the end of the square until she knocked and went in. He made her feel safe, but that could be an entirely false premise.
When he arrived, he was in full society mode. Blue today, not a dark shade, but a vivid ultramarine tone. His breeches were as white as snow and his waistcoat embroidered in gold. She was too far away to see the design. As he handed his hat and the ridiculous cane as tall as he was to the footman, bright gold caught the sun and dazzled her.
When she blinked the light out of her eyes, he was looking up at her. She must have made a sudden move and alerted his attention. No point hiding now.
Claudia hurried down the stairs, trailing her hand lightly on the banister. “Did you think to find me away from home?” she said brightly. “Strange how insistent my mother was that I attend her this morning. That was just after my father let slip that you were visiting to discuss the house on Hart Street. I suspect my brother asked her to ensure I was out of the way.” She smiled saucily. “Well, as you can see, I am not.”
“You’re appearing to great advantage,” he said.
He didn’t mean her clothes. She could tell by the way he looked over her, taking in her bosom, today respectably covered with a linen fichu. He’d seen it uncovered, or part of it at any rate. The knowledge made her heat up.
“I love that blush,” he murmured.
She turned away, employing her fan to cool her complexion. She thought she’d controlled her reprehensible habit of blushing at the least provocation. The easy capacity to blush came with her coloring and that damned pale skin. “We should go to the study. They’re all waiting.”
She led the way but refused to take his arm.
The study was rather crowded, containing as it did, not only her oldest brother Marcus, Lord Malton, but her father, Val, and Darius. None of them were smiling.
Marcus glared at her. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I have a right to know what you’re discussing.” Claudia worked hard not to push her lower lip out as she had as a child. As soon as she said it, she felt like a child. How else to assert her rights? She tried again. “Let me make this clear. I have the last word on what happens to that house. My great-aunt said so when she made her will. Anything else would go against her desires.”
“How about if we discuss the matter and then inform you of the best path to take?”
She shook her head. “I want to hear the options.”
Glumly, Marcus got to his feet and brought his chair to her side of the desk. Putting up her chin, she thanked him and sat. It put her at a disadvantage, having to look up to the others in the room, but she had no choice.
To her shock, Dominic stepped up to stand by her side. “It seems reasonable that the owner is involved in any decision taken.”
Val glanced up from the papers strewn across Marcus’s desk. “She’s been anything but reasonable recently.”
“Maybe because you insist on treating me like a witless female.”
Dominic’s support had affected her more than she realized. Tears threatened, but they would prove her father and brothers’ opinion of her. She had behaved badly recently, last night the culmination of a series of escapades, but her aunt’s legacy had helped her decide what she really wanted. To be her own woman, to have men regard her as a sensible person and not a featherheaded fool.
Not to be bored any more. Her sister enjoyed reading and study—that was her escape. Livia spent as much time with her nose in a book as she spent begrudgingly attending balls and society events.
While Claudia was reasonably well-read, her passion didn’t lie there. Sensing the man at her side, she feared “passion” might describe what she wanted exactly. Which was a shame. As a well-born protected young woman, she was unlikely to find that this side of marriage. She wasn’t nearly ready to marry anyone yet.
While her brothers voiced their protests, her father held up his
When he arrived, he was in full society mode. Blue today, not a dark shade, but a vivid ultramarine tone. His breeches were as white as snow and his waistcoat embroidered in gold. She was too far away to see the design. As he handed his hat and the ridiculous cane as tall as he was to the footman, bright gold caught the sun and dazzled her.
When she blinked the light out of her eyes, he was looking up at her. She must have made a sudden move and alerted his attention. No point hiding now.
Claudia hurried down the stairs, trailing her hand lightly on the banister. “Did you think to find me away from home?” she said brightly. “Strange how insistent my mother was that I attend her this morning. That was just after my father let slip that you were visiting to discuss the house on Hart Street. I suspect my brother asked her to ensure I was out of the way.” She smiled saucily. “Well, as you can see, I am not.”
“You’re appearing to great advantage,” he said.
He didn’t mean her clothes. She could tell by the way he looked over her, taking in her bosom, today respectably covered with a linen fichu. He’d seen it uncovered, or part of it at any rate. The knowledge made her heat up.
“I love that blush,” he murmured.
She turned away, employing her fan to cool her complexion. She thought she’d controlled her reprehensible habit of blushing at the least provocation. The easy capacity to blush came with her coloring and that damned pale skin. “We should go to the study. They’re all waiting.”
She led the way but refused to take his arm.
The study was rather crowded, containing as it did, not only her oldest brother Marcus, Lord Malton, but her father, Val, and Darius. None of them were smiling.
Marcus glared at her. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I have a right to know what you’re discussing.” Claudia worked hard not to push her lower lip out as she had as a child. As soon as she said it, she felt like a child. How else to assert her rights? She tried again. “Let me make this clear. I have the last word on what happens to that house. My great-aunt said so when she made her will. Anything else would go against her desires.”
“How about if we discuss the matter and then inform you of the best path to take?”
She shook her head. “I want to hear the options.”
Glumly, Marcus got to his feet and brought his chair to her side of the desk. Putting up her chin, she thanked him and sat. It put her at a disadvantage, having to look up to the others in the room, but she had no choice.
To her shock, Dominic stepped up to stand by her side. “It seems reasonable that the owner is involved in any decision taken.”
Val glanced up from the papers strewn across Marcus’s desk. “She’s been anything but reasonable recently.”
“Maybe because you insist on treating me like a witless female.”
Dominic’s support had affected her more than she realized. Tears threatened, but they would prove her father and brothers’ opinion of her. She had behaved badly recently, last night the culmination of a series of escapades, but her aunt’s legacy had helped her decide what she really wanted. To be her own woman, to have men regard her as a sensible person and not a featherheaded fool.
Not to be bored any more. Her sister enjoyed reading and study—that was her escape. Livia spent as much time with her nose in a book as she spent begrudgingly attending balls and society events.
While Claudia was reasonably well-read, her passion didn’t lie there. Sensing the man at her side, she feared “passion” might describe what she wanted exactly. Which was a shame. As a well-born protected young woman, she was unlikely to find that this side of marriage. She wasn’t nearly ready to marry anyone yet.
While her brothers voiced their protests, her father held up his
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