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Authors: Elizabeth Bailey
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remain here for a visit.’
Lucy’s pulse began an uneven beat as she watched Dion turn innocently towards her brother.
‘Do you not think so, Stefan? Could we not have Lucy to stay for a time?’
Lord Pennington’s steely gaze came round to Lucy. ‘The very point we were discussing this afternoon, were we not, Miss Graydene?’
‘For good ness’ sake, don’t call her that. It is bad enough having Lucy determinedly calling you Lord Pennington. I know very well you quarrelled, but if you can address her as Lucy in front of Corisande, it is ridiculous to be so formal the moment we are all alone together.’
‘I did not drop formality,’ Lucy burst out, incensed anew by the reminder of the earlier encounter. ‘And I do not propose to accede to his lordship’s demands.’
Dion’s eyes widened. ‘What demands?’
Lucy quelled her rising temper. ‘I am very grateful to you, Dion, for your kind invitation, but I am afraid it will not be possible for me to remain. I would leave tonight, if I could, but as that is clearly ineligible, I propose to go tomorrow.’
‘You propose to, do you?’
Lucy turned on Lord Pennington. ‘I am going, my lord, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.’
‘That we shall see.’
Lucy was prevented from retort by the re-entrance of the footman bearing a laden tray.
* * *
‘But why, Lucy? I do not understand.’
Lucy could not but feel sorry for Dion, who had gamely attempted to introduce several subjects of small talk for the remainder of dinner, while she and Lord Pennington had spoken less than two words to each other. Lucy had never been more glad of the custom for ladies to leave the table first, and she followed Dion with alacrity, refusing to meet his lordship’s eyes as she passed.
‘I am sorry to have been so uncivil at dinner, Dion. It must have been very uncomfortable for you.’
‘Never mind that,’ said the other, taking her favourite perch on the sofa in the Red Saloon. ‘Please tell me why you will not stay. What did Stefan say to you to make you so cross?’
Lucy ignored the question, opting to answer only the first part. ‘I cannot live upon your brother’s bounty, under the circumstances.’
‘But the circumstances are precisely why you can,’ Dion objected. ‘I know Stefan, and if he can make a duty out of protecting you, he will.’
‘I do not need his protection!’
Dion made a face at her. ‘He phrased it badly, I expect.’
‘Badly? He did not phrase it at all,’ stated Lucy baldly. ‘He practically ordered me to remain.’
‘Oh, dear, how typical,’ said Dion, but her eyes danced. ‘Stefan has been dictatorial from a child. He drove his nurses to distraction.’
‘I can readily believe it.’
She was little mollified to see how the situation amused Dion, but she could not help softening a little when that young lady’s bright eyes dimmed suddenly.
‘But if you don’t stay here, Lucy, what in the world will you do?’
Lucy shrugged away a feeling of discomfort. ‘I shall find employment.’
Dion’s face fell. ‘As what? I suppose I may guess. A governess or companion. You cannot wish to be a drudge, Lucy.’
‘Of course I don’t wish for it.’ Lucy caught her tongue on the snap, and softened her tone. ‘But even less do I wish to be beholden to the family of Lord Pennington. I am talking of your deceased uncle, not your brother.’
‘You mean your father,’ said Dion, a note of deliberation in her voice.
Lucy shuddered uncontrollably. ‘I will not have him named so.’
‘I beg your pardon. Only I learned from my own papa that it is futile to ignore the truth. One can only deal with it if one first accepts it.’
Yes, Papa had said the same. But Lucy was not ready to allow the relationship. The moment she realised this, her way became clear. She spoke without thought.
‘I cannot remain in this house, Dion, to live in the vicinity of those who must, through no fault of their own, be a constant
Lucy’s pulse began an uneven beat as she watched Dion turn innocently towards her brother.
‘Do you not think so, Stefan? Could we not have Lucy to stay for a time?’
Lord Pennington’s steely gaze came round to Lucy. ‘The very point we were discussing this afternoon, were we not, Miss Graydene?’
‘For good ness’ sake, don’t call her that. It is bad enough having Lucy determinedly calling you Lord Pennington. I know very well you quarrelled, but if you can address her as Lucy in front of Corisande, it is ridiculous to be so formal the moment we are all alone together.’
‘I did not drop formality,’ Lucy burst out, incensed anew by the reminder of the earlier encounter. ‘And I do not propose to accede to his lordship’s demands.’
Dion’s eyes widened. ‘What demands?’
Lucy quelled her rising temper. ‘I am very grateful to you, Dion, for your kind invitation, but I am afraid it will not be possible for me to remain. I would leave tonight, if I could, but as that is clearly ineligible, I propose to go tomorrow.’
‘You propose to, do you?’
Lucy turned on Lord Pennington. ‘I am going, my lord, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.’
‘That we shall see.’
Lucy was prevented from retort by the re-entrance of the footman bearing a laden tray.
* * *
‘But why, Lucy? I do not understand.’
Lucy could not but feel sorry for Dion, who had gamely attempted to introduce several subjects of small talk for the remainder of dinner, while she and Lord Pennington had spoken less than two words to each other. Lucy had never been more glad of the custom for ladies to leave the table first, and she followed Dion with alacrity, refusing to meet his lordship’s eyes as she passed.
‘I am sorry to have been so uncivil at dinner, Dion. It must have been very uncomfortable for you.’
‘Never mind that,’ said the other, taking her favourite perch on the sofa in the Red Saloon. ‘Please tell me why you will not stay. What did Stefan say to you to make you so cross?’
Lucy ignored the question, opting to answer only the first part. ‘I cannot live upon your brother’s bounty, under the circumstances.’
‘But the circumstances are precisely why you can,’ Dion objected. ‘I know Stefan, and if he can make a duty out of protecting you, he will.’
‘I do not need his protection!’
Dion made a face at her. ‘He phrased it badly, I expect.’
‘Badly? He did not phrase it at all,’ stated Lucy baldly. ‘He practically ordered me to remain.’
‘Oh, dear, how typical,’ said Dion, but her eyes danced. ‘Stefan has been dictatorial from a child. He drove his nurses to distraction.’
‘I can readily believe it.’
She was little mollified to see how the situation amused Dion, but she could not help softening a little when that young lady’s bright eyes dimmed suddenly.
‘But if you don’t stay here, Lucy, what in the world will you do?’
Lucy shrugged away a feeling of discomfort. ‘I shall find employment.’
Dion’s face fell. ‘As what? I suppose I may guess. A governess or companion. You cannot wish to be a drudge, Lucy.’
‘Of course I don’t wish for it.’ Lucy caught her tongue on the snap, and softened her tone. ‘But even less do I wish to be beholden to the family of Lord Pennington. I am talking of your deceased uncle, not your brother.’
‘You mean your father,’ said Dion, a note of deliberation in her voice.
Lucy shuddered uncontrollably. ‘I will not have him named so.’
‘I beg your pardon. Only I learned from my own papa that it is futile to ignore the truth. One can only deal with it if one first accepts it.’
Yes, Papa had said the same. But Lucy was not ready to allow the relationship. The moment she realised this, her way became clear. She spoke without thought.
‘I cannot remain in this house, Dion, to live in the vicinity of those who must, through no fault of their own, be a constant
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