bandit to the lord.
None of her unhappy musings, however, could erase the feel of his lips on hers, or the memory of the heat that had seared through her veins.
And whatever in the world would he and Agatha find to talk about?
Overwhelmed at last by her curiosity, Harmony cautiously opened the door. When she saw the corridor was deserted, she ran for the stairs.
“I’m so sorry to hear your sister is … under the weather … again.” Anthony smiled to cover the sting of disappointment. He was not fooled in the least by the excuse. “Please tell her I hope she recovers soon.”
“Oh, I will. I certainly will, Lord Allen. But won’t you sit down and have a cup of tea with me before you leave?”
Anthony eyed the uncomfortable-looking parlor furniture. “I haven’t the time for tea, thank you. I’m leaving on the morrow and have to ride to London to finish up some business before I go. But I’ll stay for a few minutes,” he finished politely.
Harmony, concealed behind the door in Mrs. Rutledge’s usual listening post, pressed a hand to her mouth. Anthony was leaving tomorrow? Something unpleasant stirred in the pit of her stomach.
“When you leave tomorrow, you’ll be going north, I understand,” Harmony heard her sister say.
“Yes, indeed. I’ll be leaving London early. It’s quite a distance.”
Early? Then he wouldn’t call again. Harmony closed her eyes and pressed against the wall to keep from rushing into the parlor.
“Where, exactly, is your home?” Agatha queried.
“Almost on the Scottish border.”
“Near which town, I mean,” Agatha persisted.
“Near a lake, actually,” Anthony replied smoothly. “The prettiest lake in the north of England.”
“How nice for you.” Agatha smiled and folded her hands in her lap. “Might I inquire if you have family?”
“Of course you may. And I’ll tell that I do. My father passed on, but my mother lives in a cottage on the estate.” Anthony chuckled. “She says she prefers it to the drafty old house she had to live in with my father all those years.”
“She sounds like a very practical woman,” Agatha said approvingly. “Have you any brothers or sisters?”
Anthony shook his head. “I’m an only child.”
“Cousins?”
“Distant ones, spread about the country. We’re not a particularly cozy family.”
I see. Well, neither was ours, actually. As you may know, my sister and our parents lived in the United States.”
“Yes, I did know. It’s an interesting country. I hope to visit one day.”
Agatha sniffed. “I’m sure you’ll find, as I did, you’re far better suited to the British Isles. You’re aristocracy, after all. Although …” Agatha tilted her head to one side coquettishly and smiled demurely. “I’ve never heard of the name ‘Farmington’ before. Not that I know all the lords of the realm, of course.”
“It would be quite impossible to know them all, I’m sure.” Anthony rose swiftly to his feet. “I don’t mean to be rude, or abrupt, but I really must be on my way.”
“Oh, Lord Allen … I hope I haven’t put you off with all my questions!”
“Not at all, dear lady. I simply must be on about my business.”
“Of course. Such an important man …”
Harmony lost the shape of the words when Anthony and Agatha left the parlor.
Tomorrow. He was leaving in the morning. She would never see him again. The unpleasantness rumbled once more in her stomach.
This time, however, it was of her own choosing. He’d been deceitful. She didn’t
want
to see him again.
Good riddance to him.
As if to punctuate her last thought, thunder boomed directly overhead, followed by a blindingly bright flash of lightning. Harmony wondered if his coach horses had been frightened and run off with him. At the very least, he’d probably get a good soaking.
Harmony smiled.
Harmony was unable to see the front drive from her bedroom window. She could hear nothing either. But he had to be gone by now. His
None of her unhappy musings, however, could erase the feel of his lips on hers, or the memory of the heat that had seared through her veins.
And whatever in the world would he and Agatha find to talk about?
Overwhelmed at last by her curiosity, Harmony cautiously opened the door. When she saw the corridor was deserted, she ran for the stairs.
“I’m so sorry to hear your sister is … under the weather … again.” Anthony smiled to cover the sting of disappointment. He was not fooled in the least by the excuse. “Please tell her I hope she recovers soon.”
“Oh, I will. I certainly will, Lord Allen. But won’t you sit down and have a cup of tea with me before you leave?”
Anthony eyed the uncomfortable-looking parlor furniture. “I haven’t the time for tea, thank you. I’m leaving on the morrow and have to ride to London to finish up some business before I go. But I’ll stay for a few minutes,” he finished politely.
Harmony, concealed behind the door in Mrs. Rutledge’s usual listening post, pressed a hand to her mouth. Anthony was leaving tomorrow? Something unpleasant stirred in the pit of her stomach.
“When you leave tomorrow, you’ll be going north, I understand,” Harmony heard her sister say.
“Yes, indeed. I’ll be leaving London early. It’s quite a distance.”
Early? Then he wouldn’t call again. Harmony closed her eyes and pressed against the wall to keep from rushing into the parlor.
“Where, exactly, is your home?” Agatha queried.
“Almost on the Scottish border.”
“Near which town, I mean,” Agatha persisted.
“Near a lake, actually,” Anthony replied smoothly. “The prettiest lake in the north of England.”
“How nice for you.” Agatha smiled and folded her hands in her lap. “Might I inquire if you have family?”
“Of course you may. And I’ll tell that I do. My father passed on, but my mother lives in a cottage on the estate.” Anthony chuckled. “She says she prefers it to the drafty old house she had to live in with my father all those years.”
“She sounds like a very practical woman,” Agatha said approvingly. “Have you any brothers or sisters?”
Anthony shook his head. “I’m an only child.”
“Cousins?”
“Distant ones, spread about the country. We’re not a particularly cozy family.”
I see. Well, neither was ours, actually. As you may know, my sister and our parents lived in the United States.”
“Yes, I did know. It’s an interesting country. I hope to visit one day.”
Agatha sniffed. “I’m sure you’ll find, as I did, you’re far better suited to the British Isles. You’re aristocracy, after all. Although …” Agatha tilted her head to one side coquettishly and smiled demurely. “I’ve never heard of the name ‘Farmington’ before. Not that I know all the lords of the realm, of course.”
“It would be quite impossible to know them all, I’m sure.” Anthony rose swiftly to his feet. “I don’t mean to be rude, or abrupt, but I really must be on my way.”
“Oh, Lord Allen … I hope I haven’t put you off with all my questions!”
“Not at all, dear lady. I simply must be on about my business.”
“Of course. Such an important man …”
Harmony lost the shape of the words when Anthony and Agatha left the parlor.
Tomorrow. He was leaving in the morning. She would never see him again. The unpleasantness rumbled once more in her stomach.
This time, however, it was of her own choosing. He’d been deceitful. She didn’t
want
to see him again.
Good riddance to him.
As if to punctuate her last thought, thunder boomed directly overhead, followed by a blindingly bright flash of lightning. Harmony wondered if his coach horses had been frightened and run off with him. At the very least, he’d probably get a good soaking.
Harmony smiled.
Harmony was unable to see the front drive from her bedroom window. She could hear nothing either. But he had to be gone by now. His
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