Page 23 of The Lady Was Lying (Greydon #3)

Chapter Ten

“W here are you going?” Belinda asked Jane the following afternoon, when she came upon her sister peering into the mirror in the front hall, her fur-lined pelisse already buttoned at the throat.

“The duke is taking me for a drive,” Jane replied, adjusting the single curl that rested against her shoulder and smiling at her reflection.

“He’s what?” Belinda’s hands landed on her hips as she took in the otherwise empty space. She probably should have been happy for Jane, but for some reason, she wasn’t.

“Taking me for a drive,” Jane repeated, more slowly this time.

Belinda looked at her blankly. Why was Jane acting as if she already knew?

“When he escorted you back to Sebastian, I apologized for missing our dance and then suggested an outing this afternoon. He offered to drive me through the park if the weather was fine.”

“Oh…of course.” Under no circumstance would she admit that she didn’t remember the conversation. Her brain had been elsewhere, too tied up in her reaction to their dance. “Are you waiting for Emmeline?”

“She’s resting. You know how tired she gets in the afternoon when she is increasing.”

“Then who will be your chaperone? Sebastian?”

“He’s with his secretary. I hardly need a chaperone to ride in an open carriage.

” Jane laughed as she picked up her hat and began to pin it at an angle.

“It is perfectly respectable for an unmarried woman to enjoy a jaunt with a gentleman. The sun is shining, and the park and surrounding streets will be crowded with others who wish to enjoy the day. We won’t be alone for a single moment. ”

Belinda knew from experience that James would not take liberties even if the opportunity presented itself. The problem was that rumors could start about the most inconsequential things. It was foolish to risk Jane’s reputation when Belinda had nothing better to do than accompany her.

The irony of offering to be a chaperone was not lost on her. Was there anyone less qualified?

“I could do with some fresh air,” she announced. “I’d be happy to join you.”

Jane smiled sunnily. “If you truly believe it is necessary, I suppose you can, but don’t feel as if you must. I’m quite certain I can manage on my own.”

After adjusting the curl on her shoulder one more time and pinching her cheeks, Jane sailed out of the townhouse without waiting for Belinda.

“Isn’t necessary,” Belinda muttered to herself as she donned her pelisse and secured her hat, pointedly not examining herself in the mirror when she was finished.

With an exaggerated huff, she exited the house and found James standing next to a shiny, high-seated phaeton. Jane had already settled on the far side of the bench, the picture of elegance in pale blue muslin, a matching pelisse, and snowy-white gloves.

“How lovely that you decided to join us,” James said, sounding genuine.

Belinda looked from Jane to James and back at the phaeton. As if he knew exactly what Belinda was thinking, James leaned toward her and murmured, “It’s going to be a bit tight for three.”

“I cannot allow Jane to gallivant about London without a chaperone, so we’ll have to manage,” she replied briskly, trying to ignore the way his warm breath whispered over her cheek.

He straightened and nodded solemnly. “I defer to your superior judgment. Shall we?”

She placed her fingers in his outstretched palm.

What a mistake.

Awareness shot up her arm, taking her back to the night before when he’d clenched her fingers in much the same way while he’d twirled her about the dance floor.

Attempting to ignore her unreasonable reaction to his polite assistance, she climbed into the phaeton and plastered herself as close to her sister as possible.

It wasn’t close enough .

When James joined them a moment later, the left side of his body pressed flush against the right side of Belinda’s. They were touching from shoulder to thigh, and the many layers of fabric between them were not enough of a barrier to hinder her body’s response.

Every nerve came alive.

She didn’t hate the way being close to him made her feel, but it was unnerving. Before him, she had never felt so much from so little. In the past, she had pressed herself against someone and experienced nothing other than a physical sensation.

Why was he different?

And what should she do about it?

For some inexplicable reason, she had the urge to reach out and place her hand on the length of his thigh.

The urge was so strong that her arm twitched in his direction before she placed it in her lap.

Clutching her hands tightly together, she resolutely stared forward as the phaeton began to roll down the street.

“What a beautiful day,” Jane remarked, leaning forward and beaming directly at James. “I’m so glad you were available this afternoon. I feel awful that I missed our dance yesterday. It was such good fortune that Belinda was able to take my place.”

“Good fortune,” Belinda mouthed to herself while James chuckled.

