Give the man his heir and spare, and he won’t care what you do after that.”
Emma closed her eyes and counted to ten. There was no point in arguing with her mother. Although, thinking about it, Emma hadn’t read one of Mrs. Henrietta Lewis’ books since Bolton broke their engagement. Those books of romance and adventure had been her entertainment for years and now seemed rather silly.
“Mamma, enjoy your visit with Lady Huntley and give her my best. I am going to pay a call on Susan to discover what she might know.”
“I am taking the carriage, so you must walk. It looks like rain,” Mamma replied coldly and then departed.
“I’m ready, miss.”
Emma stared at her mother’s back as she walked down the steps for a moment longer before she turned to Mary. “Excellent. You’d best bring the umbrella. I do think we may get rain after all.”
As they walked toward the Grosvenor Square, Emma continually glanced up at the gloomy sky. While it was only a few blocks from her home on Green Street, the clouds threatened to release their rain before she arrived at Susan’s town house. Emma turned onto Grosvenor Square as a fat raindrop landed on her hand.
“Miss, I’m having difficulties with the umbrella,” Mary said as the rain suddenly increased.
Emma pulled up the hood on her cloak. “I’ll keep going.”
She put her head down and walked quickly into Lord Bolton. “Excuse...” her voice trailed off as she looked up at the face of her former fiancé.
“Miss Drake, you are getting soaked through.” He covered her with his umbrella. “Are you heading to the Lancasters’?”
“Umm, yes,” she replied, finally finding her voice.
“Here,” he held out his left arm. “Let me escort you.”
“There is no need. Mary is coming. She had some trouble with the umbrella.” Emma glanced back to see her maid walking toward her. “There is she now.”
“Allow me,” he said in a low tone.
Emma sighed. “As you wish.”
“You must wonder what I was doing here,” he started slowly. “Would it surprise you to learn that I had been hoping to catch you visiting Miss Lancaster?”
“I beg your pardon?”
Bolton smiled. “I’ve missed you, Miss Drake.”
Feeling her anger rising, she said, “Then perhaps you should not have listened to your mother’s advice in the first place.”
“You may be correct.” Stopping in front of the Viscount Lancaster’s home, he gazed down at her and said, “I hope you will save me a dance tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow?”
“The Lancasters’ ball.”
“Of course.”
He smiled down at her.
Blast! She was tired of rote manners making her say things she did not wish to say.
Before she could retract her acceptance, Bolton said, “Excellent. I will see you for our dance tomorrow. Good day, Miss Drake.”
The front door opened, and a Lancaster footman welcomed her inside. A sigh fell from her lips when she realized Bolton was already too far to hear her. He wouldn’t have known she was acknowledging the ball, not the offer to dance with him.
“Was that Bolton?” Susan asked, descending the stairs with a frown.
“Yes.” Emma handed her cloak to the footman.
“Well, you must come to the parlor and tell me all about it. With the commotion of the ball preparations, we do not want to go anywhere near the first floor.” Susan led the way to the small parlor and promptly closed the door behind them. “Why did he escort you here?”
Emma sat on the floral damask chair with a sigh. She related the story of how Bolton came to her rescue with the umbrella. “I daresay I left him with the impression I would dance with him tomorrow night.”
Susan pursed her lips. “Dancing with him will get the gossipmongers started again.”
“I can’t reject him now. He believes I accepted.”
“Hmm, then perhaps you should dance with him. Maybe he is lamenting his decision to reject you.”
Emma fell silent as the footman brought in tea. If Bolton did regret the decision, which was most likely his mother’s decision, not his, should she allow him to court her again? Would she want him as a husband after such a horrid rejection?
“No,” Emma said with a shake of her head. “I will not allow him to embarrass me as he did a year ago. I will find a way to miss the set with him.”
Susan poured the tea and then handed a cup to Emma with a frown. “Do you think that is wise? It might be the perfect opportunity to restore your reputation.”
“You just said dancing with him will start the gossip