hand away and pulled a face at Aylesbury before dashing away as fast as her legs could carry her . Not to the trees to the north but to the east and the heavy traffic of Hyde Park Corner beyond.
Aylesbury watched her go . “You know, I think the little minx meant to lead you into an ambush. To rob you,” he clarified. “It’s probably her specialty, luring wealthy ladies into a situation where a footpad or two is waiting to fleece them.”
“What a horrid thought,” Fiona said with a shudder.
Aylesbury shrugged. “It’s often a horrid world.”
Fiona shifted from one foot to the other . “I suppose you expect me to thank you?”
“Thank me . Forgive me.” Aylesbury shrugged as if either would do.
“You make it such an easy choice.”
Aylesbury canted his head to one side, his blue eyes probing deeply into hers. “Are you ever going to forgive me?”
Eyeing him just as intently, she tilted her head in an allusion of a shrug . “It doesn’t matter really. I’ll be gone from London before too long and it will be a moot point.”
“Gone from London?” he repeated . “With this man you say you love? Are you going to marry him then? Who’s the lucky man?”
“Donovan Ramsay .” Fiona’s dark side found no little pleasure in the ability to provide a name. To let him know how thoroughly she had moved on. “Do you know him?”
Aylesbury raised a brow . “Donovan Ramsay? Good God, Fiona, the man’s a knock away from Death’s door!” He whistled under his breath then. “Damned but you’ll be a rich widow before the honeymoon’s over. My hat’s off to you, my dear.”
“You’re such a bastard, Harry,” Fiona muttered under her breath . Though the words carried all the derision she hoped for, Aylesbury’s jest without a hint of upset scored at her heart. It shouldn’t, she knew. Aylesbury had made his feelings for her quite clear long ago. “I am not referring to the Earl of Carron himself but his nephew. Quite likely you knew that and are only poking fun, as you tend to and…”
But Aylesbury wasn’t listening, instead his attention was wholly focused on something else . Following his gaze, Fiona could see nothing but pedestrians on foot and a carriage or two.
“What …?”
“I must go,” he said abruptly, already turning away . “My apologies.”
Running back to his horse, Aylesbury mounted hastily and spurred the horse into a gallop before he had even fully gained his seat . Wandering back towards Eve, Fiona watched him go only to realize that he was chasing after a pair of ladies in one of the carriages. Even from a distance she could hear him call to them.
“What was that all about?” Eve asked curiously as Aylesbury pulled up next to the carriage and tipped his hat to greet the ladies.
“Are you surprised?” Fiona grumbled, rejoining her sister-in-law on the blanket and drawing Lela into her lap. Ilona had returned as well, leaving the two boys under the supervision of their nanny. Fiona shrugged as if it were nothing to have a care over, even though she was stung by sudden Aylesbury’s abandonment. Who were the ladies in the carriage? Was one of them his mysterious “she?” “He’s a practiced flirt who simply cannot help spreading himself around.”
Taking the toddler’s hands in hers, Fiona clapped them together in a gentle Pat-a-Cake.
“I don’t think he’s as capricious as you think,” Eve disagreed. “In fact, I do believe he fancies you, Fiona.”
Fiona snorted dismissively, denying herself the stab of pleasure Eve’s words brought. “There are many things Aylesbury fancies, not the least being Vin’s wife or Richard’s for that matter. But not me. Aylesbury was quite clear on that point. Why I’d have a foot in the grave before that changed!”
A frown furrowed between Ilona’s brows. “He said as much?”
Two years ago . But, “Yes.”
“Did he really?” Eve tapped a finger against her lips thoughtfully. “Perhaps he changed his
Aylesbury watched her go . “You know, I think the little minx meant to lead you into an ambush. To rob you,” he clarified. “It’s probably her specialty, luring wealthy ladies into a situation where a footpad or two is waiting to fleece them.”
“What a horrid thought,” Fiona said with a shudder.
Aylesbury shrugged. “It’s often a horrid world.”
Fiona shifted from one foot to the other . “I suppose you expect me to thank you?”
“Thank me . Forgive me.” Aylesbury shrugged as if either would do.
“You make it such an easy choice.”
Aylesbury canted his head to one side, his blue eyes probing deeply into hers. “Are you ever going to forgive me?”
Eyeing him just as intently, she tilted her head in an allusion of a shrug . “It doesn’t matter really. I’ll be gone from London before too long and it will be a moot point.”
“Gone from London?” he repeated . “With this man you say you love? Are you going to marry him then? Who’s the lucky man?”
“Donovan Ramsay .” Fiona’s dark side found no little pleasure in the ability to provide a name. To let him know how thoroughly she had moved on. “Do you know him?”
Aylesbury raised a brow . “Donovan Ramsay? Good God, Fiona, the man’s a knock away from Death’s door!” He whistled under his breath then. “Damned but you’ll be a rich widow before the honeymoon’s over. My hat’s off to you, my dear.”
“You’re such a bastard, Harry,” Fiona muttered under her breath . Though the words carried all the derision she hoped for, Aylesbury’s jest without a hint of upset scored at her heart. It shouldn’t, she knew. Aylesbury had made his feelings for her quite clear long ago. “I am not referring to the Earl of Carron himself but his nephew. Quite likely you knew that and are only poking fun, as you tend to and…”
But Aylesbury wasn’t listening, instead his attention was wholly focused on something else . Following his gaze, Fiona could see nothing but pedestrians on foot and a carriage or two.
“What …?”
“I must go,” he said abruptly, already turning away . “My apologies.”
Running back to his horse, Aylesbury mounted hastily and spurred the horse into a gallop before he had even fully gained his seat . Wandering back towards Eve, Fiona watched him go only to realize that he was chasing after a pair of ladies in one of the carriages. Even from a distance she could hear him call to them.
“What was that all about?” Eve asked curiously as Aylesbury pulled up next to the carriage and tipped his hat to greet the ladies.
“Are you surprised?” Fiona grumbled, rejoining her sister-in-law on the blanket and drawing Lela into her lap. Ilona had returned as well, leaving the two boys under the supervision of their nanny. Fiona shrugged as if it were nothing to have a care over, even though she was stung by sudden Aylesbury’s abandonment. Who were the ladies in the carriage? Was one of them his mysterious “she?” “He’s a practiced flirt who simply cannot help spreading himself around.”
Taking the toddler’s hands in hers, Fiona clapped them together in a gentle Pat-a-Cake.
“I don’t think he’s as capricious as you think,” Eve disagreed. “In fact, I do believe he fancies you, Fiona.”
Fiona snorted dismissively, denying herself the stab of pleasure Eve’s words brought. “There are many things Aylesbury fancies, not the least being Vin’s wife or Richard’s for that matter. But not me. Aylesbury was quite clear on that point. Why I’d have a foot in the grave before that changed!”
A frown furrowed between Ilona’s brows. “He said as much?”
Two years ago . But, “Yes.”
“Did he really?” Eve tapped a finger against her lips thoughtfully. “Perhaps he changed his
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