A Not So Respectable Gentleman? by Diane Gaston Page A

he had today. No, she would proceed with the original plan. She was no longer alone in this.
    Mariel giggled with excitement. She’d even managed to point to the exact spot Leo had suggested for her to meet Kellford.
    She pulled off her gloves and ran up the stairs, removing her hat as she entered her bedchamber. Penny was not there. She pulled the bell cord and undid the buttons of her spencer and sat at her writing table to compose a note.
    Penny arrived as she was finishing it. ‘You rang for me, miss?’
    ‘I have the note for you to deliver to Mr Fitzmanning, Penny.’
    The girl’s eyes widened. ‘You arranged a meeting with Lord Kellford?’
    By now Penny had overheard enough so that Mariel had filled her in on almost all the details of her situation—except those of her father’s crime.
    And Mariel’s past history with Leo.
    ‘They must receive it today.’ She folded the envelope and sealed it with a wafer. ‘Because I am meeting Kellford in the morning.’
    Penny took the note and placed it in her pocket. ‘When shall I deliver it?’
    ‘As soon as possible, I think,’ Mariel responded. ‘But help me dress for dinner first.’
    As Mariel changed into a dress suitable for dinner, she was glad that Penny knew as much as she did. It had been so lonely handling everything by herself.
    One worry nagged at her. She might adhere to the plan, but would Leo? He did not like this plan. He might take matters into his own hands somehow. Could she truly count on him to work with her?
    He’d failed her once before....

Chapter Eight
    P enny rushed out of the servants’ entrance and hurried to the line of hackney coaches on Oxford Street.
    ‘Jermyn Street, please,’ she told the jarvey.
    His brows rose and she felt herself blush. Did he think she was bound for some tryst? He was wrong!
    She climbed in the coach and leaned back against the seat.
    Hers was an important errand, one that might mean life and death to her lady.
    When Penny had been little and living with her parents above the glove shop in Chelsea, she could often hear through the wall when their neighbour, Mr Baker, beat his wife. One day Mrs Baker’s cries abruptly stopped. Her husband had killed her!
    That must not happen to Miss Covendale.
    So it was very important to bring the note to Mr Fitzmanning.
    Penny was not sure what to think of Mr Fitzmanning. He seemed like a very formidable man and always upset Miss Covendale so. Something very bad must have happened between them in the past. Penny wished she knew what it was, but that was wrong of her. It was not her place to be curious about her lady’s private matters.
    She did already know a great deal. It was a very great privilege to be taken into her lady’s confidence like she was. It was a great honour to be trusted with the important task of delivering the note to Mr Fitzmanning.
    Would she see his valet?
    Probably not, because valets usually stayed near bedchambers. Lady’s maids did, too. Mr Covendale’s valet was a fussy little man who didn’t like her at all. He was nothing at all like Mr Walker.
    Mr Walker’s face scared her a little. Not because it was ugly, though, because it wasn’t ugly. He did have some scars and a broken nose, but that wasn’t why, either. She only knew that she felt funny inside when she looked at him.
    He stared at her like Edward, the footman, stared at her, but for some reason, it did not feel bad when Mr Walker did it. Maybe it was because Mr Walker looked sad.
    She gazed out the window and saw that they were on Bond Street, not far from Piccadilly. Too nervous to even think any more, she watched out the window, counting the shops they passed, holding her breath when they turned on to Piccadilly at Burlington House.
    When the hack turned onto Jermyn Street and stopped, Penny climbed out and paid the jarvey the two shillings Miss Covendale had given her. As the hack drove away, she walked slowly down the street until she came to the right door. Taking a