morgana certain that if the two of them walked down the street, gentlemen would turn to look at Madame Bisou and not at her. But that was what she had desired in a tutor, was it not?
‘Shall I do, Miss Hart?’ Madame Bisou sounded amused.
Morgana shook herself. What business was it of hers with whom Sloane shared such… intimate behaviours? If anyone should be concerned it would be Hannah, but then Hannah would never know of this.
‘I suspect you will do very well, Madame,’ Morgana responded, avoiding a glance at Sloane. ‘Shall I take you to your students?’
Madame Bisou clapped her hands. ‘Oh, yes. The sooner, the better.’
Sloane stood. ‘I doubt you require my presence. When shall I collect you, Madame?’
Madame Bisou looked to Morgana.
‘In two hours, Sloane, if that would not be inconvenient?’ Morgana still did not look straight at him.
He bowed, but stepped to the open door of the library to say a brief hello to Morgana’s girls. Morgana hesitated a moment before ushering Madame Bisou into the room, pausing to watch Sloane head towards the hall.
Sloane walked out of Morgana’s house at the same moment his secretary approached his own door.
Mr Elliot looked greatly surprised, no doubt wondering why his employer called upon a single lady before noon, alone at that.
‘Good day, Elliot,’ Sloane said in a deliberate tone.
Mr Elliot blinked rapidly. ‘Good day, sir. I… I was just returning from town.’
‘Seeing to my business, I suppose?’ Sloane walked over to where Elliot stood.
Elliot still avoided his eye.
Sloane rather enjoyed the young man’s discomfort. It belied his usual efficiency. But Sloane also realised that Elliot was not a fool. Even if Elliot concluded he was making a conquest of Morgana, what Sloane suspected anyone would conclude, he believed he could count on the young man’s discretion. Still, it did not hurt to emphasise the point. ‘Is there something you want to ask me, Mr Elliot?’
‘Oh, no, sir.’ Elliot sputtered. ‘That is—it is none of my affair, I am sure.’
The two men walked together into Sloane’s house. ‘It is no affair of mine as well, but you will not speak of me visiting Miss Hart’s house.’
His secretary looked wounded. ‘Of course I will not, sir!’
Sloane nodded. ‘Very good.’
He headed to his library, thinking a small glass of port might pass the time while he waited to collect Penny.
To his dismay, Elliot followed him into the room. ‘There is something I ought to speak with you about.’
Sloane already had the bottle of port in hand. He gestured for the young man to sit and poured a glass for them both.
Elliot began, ‘Sparrow, your butler, sir, informed me that one of the footmen informed him that Miss Hart’s footman was talking of something havey-cavey next door. It seems there are some suspicious females present in the house.’
Sloane paused just as he was about to lift his glass to his lips. He tried to sound casual. ‘Havey-cavey?’
Elliot shrugged. ‘That is all I know. I shall discover more in time. I thought I ought to tell you of it, because you indicated reservations about moving next door to Miss Hart.’ He stopped and gave Sloane a considering look. ‘But perhaps you know of it…’
Because Elliot had seen him leave Morgana’s house. Sloane stared at his secretary a long time. It had taken only a day for news of Morgana’s strange guests to reach Elliot’s ears, something he must deal with post-haste.
Elliot regarded him with a steady look. ‘You do know of this,’ he said simply. ‘I beg you would instruct me how you wish me to proceed.’
Sloane appraised the young man. Elliot was alert and intelligent. Because the young man lived with him, it would be difficult to put much past him. Sloane was unaccustomed to trusting another person, but Elliot could be of great assistance. He could help keep
