so kind as to accompany me to the park? There are matters I wish to discuss.”
“Very well, my lord.” Why on earth would Quinn need to speak with her privately? She hoped that Uncle Herbert had not located her or made himself a nuisance. Kate quite enjoyed living with the Penroses and did not wish her situation to change. “I’ll get a hat.”
“I’ll meet you out front. The horses are fresh and require walking.” Quinn gestured her through the door into the house.
Without ringing for Bettina as she entered her dressing room, Kate pondered. Did Quinn have an actual interest in speaking with Lady Anna, or had he sent Pauline off on a pretext in order to talk with Kate alone? But a drive with his “cousin” would be unexceptional, even at the fashionable hour of five o’clock.
Her mind whirled and twirled through the possibilities like a spinning top. For the umpteenth time she reminded herself to stop her ruminations in regard to her guardian, his acts, and his motives. He continued to be a mystery and would remain so. As she tied the yellow grosgrain ribbons of her chip-straw hat beneath her chin, she told herself to cease her inappropriate interest in the Earl of Devere.
She looked out her window to see Quinn’s tiger walking the black horses harnessed to the Earl’s curricle. Kate decided to wear a spencer. Driving in the open equipage, even in the sunny spring day, could bring a chill.
Despite the clement weather, a pall hung in the air from the thousands of fires lit for cooking and heating in the metropolis. Unaccustomed to the sight of garbage in the street, to say nothing of the human pollutants, Kate tried not to wrinkle her nose or cover her ears. London overwhelmed her.
She closed the window before leaving the room for the drive with Quinn. Whatever must he want?
As she approached the marble-floored foyer, she heard her guardian and her hostess in conversation.
“I declare, Quinn, this house has never shone so brightly.”
“Harper,” Quinn said, with a complacent tone to his voice. “A jewel, is she not?”
“You must thank her for me. If you could give her this vail…” Entering, Kate saw Anna press a coin into Quinn’s hand.
“I shall. And, no, you may not have her under any circumstances.”
Anna stepped back, a look of mock surprise on her face. “My dear brother, I am shocked—
shocked!—that you would think that I am so treacherous as to attempt to steal your servant.” Kate tried not to laugh. She knew full well that Anna would like nothing better than to hire Quinn’s paragon of a housekeeper. Indeed, Anna had expressed such a sentiment more than once.
Quinn raised his brows. “I am all in favor of reasonable vails, sister mine, but a gold sovereign?
This would not be in the nature of a bribe, would it?”
“Certainly not.” Anna affected a demeanor which reflected both good humor and mild huffiness.
A neat trick, thought Kate. She made her arrival known by clattering her heels on the marble a bit more loudly than necessary.
“But here is Kate,” Anna said. “It is most unseemly to quarrel about servants in her presence.” She smiled at Kate. “So you drive with my brother in Hyde Park at five? You will indeed be quite the thing.”
“If I am all the thing it is because I shine in the light of Devere’s reflected glory,” Kate said, laughing.
“Indeed not,” Quinn said. “I am graced by your presence.”
“Is it wise to take Kate to so public a place?” Anna asked.
“Town is yet thin of company. There’s no danger, Nan.” He offered Kate his arm to lead her from the residence. He guided her up into the curricle, then sat beside her. He took the reins from his tiger. The horses plunged forward, restive. Quinn controlled them as his tiger hopped onto the back of the curricle.
“I must say, it is a relief to be addressed by my own name,” Kate said. “The constant pretense has become a strain.”
“I am sorry, Kate, but we will have to
“Very well, my lord.” Why on earth would Quinn need to speak with her privately? She hoped that Uncle Herbert had not located her or made himself a nuisance. Kate quite enjoyed living with the Penroses and did not wish her situation to change. “I’ll get a hat.”
“I’ll meet you out front. The horses are fresh and require walking.” Quinn gestured her through the door into the house.
Without ringing for Bettina as she entered her dressing room, Kate pondered. Did Quinn have an actual interest in speaking with Lady Anna, or had he sent Pauline off on a pretext in order to talk with Kate alone? But a drive with his “cousin” would be unexceptional, even at the fashionable hour of five o’clock.
Her mind whirled and twirled through the possibilities like a spinning top. For the umpteenth time she reminded herself to stop her ruminations in regard to her guardian, his acts, and his motives. He continued to be a mystery and would remain so. As she tied the yellow grosgrain ribbons of her chip-straw hat beneath her chin, she told herself to cease her inappropriate interest in the Earl of Devere.
She looked out her window to see Quinn’s tiger walking the black horses harnessed to the Earl’s curricle. Kate decided to wear a spencer. Driving in the open equipage, even in the sunny spring day, could bring a chill.
Despite the clement weather, a pall hung in the air from the thousands of fires lit for cooking and heating in the metropolis. Unaccustomed to the sight of garbage in the street, to say nothing of the human pollutants, Kate tried not to wrinkle her nose or cover her ears. London overwhelmed her.
She closed the window before leaving the room for the drive with Quinn. Whatever must he want?
As she approached the marble-floored foyer, she heard her guardian and her hostess in conversation.
“I declare, Quinn, this house has never shone so brightly.”
“Harper,” Quinn said, with a complacent tone to his voice. “A jewel, is she not?”
“You must thank her for me. If you could give her this vail…” Entering, Kate saw Anna press a coin into Quinn’s hand.
“I shall. And, no, you may not have her under any circumstances.”
Anna stepped back, a look of mock surprise on her face. “My dear brother, I am shocked—
shocked!—that you would think that I am so treacherous as to attempt to steal your servant.” Kate tried not to laugh. She knew full well that Anna would like nothing better than to hire Quinn’s paragon of a housekeeper. Indeed, Anna had expressed such a sentiment more than once.
Quinn raised his brows. “I am all in favor of reasonable vails, sister mine, but a gold sovereign?
This would not be in the nature of a bribe, would it?”
“Certainly not.” Anna affected a demeanor which reflected both good humor and mild huffiness.
A neat trick, thought Kate. She made her arrival known by clattering her heels on the marble a bit more loudly than necessary.
“But here is Kate,” Anna said. “It is most unseemly to quarrel about servants in her presence.” She smiled at Kate. “So you drive with my brother in Hyde Park at five? You will indeed be quite the thing.”
“If I am all the thing it is because I shine in the light of Devere’s reflected glory,” Kate said, laughing.
“Indeed not,” Quinn said. “I am graced by your presence.”
“Is it wise to take Kate to so public a place?” Anna asked.
“Town is yet thin of company. There’s no danger, Nan.” He offered Kate his arm to lead her from the residence. He guided her up into the curricle, then sat beside her. He took the reins from his tiger. The horses plunged forward, restive. Quinn controlled them as his tiger hopped onto the back of the curricle.
“I must say, it is a relief to be addressed by my own name,” Kate said. “The constant pretense has become a strain.”
“I am sorry, Kate, but we will have to
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