Her heart was racing for she hardly knew how to face him. She was almost sure that he had not recognised her and she hoped he would not. Their encounter had been so brief that he would surely have forgotten her. Her hand curled into itself, her heart beating faster. ‘I am pleased to meet you.’
‘It is your first visit to town, Miss Hampton?’
‘Yes—how did you know?’ Her heart raced. Had he recognised her as the girl he had met briefly in a country lane?
Harry hesitated, frowned, then said, ‘I do not wish to seem interfering, Miss Hampton, but if I were you, I should not dance with Northaven too often.’ His gaze narrowed. ‘You know it is strange, but I have the oddest feeling that I have seen you somewhere quite recently.’
‘I doubt it, sir.’ Susannah’s heart caught with fright. What would he think if he realised where he had seen her? One word from a gentleman of his stature and she might be ruined! ‘Why do you warn me against Lord Northaven? He seems a perfect gentleman to me, sir.’
‘I do not fault his manners or his lineage,’ Harry told her. ‘I think perhaps he is not a suitable partner for an innocent and very pretty young lady.’
Susannah had received so many compliments that evening that his words made little impression. She had been called beautiful, stunning, a nymph, an angel and many similar endearments. To be called pretty was not remarkable and, besides, she did not like his tone. Anyone would think he was her brother or her uncle! He was arrogant and opinionated—a bore.
‘I thank you for your concern, sir,’ she replied primly. ‘However, I believe I am quite safe here under the eyes of Mama and Miss Royston.’
‘Yes, I expect you are, as long as you take care to remain where they can see you,’ Harry said and hesitated. ‘Forgive me if I seemed to lecture you. It is not my place to do so—but I would never allow a niece of mine to associate with that gentleman.’
‘I am not your niece, sir.’
‘No, you are not. Forgive me. I have earned your displeasure. I spoke with good intent, but I should not have interfered,’ Harry said, then inclined his head to her and walked off.
Susannah stared after him. His back was very straight and she understood that she had offended him. She had thought at first that he was one of the most attractive gentlemen she had met that evening—in her whole life!—but he was a stuffy bore. She did not think he could be much above thirty years, but he behaved as if he were old enough to be her father! He was certainly not the kind of man she was seeking as a husband. Her eyes searched the room for the man that had made the biggest impression on her that evening and found him.
Northaven turned his head and glanced at her. For a moment his blue eyes met hers and her heart jerked, but then he looked at his companion once more and smiled at something he was saying. Almost at once they left the room together. Susannah’s gaze followed him, her feelings showing a little too well on her face.
‘I could not help overhearing what Harry Pendleton said to you a moment ago,’ Amelia said, and Susannah glanced round at her. ‘It was not his place to say it, of course, but he is quite right, Susannah. Northaven is a rake and perhaps worse. He is received everywhere, but there has been some talk of late. I should not dream of trying to dictate to you, my dear, for there is nothing so annoying as being told not to do something—but if I were you, I should be careful of Northaven, at least until you know more of him. But please do not think that I mean to interfere, for I most certainly do not. That is something I abhor.’
Susannah caught a look in her eyes that told her she was thinking of the way her own life had been when she was forced to live in her brother’s house. Once again she felt indignant that anyone should have made Amelia suffer so. She had been introduced to Amelia’s brother earlier that evening, but his stiff manner had not helped to change her opinion, nor the way he had looked at her, as if she were something the cat had brought in! He obviously thought that she was an adventuress, bent on taking what she could from his sister.
‘Oh…then, of course, I shall be very careful,’ Susannah replied. She did not wish to offend her kind hostess, though she had liked the marquis despite the warning. However, it was Lord Pendleton’s advice that rankled. It was just the same as that day he had almost knocked her down. Instead of apologising he had lost his temper—and now he was seeking to lecture her. Did he imagine that she was stupid? He had spoken to her as if she were still in the schoolroom! She had no intention of becoming compromised by any of the gentlemen, several of whom had enquired if she would like to take the air. She was enjoying her success, but she had as yet no thoughts of marrying anyone and must therefore be careful not to do anything that might seem too particular.
Susannah still felt in her heart that the most exciting man she had met that evening was the Marquis of Northaven, yet it was Lord Pendleton who lingered in her mind long after she had said goodnight to Mama and Amelia and retired to bed. When she dreamed, annoyingly it was of Lord Pendleton, who had somehow acquired a schoolmaster’s hat and waved his cane at her, telling her to behave or he would punish her.
How very ridiculous! In the morning her dreams vanished with the sight of the sunshine pouring in at her window and she rose, feeling refreshed and eager for the day to begin. She laughingly dismissed her annoyance of the previous evening. Life was too amusing to be disturbed by such a small thing for long. Lord Pendleton was rich and respected, but he did not fit her idea of a knight on a white horse. Besides, they had so many engagements, so many affairs to attend that she had no time to reflect on that particular gentleman.
She was going shopping again that morning and she wanted to buy a bonnet she had seen in the milliner’s window a day or so earlier. Bonnets, pretty gowns and enjoying herself were of far more importance than one gentleman’s opinion of her. She did not know why she had let it weigh with her at all!
She would put the disagreeable Lord Pendleton out of her mind and not think of him again.
Harry was undressing that evening when it suddenly came to him. At first he thought that his mind was playing tricks on him. The girl in the country lane and Miss Susannah Hampton were one and the same. In the act of removing his breeches, he swore loudly, causing his valet to turn and look at him.
‘Was something the matter, my lord?’
‘No, Philips, nothing at all,’ Harry said and laughed ruefully. ‘I am a damned fool, that’s all.’
‘I rather doubt it, sir,’ the devoted servant said and smiled. ‘If there is anything I can do to be of assistance?’
‘No, nothing,’ Harry replied, realising that the man was brushing the coat he had worn that evening. ‘Leave all that now and get off to bed.’
He sat on the edge of the bed as the man went out, then sipped the glass of brandy Philips had thoughtfully put out for him.
‘It is a small world…’ Harry smiled to himself. He had wondered why the Hampton girl seemed a little prickly, but now he understood perfectly.
She had looked very different in her simple country dress, her hair blown by the wind and roses in her cheeks—but those eyes did not lie. She really did have the most remarkable eyes.
Had he given her an irrevocable dislike of him? She had called him rude and arrogant at their first meeting, and tonight he had committed the unforgivable sin of lecturing her as if she were a schoolgirl. He had no idea why he had done that, for it was certainly not his business to warn young girls he did not know of Northaven’s character.
