him, searching for the hidden meaning behind his words, but a man so guarded as Grant Amesbury would surely never reveal his thoughts. Instead, she sipped her tea, speculating on whether his failure to spend much time at home centered on his reluctance to face the place that reminded him of all he’d lost, or whether interests in London truly captured his focus.
He sat like a shadow, so dark with his midnight hair and dark clothing. The scar running the length of one side of his face added to his aura of danger. Even so grave and defensive, he was attractive with his more-rugged-than-strictly-patrician features and alert, silvery eyes. When he smiled— if he ever smiled—he would probably be stunning.
Aunt Ruby toyed with her teacup. “I’m surprised you don’t visit your family home more often. What keeps you here in London?”
Again that darting gaze passed over the room. He sat like a coiled snake, ready to strike at the slightest provocation. As if aware of her observation, he deliberately opened his fists and affected a relaxed stance. “I have varied interests that I’m sure you’d find dull.”
“I think you underestimate our interests,” Ruby said.
He inclined his head as if conceding the argument. “I ride, fence, shoot, spend time with old friends and occasionally help them with their…endeavors. Lately, I’ve been following the political arena, what with all the talk of a vote of no confidence to remove the prime minister.” He glanced at Jocelyn as if awaiting her reaction.
Jocelyn’s heart warmed at his effort to please them with conversation when he so clearly didn’t spend his days in such a fashion. “Who knows if it will come to that, but should Lord Liverpool step down or be removed from office, I have every confidence that my father, if he is selected, will be the best prime minister that England has ever had.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Your loyalty is admirable.”
Ruby set down her teacup. “Perhaps loyalty guides my niece’s opinion, and mine as well, but my brother bridges the gap between the Whigs and Tories. And he has many devotees who’d go to the moon and back for him.”
He lifted a brow. “Fanatics?”
Frowning, Ruby shook her head. “No, of course, not—just supportive.”
He seemed to turn that over in his mind. And again came that visible rally to make small talk. He glanced at Ruby. “So Mr. Fairley is your brother? You look more of an age to be his daughter.”
Aunt Ruby grinned. “Thank you very much, sir. He is twenty years my senior. There are five children between us. I am nearer Jocelyn in age.”
He nodded absently.
Jocelyn picked up the plate of lemon cake and held it out to him. “More lemon cake?”
“No, thank you.” He stood and bowed. “Really I must be going. But I thank you for the tea and cake.”
Jocelyn stood. “I’ll see you out.”
In the main foyer, she saw to it that he got his coat and hat. “Thank you for coming. I’m sorry if you felt bullied into it. Aunt Ruby can be…forceful.”
“It was nothing.”
“Will you come to our dinner party tomorrow night?”
He inclined his head, the picture of civility. “I accept.”
Surprised he’d agreed to another social gathering, she smiled. “Seven o’clock.”
“Until then.” He moved to the door but turned back. “Miss Fairley, I hope you’ll take today’s mishap as a warning and not go to that part of town without someone to protect you.”
She shivered and rubbed her hands over her arms. Odd, but she’d been even more afraid today than she had been when the man in the study attacked her. Perhaps she simply had a sharper sense of her own mortality now. And the man today had the cold blade of a knife at her throat instead of just a hand.
She rubbed her throat slightly as if to wipe away the memory. “I would have brought a footman, but I feared a strange man would frighten Katie’s sister. She’s been ill and is quite despondent. But you’re right;
He sat like a shadow, so dark with his midnight hair and dark clothing. The scar running the length of one side of his face added to his aura of danger. Even so grave and defensive, he was attractive with his more-rugged-than-strictly-patrician features and alert, silvery eyes. When he smiled— if he ever smiled—he would probably be stunning.
Aunt Ruby toyed with her teacup. “I’m surprised you don’t visit your family home more often. What keeps you here in London?”
Again that darting gaze passed over the room. He sat like a coiled snake, ready to strike at the slightest provocation. As if aware of her observation, he deliberately opened his fists and affected a relaxed stance. “I have varied interests that I’m sure you’d find dull.”
“I think you underestimate our interests,” Ruby said.
He inclined his head as if conceding the argument. “I ride, fence, shoot, spend time with old friends and occasionally help them with their…endeavors. Lately, I’ve been following the political arena, what with all the talk of a vote of no confidence to remove the prime minister.” He glanced at Jocelyn as if awaiting her reaction.
Jocelyn’s heart warmed at his effort to please them with conversation when he so clearly didn’t spend his days in such a fashion. “Who knows if it will come to that, but should Lord Liverpool step down or be removed from office, I have every confidence that my father, if he is selected, will be the best prime minister that England has ever had.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Your loyalty is admirable.”
Ruby set down her teacup. “Perhaps loyalty guides my niece’s opinion, and mine as well, but my brother bridges the gap between the Whigs and Tories. And he has many devotees who’d go to the moon and back for him.”
He lifted a brow. “Fanatics?”
Frowning, Ruby shook her head. “No, of course, not—just supportive.”
He seemed to turn that over in his mind. And again came that visible rally to make small talk. He glanced at Ruby. “So Mr. Fairley is your brother? You look more of an age to be his daughter.”
Aunt Ruby grinned. “Thank you very much, sir. He is twenty years my senior. There are five children between us. I am nearer Jocelyn in age.”
He nodded absently.
Jocelyn picked up the plate of lemon cake and held it out to him. “More lemon cake?”
“No, thank you.” He stood and bowed. “Really I must be going. But I thank you for the tea and cake.”
Jocelyn stood. “I’ll see you out.”
In the main foyer, she saw to it that he got his coat and hat. “Thank you for coming. I’m sorry if you felt bullied into it. Aunt Ruby can be…forceful.”
“It was nothing.”
“Will you come to our dinner party tomorrow night?”
He inclined his head, the picture of civility. “I accept.”
Surprised he’d agreed to another social gathering, she smiled. “Seven o’clock.”
“Until then.” He moved to the door but turned back. “Miss Fairley, I hope you’ll take today’s mishap as a warning and not go to that part of town without someone to protect you.”
She shivered and rubbed her hands over her arms. Odd, but she’d been even more afraid today than she had been when the man in the study attacked her. Perhaps she simply had a sharper sense of her own mortality now. And the man today had the cold blade of a knife at her throat instead of just a hand.
She rubbed her throat slightly as if to wipe away the memory. “I would have brought a footman, but I feared a strange man would frighten Katie’s sister. She’s been ill and is quite despondent. But you’re right;
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