stare from under her lashes that clearly said, Yes, what is it we are discussing, oh great teacher?
But the look he returned was easy and unconcerned.
Replacing a last lid, his own plate replenished, he turned and strolled back to the table. “I was just agreeing to give Ariadne some instruction.”
Only long practice enabled her to hide her shock. What on earth was he saying? Surely he wasn’t about to reveal their affair to Emma and Nick?
But he resumed his seat at the table as if his remark was nothing out of the ordinary. Biting the inside of her lip, she slid into the chair across from him.
“Instruction?” Emma asked. “And whatever might you be planning to teach our Ariadne?”
“Yes,” Nick said, joining the conversation. “I find I’m most intrigued to hear as well.”
Rupert’s gaze met Ariadne’s as he calmly chewed, then swallowed, a forkful of eggs and blood sausage. He wiped his mouth on his napkin, clearly in no hurry to answer.
She frowned as subtly as she could and gave a nearly imperceptible shake of her head, warning him to remain silent.
He smiled serenely back. “She told me she’s been dying to learn to drive a carriage, so I’ve decided to give her a few lessons.”
Driving lessons? Was that supposed to be the big secret?
If her foot could have reached, she would have kicked him underneath the table for putting her through so much unnecessary anxiety. But as far as stories went, she had to admit, he’d thought of a good one.
Emma turned to her. “I didn’t realize you were interested in learning to drive. Why did you never mention it before?”
And why, said Emma’s look, did you decide to mention it to Rupert, of all people?
“Oh, it’s a recent development,” she said in a breezy tone. Picking up the scone on her plate, she broke it in two, delaying. “You remember when Mr. Elliston took me for a spin in his high perch phaeton. I had a magnificent time and have been toying ever since with the idea of learning to take up the ribbons myself.”
Emma smiled. “Well, that does sound like something that would appeal to your sense of daring and adventure.”
“Yes,” Ariadne agreed, warming to the theme. “I shall cut quite a dashing figure driving my own equipage, do you not agree?”
“Indeed.” Emma turned toward her brother. “But how did you come to be involved in this undertaking, Rupert?”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness, do tell Emma and Nick all the details,” Ariadne urged.
Rupert pinned her with a look that promised retribution at some later date.
Now who wanted to kick the other person underneath the table?
He raised his cup to his mouth and took a long, deep swallow. “It’s quite simple. I chanced upon Ariadne at a party where she was discussing the idea with a few of her suitors. She was debating which gentleman to accept, despite her obvious lack of knowledge as to whether the gentlemen in question were nothing but a bunch of ham-fisted dolts.”
Quietly, he replaced his cup on its saucer. “Ordinarily I would have left matters as they were, but I feared she would choose unwisely and land herself on the scandal pages. Rather than letting the situation get out of hand, which it was sure to do with Ariadne involved, I offered to provide her instruction. She quite wisely said yes.”
Ariadne’s eyes narrowed. “Although it’s not too late to change my mind.”
“But you won’t,” he said confidently. “You want this too badly.”
Her pulse kicked into a faster rhythm.
Fearing that she might give herself away, she looked down at her plate.
“Well, I for one think it an excellent notion that you learn to drive, Ariadne,” Nick stated from his end of the table. “More women ought to have at least a rudimentary understanding of how to handle a carriage. Who knows when an emergency might arise and leave a lady in need of such an ability?”
Ariadne looked up, surprised, and a bit chagrined, to have Nick’s support.
“Really?”
But the look he returned was easy and unconcerned.
Replacing a last lid, his own plate replenished, he turned and strolled back to the table. “I was just agreeing to give Ariadne some instruction.”
Only long practice enabled her to hide her shock. What on earth was he saying? Surely he wasn’t about to reveal their affair to Emma and Nick?
But he resumed his seat at the table as if his remark was nothing out of the ordinary. Biting the inside of her lip, she slid into the chair across from him.
“Instruction?” Emma asked. “And whatever might you be planning to teach our Ariadne?”
“Yes,” Nick said, joining the conversation. “I find I’m most intrigued to hear as well.”
Rupert’s gaze met Ariadne’s as he calmly chewed, then swallowed, a forkful of eggs and blood sausage. He wiped his mouth on his napkin, clearly in no hurry to answer.
She frowned as subtly as she could and gave a nearly imperceptible shake of her head, warning him to remain silent.
He smiled serenely back. “She told me she’s been dying to learn to drive a carriage, so I’ve decided to give her a few lessons.”
Driving lessons? Was that supposed to be the big secret?
If her foot could have reached, she would have kicked him underneath the table for putting her through so much unnecessary anxiety. But as far as stories went, she had to admit, he’d thought of a good one.
Emma turned to her. “I didn’t realize you were interested in learning to drive. Why did you never mention it before?”
And why, said Emma’s look, did you decide to mention it to Rupert, of all people?
“Oh, it’s a recent development,” she said in a breezy tone. Picking up the scone on her plate, she broke it in two, delaying. “You remember when Mr. Elliston took me for a spin in his high perch phaeton. I had a magnificent time and have been toying ever since with the idea of learning to take up the ribbons myself.”
Emma smiled. “Well, that does sound like something that would appeal to your sense of daring and adventure.”
“Yes,” Ariadne agreed, warming to the theme. “I shall cut quite a dashing figure driving my own equipage, do you not agree?”
“Indeed.” Emma turned toward her brother. “But how did you come to be involved in this undertaking, Rupert?”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness, do tell Emma and Nick all the details,” Ariadne urged.
Rupert pinned her with a look that promised retribution at some later date.
Now who wanted to kick the other person underneath the table?
He raised his cup to his mouth and took a long, deep swallow. “It’s quite simple. I chanced upon Ariadne at a party where she was discussing the idea with a few of her suitors. She was debating which gentleman to accept, despite her obvious lack of knowledge as to whether the gentlemen in question were nothing but a bunch of ham-fisted dolts.”
Quietly, he replaced his cup on its saucer. “Ordinarily I would have left matters as they were, but I feared she would choose unwisely and land herself on the scandal pages. Rather than letting the situation get out of hand, which it was sure to do with Ariadne involved, I offered to provide her instruction. She quite wisely said yes.”
Ariadne’s eyes narrowed. “Although it’s not too late to change my mind.”
“But you won’t,” he said confidently. “You want this too badly.”
Her pulse kicked into a faster rhythm.
Fearing that she might give herself away, she looked down at her plate.
“Well, I for one think it an excellent notion that you learn to drive, Ariadne,” Nick stated from his end of the table. “More women ought to have at least a rudimentary understanding of how to handle a carriage. Who knows when an emergency might arise and leave a lady in need of such an ability?”
Ariadne looked up, surprised, and a bit chagrined, to have Nick’s support.
“Really?”
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