Heiress in Red Silk (Duke's Heiress #2) - Madeline Hunter Page 0,31

highly recommended. However, if me expectations are too inconvenient, I will have to find another.”

“My expectations,” Mr. Fitzgibbons murmured.

“I suppose, this once, I could make an exception and give lessons in the morning,” Mr. Davis said with an expression of forbearance.

“How good of you.” Miss Jameson smiled brightly and stood. “We are all decided. How fortunate that I begin tomorrow with you, Mrs. Markland.” She opened the door. The tutors filed out.

She closed the door and faced Kevin. “Do you think Mrs. Markland can pile in enough in one day to get me ready for that party your aunt is hosting?”

“Unlikely, since no amount of tutoring will appease my aunt, or the others.”

“Minerva suggested I decline the invitation.”

“Minerva can be wise at times.”

She strolled over to the window, which permitted the light to bathe her face. Her lips appeared very dark in that wash of illumination. Darker than the ones he had kissed in his imagination the last few days.

“I do not look forward to it, but putting it off will not make it any better. Eventually, they will each demand to see me and meet me, seeing as how me inheritance—my inheritance, made them poorer. Better all at once so I am well armored than introductions when I don’t expect it.”

“That is one way to see it.”

“Minerva and Chase will bring me, so I won’t be alone when I walk in.” She cocked her head. “Will you be there?”

“Of course. You will have three guards.”

“Minerva said that the duke will attend. She said he will not allow them to browbeat me. Will that help?”

“He may be younger than my aunts and one cousin, but he is Hollinburgh. That carries a lot of influence even in the family. Now, tell me about your journey.”

She sat on the divan, so he did too. “Lily was skeptical of my plan. She did not want to leave what she knew as her home. She did not like the school, and worried about the other girls laughing at her. I think before I left that she felt better, though.” She gave a little shrug, as if she really wasn’t sure. “She has grown up. Even since I saw her six months ago, she changed. She is very beautiful, too. I was a little envious of that.” She laughed lightly. “The dress helped her come around. She tried it on and she was the equal of any girl coming out this year, I’m sure.”

Not more beautiful than you. He had to swallow the words hard and resist the impulse to reach over and caress her face. Hell but he was being an ass today.

“And you?” she asked. “Were you busy with our enterprise these last days?”

“Of course.” A lie, that. He wasn’t really sure what he had done these last days besides think about her too much. “I’ll tell you about it after that party.”

“I will be glad to hear of any progress. Shall we say Friday? I’d like you to show me the invention then too.”

That smacked him out of his stupid, poetic pining. He looked at her. Still beautiful. Still desirable. But now, also still trouble. He had been a fool to allow all this friendliness to distract him from why he was being friendly.

“Oh, dear. You look stormy. You had to know I would want to see it eventually.”

“Of course. Friday.”

“Friday morning. Unless you need to sleep in because of a party, like the rest of Mayfair except me.”

“I doubt Aunt Agnes’s party will last that long.”

“Won’t you attend another after? I thought such as you went to three or four of a night.”

“Many do, but I don’t. Shall we say at ten o’clock? You seem to prefer uncivilized hours, and I don’t care.”

“That would suit me. Now, I must visit a cabinet maker to see about more furniture for the house, and a few pieces for my shop.”

She walked with him to the front entrance. “I will see you at the party. Be sure to bring your sword,” she said.

* * *

Kevin braced himself, then followed the butler into the drawing room. Two women waited in it, sitting on either end of a long divan. The garments and jewels they wore to receive visitors probably cost enough to make strong headwind in what he needed for that enhancement.

“Well, this is a shock,” Aunt Agnes said. She leaned her substantial form and ample bosom toward the other woman, who resembled her enough to prove they were sisters, but whose own bosom barely