“Lady Belinda was most kind to dance with me. I was surprised by her willingness, since she hadn’t danced all evening.”

“Don’t let her lack of dancing fool you,” Jane said. “She loves to dance.”

Belinda frowned. Why did Jane constantly declare that she loved to dance?

Jane leaned forward even further, as if she couldn’t resist staring at the duke, and Belinda’s arm shot out. “You’re going to fall.”

Jane giggled. “I don’t think so. I’m wedged far too tightly to fall.”

“Do you require more space?” Was there any to spare?

Belinda wiggled a bit but succeeded only in plastering the side of her breast against James’s bicep. She gasped at the unexpected contact, straightening her spine and holding herself rigid so that it didn’t happen again.

Thankfully, James didn’t seem to notice her reaction.

“Not at all. I’m quite comfortable,” Jane replied, as if she also hadn’t noticed Belinda’s suddenly stiff posture. “Your Grace, are you attending the viscount’s soiree this evening?”

“Regrettably, no. My mother is keen on the pianoforte and has accepted an invitation to a musical. She asked if I would like to join her.”

“The one hosted by Lady Greene?” Jane asked.

When he nodded, she continued, “You will not be disappointed by the musical. Miss Genevieve Arte is expected to play. She is the most gifted pianist I have ever heard. Her voice is like an angel. Rumor has it that her intended is going to accompany her in a duet.”

“Have you heard him sing?” Belinda asked.

“No. But I can’t imagine Miss Arte would allow him to accompany her if he wasn’t capable.”

“It seems as if you enjoy music as much as my mother,” James commented. “I’m surprised you are not attending.”

“Sebastian is not terribly fond of musicals. He finds them tedious, and since they aren’t the easiest place to socialize, he selected another invitation for tonight.”

“I do not have much experience with musicals myself,” James admitted.

“Lady Greene is quite discerning about whom she allows to play. Her daughters are all musically inclined. And she only invites others to perform who are up to the task.”

Belinda was rather confused by her sister’s extensive knowledge of Lady Greene’s entertaining habits. “You’ve never been to one of Lady Greene’s musicals.”

“Are you suggesting I’m incorrect?” Jane queried.

“Not at all. I simply wasn’t aware you were this interested in music.”

“I’ve been playing and singing since I was girl, and I practice nearly every day.”

Belinda held up her hands. “You are quite gifted. I simply didn’t realize that you would prefer to attend musicals over other engagements. Why haven’t you told Sebastian?”

“Because it isn’t important. I’m more than happy to go to the soiree this evening.”

“But you’d rather go to the musical,” Belinda insisted.

Jane hmphed. “Not necessarily. I want to experience a wide variety of entertainment and meet as many people as I can.”

“Understood,” Belinda responded, unsure why her sister seemed disgruntled.

She hadn’t meant to be irritating. There had never been an activity that appealed to her enough to prefer it, but if there had been, she would have informed Sebastian.

It wasn’t her fault that she’d assumed her sister would do the same.

In an effort to ease the tension, she joked, “Since you’re missing the musical, perhaps I should play for you when we return home.”

“If you’d like,” Jane replied.

“I wasn’t being serious. We both know I’m horrible at the pianoforte.”

“Untrue. Your playing is perfectly respectable,” Jane lied.

Belinda snorted. “I am about as accomplished as Arianna.”

“Heavens, Belinda. You might not be the best, but you aren’t terrible.”

“Not terrible.” Belinda grinned. “I suppose that is almost correct.”

* * *

James couldn’t help smiling as Belinda and Jane bickered about whether Belinda was proficient at the pianoforte. It didn’t much matter to him whether either of them could play, but Jane seemed determined to convince Belinda that she was adequate and he was not going to get between the sisters.

He steered through the entrance of the park and around a carriage that had stopped rather haphazardly.

The path was busier than he had ever seen it, probably due to the fair weather, and it took a good deal of his concentration to guide the horses around various conveyances and small crowds.

Why did people congregate on what was clearly a thoroughfare?

“Your Grace,” a voice suddenly called out. “Your Grace.”

“Bollocks,” he murmured, recognizing the clipped tone as belonging to his mother.

It took only a second to locate her in a wide barouche that had pulled off the pathway. She was next to the bespectacled lady who lived next door, and both were waving frantically.

He raised his hand in return.