Lucy pulled her reins away. She paused for a moment, trying to decide what to do, but the groom had his hands full and could not help. She could not get into the saddle herself without a block or a leg up. Lucy wanted to stamp her booted foot. She thought about just walking away, leaving behind her the horse, the people laughing and talking, Harriet, George, and above all, Aubrey de Vere.
“Lady Lucilla, is something amiss?” George had noticed her standing by her horse. “Are you in a hurry to go? Harriet has met some old friends but if you are in a rush, I can fetch her away.”
“No, no, it’s… I have a headache, that’s all. I don’t want to disturb Harriet.” Lucy closed her eyes and leaned against the saddle, breathing in the soothing scent of horse and leather.
“I can take you back or I can ask Lovell.” George started to turn, but Lucy whirled and caught his arm before he could go any further.
“No, if you would just give me a leg up, I can return home without bothering anyone.”
“I do not think Harriet would approve of letting you ride home by yourself, a young lady on her own.” George studied her face, startled by the desperation on Lucy’s face. Something there convinced him and he gave a sigh. “Very well, let me give you a leg up. Billy can go with you after he ties off the rest of the horses.”
Lucy squeezed his arm. “Thank you so much, George. I’ll be fine once I reach home. I do appreciate your kindness.”
George humphed and threw her up on her saddle, then said, “Be careful, my lady. Once you reach your townhouse, give Billy the mare and please take care for yourself. I’m sure that Harriet will be in touch later today.”
She nodded and turned the mare, sneaking a look, but Aubrey had his back to her and did not appear to notice that she was leaving. She urged her horse to a trot, closely followed by the groom.
Lucy disregarded the curious stares of the other riders and carriages as she passed through the gates. Her brother’s townhouse was not far. Once she reached it, she did not even wait for poor Billy, but slid down, landing on the street with a jolt. She tossed her reins to the beleaguered groom, called her thanks, and hurried up the steps. She rushed in and slammed the door behind her, then finally relaxed the tenseness in her shoulders. This had been a bad idea to come to London. If only she had known that Aubrey had returned. She would not have come within a hundred miles of the city.
A creamy envelope on the side table in the hallway caught her attention. She picked it up and sighed when she saw the wax imprint for Carlisle. Jamie must have returned. She hoped that he would not continue to press her for marriage. Still, that gave her an idea. James Lennox, Duke of Carlise, was a big man and could provide a suitable shield, at least for the next several days.
Chapter Ten
Aubrey tugged at his sleeves, already sticking in the overheated, crowded rooms of the Sedgmont’s musicale. He looked again at the entrance, trying to be subtle, but Harriet had assured him that Lucy had recovered from her headache and planned to attend tonight's performance. The violinist was supposed to be superb, although Aubrey did not believe that he would surpass some of the performers that he himself had heard during his stay in Italy.
He was still irritated that George had aided Lucy in escaping the park this morning. George insisted that Lucy had not felt well, but then why should he let her ride back alone? What if she became more unwell on the way? No, there was something that George had not told him. He tried to press him in the carriage on the way, but Harriet kept diverting the subject. She talked about the people she had met in the park, who might attend the musicale, and so on, and would not answer any questions about Lucy.
And it was not that he felt guilty about his treatment of Lucy. He had only wanted to see if he could arouse some jealousy when he had strode
“Lady Lucilla, is something amiss?” George had noticed her standing by her horse. “Are you in a hurry to go? Harriet has met some old friends but if you are in a rush, I can fetch her away.”
“No, no, it’s… I have a headache, that’s all. I don’t want to disturb Harriet.” Lucy closed her eyes and leaned against the saddle, breathing in the soothing scent of horse and leather.
“I can take you back or I can ask Lovell.” George started to turn, but Lucy whirled and caught his arm before he could go any further.
“No, if you would just give me a leg up, I can return home without bothering anyone.”
“I do not think Harriet would approve of letting you ride home by yourself, a young lady on her own.” George studied her face, startled by the desperation on Lucy’s face. Something there convinced him and he gave a sigh. “Very well, let me give you a leg up. Billy can go with you after he ties off the rest of the horses.”
Lucy squeezed his arm. “Thank you so much, George. I’ll be fine once I reach home. I do appreciate your kindness.”
George humphed and threw her up on her saddle, then said, “Be careful, my lady. Once you reach your townhouse, give Billy the mare and please take care for yourself. I’m sure that Harriet will be in touch later today.”
She nodded and turned the mare, sneaking a look, but Aubrey had his back to her and did not appear to notice that she was leaving. She urged her horse to a trot, closely followed by the groom.
Lucy disregarded the curious stares of the other riders and carriages as she passed through the gates. Her brother’s townhouse was not far. Once she reached it, she did not even wait for poor Billy, but slid down, landing on the street with a jolt. She tossed her reins to the beleaguered groom, called her thanks, and hurried up the steps. She rushed in and slammed the door behind her, then finally relaxed the tenseness in her shoulders. This had been a bad idea to come to London. If only she had known that Aubrey had returned. She would not have come within a hundred miles of the city.
A creamy envelope on the side table in the hallway caught her attention. She picked it up and sighed when she saw the wax imprint for Carlisle. Jamie must have returned. She hoped that he would not continue to press her for marriage. Still, that gave her an idea. James Lennox, Duke of Carlise, was a big man and could provide a suitable shield, at least for the next several days.
Chapter Ten
Aubrey tugged at his sleeves, already sticking in the overheated, crowded rooms of the Sedgmont’s musicale. He looked again at the entrance, trying to be subtle, but Harriet had assured him that Lucy had recovered from her headache and planned to attend tonight's performance. The violinist was supposed to be superb, although Aubrey did not believe that he would surpass some of the performers that he himself had heard during his stay in Italy.
He was still irritated that George had aided Lucy in escaping the park this morning. George insisted that Lucy had not felt well, but then why should he let her ride back alone? What if she became more unwell on the way? No, there was something that George had not told him. He tried to press him in the carriage on the way, but Harriet kept diverting the subject. She talked about the people she had met in the park, who might attend the musicale, and so on, and would not answer any questions about Lucy.
And it was not that he felt guilty about his treatment of Lucy. He had only wanted to see if he could arouse some jealousy when he had strode
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