Hint of Desire by Lavinia Kent Page B

with me, child. It’s clear you’ve been shunning him to the best of your abilities. I don’t see what possible argument you could have against him. He’s done nothing but care for you far beyond the normal call of his duty. Can’t think why he’d show such attention and care, can you?”
    Lily ignored the question and addressed the first part of the statement . “Of course, you are correct, my lady. He does fulfill his duty. I don’t know why you should assume that I am angry.”
    Lady Smythe-Burke turned a silent glare, every bit as eloquent as her nephew’s . It was the first occasion all week that Lily observed the lady keeping silence.
    Lily finally spoke, “You must mistake my manner. I am merely nervous of returning to Marclyffe.”
    “Of what have you to be nervous ? It’s a lovely house. I attended several parties there in my youth. Of course it was such a pity that the main line died out and the title passed to your husband’s father – not top drawer at all. Still I am sure that you were happy enough married to an earl. Not something a girl would complain of, is it?” Lady Smythe-Burke caught her again in that piercing glance that seemed to see through her.
    Lily did not answer.
    “Well,” Lady Smythe-Burke continued, “If you have no complaints then I’d have thought you’d be happier about returning to your home, and returning your son to his lands. To be sure, if you didn’t want to go back or had problems you needed help with, no doubt you’d be cleverer about it than to antagonize Westlake. Surely, even a young thing like you would know her way around a man better than to avoid him for a week.
    “Now run back to the nursery or wher ever it is you disappear to. I can see you’re ready to scamper off again. I do expect you to bring the young lad down later in the afternoon. He’s a delightful armful. I was afraid he’d keep me up half the night with his screaming, but somebody always seems to comfort him on the first yell. Never thought I’d see Westlake walking the halls with a baby at his shoulder. You know your son has your mother’s eyes. Now, she was of good stock.”
    Lily paused for a minute at those words and then turned and fled, her mind racing up the stairs ahead of her. How could Lady Smythe-Burke know about her mother? She was so tired of tracking secrets and trying to understand who knew what.
     
     
    Lily suppressed the urge to pace . Every day seemed to bring a new worry. First, the fear of returning to Marclyffe, then the magistrate’s man, and now Lady Smythe-Burke knew something. Lily didn’t know why it was so important that Arthur not make the connection between the quiet, brave girl she’d been all those years ago, and the tentative woman she had become, but the fear of that revelation sliced into her soul.
    Lily stared at the additional vase of ruby blossoms . Why did that blasted man keep sending her flowers? Despite Lady Smythe-Burke’s words, Lily wanted to ignore him. She had to plot her escape if the magistrate came, to decide if she could bring Simon back to Maryclyffe, to decide if she dared trust Burberry. She knew her mother had, but men could turn so quickly. She’d been tempted to trust Arthur to be her hero, but he was not the sweet prince she remembered.
    She glanced at the flowers again.
    But how did one ignore a man who had warm milk and sweets brought to you at midnight when Simon awoke? And after Lady Smythe-Burke’s comments Lily had crept out of her own room late at night to catch Arthur holding her son and bouncing across the room with a surprising dignity. She’d slipped back to her room and pretended not to see. Arthur would turn cold and tell her she should have Nanny take the baby upstairs, but then, when he thought nobody watched, he’d be the first to arrive when Simon started to fuss. He was impossible to understand.
    And the flowers. She’d enjoyed the first simple bouquet, but from the moment she expressed her pleasure they