preference.”
The frown disappeared entirely and his arms went around my waist. “Then perhaps I should thank her,” he said, gazing down at me. “You look more beautiful in that color than I imagined. It’s no wonder Lord Stroud was devouring you with his eyes when I came into the room. Poor man must know he doesn’t stand a chance.”
I wanted desperately to explain about Julian and the reason he had been holding my hand a moment before. But my promise took precedence, so I settled for batting my eyes. “Lugh himself doesn’t stand a chance against you, my lord.”
“Isn’t he a Celtic sun god?”
“Yes, and a god of battle if the stories are true.”
“In that case, I’ve no cause to be jealous of a mere mortal.” He bent his head down to kiss me, allowing his mouth to linger long enough to make my heart race.
Nora cleared her throat. “Maybe we do need to come back at another time,” she said pointedly. “Or send for the clergy.”
Henry pulled back till only our foreheads touched. “No need,” he laughed, “we shall behave ourselves.”
“Good, because I’ve something to show you before my mother comes back downstairs.” She walked over and handed me a pamphlet. “I picked it up this morning while we were out.”
I looked at the cover. “A Collection of Dissenter Sermons on Morality. Surely your mother wouldn’t disapprove.”
Nora rolled her eyes. “That was just a necessary guise. You need to look inside.”
I did as she bid and found a playbill tucked in between the pages. “The Beggar’s Opera,” I read aloud.
Nora’s face glowed with excitement. “It’s playing at Drury Lane through the end of the week. What do you think? Shall we all go this evening?”
“The production is tolerable,” Henry said, his voice somewhat stiff. “I would recommend Tom Thumb instead. It’s at the Haymarket and has a far superior cast in my opinion.”
Nora turned to James. “Which do you prefer?”
“I am partial to The Beggar’s Opera, ” he admitted. “The humor can be ribald at times, though nothing so much to cause offense.” He glanced at Henry. “And the actress who plays Polly Peachum is a rare specimen, don’t you agree, my lord?”
Henry’s arm tensed on my waist. “If you say so, James.”
Intrigued by his reaction, I opened the playbill to the cast list and soon felt the blood drain from my face. Justine Rose was playing the part of Polly Peachum. Well, I for one had no intention of watching Henry’s alleged mistress prance about on stage this evening. Nor any other evening if I could help it.
Henry cleared his throat. “Neither James nor I are free tonight as we are obligated to dine with my father.”
James gave Nora a gentle look. “I would gladly cancel, but I fear the duke is not the most understanding of men.” He grinned at Henry. “The rest of the week remains clear though, my lord. How about tomorrow evening?”
“Sorry,” Henry said, a dark shadow crossing his face. “You have forgotten that I attend the men’s club every Friday.”
Nora’s eyes sparked with determination. “Then we shall go on Saturday,” she said stubbornly. “That gives you three days to clear any other engagements.”
Henry furrowed his brow in thought, as though desperately seeking another excuse.
“I’m afraid we shan’t be going to this play,” I said, keeping my gaze fixed on Nora. “Your mother will never allow it, and we’ve not enough time to create a cover. Why don’t we wait and see what is playing in a few weeks. By then we should be able to devise a credible excuse to go out unattended one night.”
“I am determined to see this show,” Nora said. “After I discovered the playbill, I told my mother that I had the beginnings of a headache and needed a remedy from the apothecary.” She withdrew a small bottle from the folds of her gown and handed it to me.
Removing the cork top, I immediately smelled laudanum. “We are not drugging your
The frown disappeared entirely and his arms went around my waist. “Then perhaps I should thank her,” he said, gazing down at me. “You look more beautiful in that color than I imagined. It’s no wonder Lord Stroud was devouring you with his eyes when I came into the room. Poor man must know he doesn’t stand a chance.”
I wanted desperately to explain about Julian and the reason he had been holding my hand a moment before. But my promise took precedence, so I settled for batting my eyes. “Lugh himself doesn’t stand a chance against you, my lord.”
“Isn’t he a Celtic sun god?”
“Yes, and a god of battle if the stories are true.”
“In that case, I’ve no cause to be jealous of a mere mortal.” He bent his head down to kiss me, allowing his mouth to linger long enough to make my heart race.
Nora cleared her throat. “Maybe we do need to come back at another time,” she said pointedly. “Or send for the clergy.”
Henry pulled back till only our foreheads touched. “No need,” he laughed, “we shall behave ourselves.”
“Good, because I’ve something to show you before my mother comes back downstairs.” She walked over and handed me a pamphlet. “I picked it up this morning while we were out.”
I looked at the cover. “A Collection of Dissenter Sermons on Morality. Surely your mother wouldn’t disapprove.”
Nora rolled her eyes. “That was just a necessary guise. You need to look inside.”
I did as she bid and found a playbill tucked in between the pages. “The Beggar’s Opera,” I read aloud.
Nora’s face glowed with excitement. “It’s playing at Drury Lane through the end of the week. What do you think? Shall we all go this evening?”
“The production is tolerable,” Henry said, his voice somewhat stiff. “I would recommend Tom Thumb instead. It’s at the Haymarket and has a far superior cast in my opinion.”
Nora turned to James. “Which do you prefer?”
“I am partial to The Beggar’s Opera, ” he admitted. “The humor can be ribald at times, though nothing so much to cause offense.” He glanced at Henry. “And the actress who plays Polly Peachum is a rare specimen, don’t you agree, my lord?”
Henry’s arm tensed on my waist. “If you say so, James.”
Intrigued by his reaction, I opened the playbill to the cast list and soon felt the blood drain from my face. Justine Rose was playing the part of Polly Peachum. Well, I for one had no intention of watching Henry’s alleged mistress prance about on stage this evening. Nor any other evening if I could help it.
Henry cleared his throat. “Neither James nor I are free tonight as we are obligated to dine with my father.”
James gave Nora a gentle look. “I would gladly cancel, but I fear the duke is not the most understanding of men.” He grinned at Henry. “The rest of the week remains clear though, my lord. How about tomorrow evening?”
“Sorry,” Henry said, a dark shadow crossing his face. “You have forgotten that I attend the men’s club every Friday.”
Nora’s eyes sparked with determination. “Then we shall go on Saturday,” she said stubbornly. “That gives you three days to clear any other engagements.”
Henry furrowed his brow in thought, as though desperately seeking another excuse.
“I’m afraid we shan’t be going to this play,” I said, keeping my gaze fixed on Nora. “Your mother will never allow it, and we’ve not enough time to create a cover. Why don’t we wait and see what is playing in a few weeks. By then we should be able to devise a credible excuse to go out unattended one night.”
“I am determined to see this show,” Nora said. “After I discovered the playbill, I told my mother that I had the beginnings of a headache and needed a remedy from the apothecary.” She withdrew a small bottle from the folds of her gown and handed it to me.
Removing the cork top, I immediately smelled laudanum. “We are not drugging your
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