man wasn’t possible, and even worse, it lent him that spark of disarmingly handsome charm she’d witnessed earlier.
“Josephine, where would I be without a good friend like you?” Cousin Felicity was asking. “But there was no need. Come to think of it, I do believe Lord Ashlin was visiting with some fellow just back from some savage place or another. And in the most outlandish garb.”
“Well, you should implore him not to associate with such people. This is Ashlin Square, not the democratic rabble of Oxford.”
“How right you are. I assure you, I will pass on your sentiments the moment he returns. But in the meantime, you should come upstairs and we’ll have our tea,” Cousin Felicity said. “I have the most engaging news about Miss Pindar and my dear Mason.”
“You mean…”
The ladies’ voices trailed off, their footsteps passing overhead as the gossiping pair ascended the steps. As soon as the door to Cousin Felicity’s salon closed, Belton opened the door to the closet.
There, much to the stalwart man’s horror, he found the master of the house with an actress in his arms, kissing the woman in a most indecent fashion.
In his forty years of service at Ashlin House, the poor butler was loath to admit it wasn’t the first time that closet had been used thusly by the lord of the house.
Mason realized only too late that the door was wide open, and his momentary lapse of honor was now beingwitnessed by not only Belton, but a gawking housemaid and footman.
He immediately set Madame Fontaine aside, probably a little too abruptly, because the woman faltered and swayed as if she’d consumed a decanter of port, while those damnable feathers in her hat winked and swayed at him like a trio of conspirators.
And as her gaze focused on Belton and the other servants, her cheeks pinked to a bright shade, as if she’d never been so embarrassed in her life.
Then again, he knew how she felt—and after he’d just spent the morning telling Belton how he was going to return the house to order and regain his seat at Merton College, then he’d gone and done this…this unpardonable act. This giant step backward in the Ashlin family evolution.
“Well, yes, there now, everything seems in order…” Mason muttered, stepping out of the closet as if nothing were out of the ordinary. If only he felt that way—instead of his blood raging with a new fire—a veritable Ashlin blaze of impropriety. He straightened his jacket and took another few steps into the foyer. “I see Lady Delander has been dispatched upstairs without any further incident. Good work, Belton. If you would call a hackney and locate Mr. Hashim, we will see our guests away before there are any other difficulties.”
Now that was the way to handle the situation, he thought, as Belton sent a footman for the cab, leaving him only one person left to be dealt with—the lady herself.
For once he wished he had Freddie’s experience in these matters. His brother would have known the right witty words to set them both laughing and call an end to this uncomfortable awkwardness.
While he considered what to say, dismissing half adozen or so dry comments, she bustled right past him.
Then she let out a pretty sigh and went to work straightening her dress and bonnet, finishing her toilet with a quick pat to her hair.
“You needn’t worry,” he said. “You look quite tolerable.”
Her brows arched. “Tolerable? Is that what I am?” She turned her back to him, her foot tapping impatiently.
Bother! Now he’d gone and insulted her. And he hadn’t the slightest clue why. “What I meant was, that you appear as if nothing happened. It wasn’t as if anything did. Quite the opposite, wouldn’t you say?” He added a laugh, hoping she’d see the humor in the situation though he wasn’t too sure that it was amusing in the least.
Not when what he really wanted to do was to catch her up in his arms again and continue where he’d left off.
Oh, yes
“Josephine, where would I be without a good friend like you?” Cousin Felicity was asking. “But there was no need. Come to think of it, I do believe Lord Ashlin was visiting with some fellow just back from some savage place or another. And in the most outlandish garb.”
“Well, you should implore him not to associate with such people. This is Ashlin Square, not the democratic rabble of Oxford.”
“How right you are. I assure you, I will pass on your sentiments the moment he returns. But in the meantime, you should come upstairs and we’ll have our tea,” Cousin Felicity said. “I have the most engaging news about Miss Pindar and my dear Mason.”
“You mean…”
The ladies’ voices trailed off, their footsteps passing overhead as the gossiping pair ascended the steps. As soon as the door to Cousin Felicity’s salon closed, Belton opened the door to the closet.
There, much to the stalwart man’s horror, he found the master of the house with an actress in his arms, kissing the woman in a most indecent fashion.
In his forty years of service at Ashlin House, the poor butler was loath to admit it wasn’t the first time that closet had been used thusly by the lord of the house.
Mason realized only too late that the door was wide open, and his momentary lapse of honor was now beingwitnessed by not only Belton, but a gawking housemaid and footman.
He immediately set Madame Fontaine aside, probably a little too abruptly, because the woman faltered and swayed as if she’d consumed a decanter of port, while those damnable feathers in her hat winked and swayed at him like a trio of conspirators.
And as her gaze focused on Belton and the other servants, her cheeks pinked to a bright shade, as if she’d never been so embarrassed in her life.
Then again, he knew how she felt—and after he’d just spent the morning telling Belton how he was going to return the house to order and regain his seat at Merton College, then he’d gone and done this…this unpardonable act. This giant step backward in the Ashlin family evolution.
“Well, yes, there now, everything seems in order…” Mason muttered, stepping out of the closet as if nothing were out of the ordinary. If only he felt that way—instead of his blood raging with a new fire—a veritable Ashlin blaze of impropriety. He straightened his jacket and took another few steps into the foyer. “I see Lady Delander has been dispatched upstairs without any further incident. Good work, Belton. If you would call a hackney and locate Mr. Hashim, we will see our guests away before there are any other difficulties.”
Now that was the way to handle the situation, he thought, as Belton sent a footman for the cab, leaving him only one person left to be dealt with—the lady herself.
For once he wished he had Freddie’s experience in these matters. His brother would have known the right witty words to set them both laughing and call an end to this uncomfortable awkwardness.
While he considered what to say, dismissing half adozen or so dry comments, she bustled right past him.
Then she let out a pretty sigh and went to work straightening her dress and bonnet, finishing her toilet with a quick pat to her hair.
“You needn’t worry,” he said. “You look quite tolerable.”
Her brows arched. “Tolerable? Is that what I am?” She turned her back to him, her foot tapping impatiently.
Bother! Now he’d gone and insulted her. And he hadn’t the slightest clue why. “What I meant was, that you appear as if nothing happened. It wasn’t as if anything did. Quite the opposite, wouldn’t you say?” He added a laugh, hoping she’d see the humor in the situation though he wasn’t too sure that it was amusing in the least.
Not when what he really wanted to do was to catch her up in his arms again and continue where he’d left off.
Oh, yes
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