your own.”
His shoulders slumping, Jeffery ran one hand through his hair, dislodging the neat style. “Perhaps I should not have come here,” he said, suddenly discouraged. “I saw Lady Hayward and met her new charge earlier this afternoon.” The pain of what had occurred still bit at him. “She was most unwilling to allow the acquaintance to continue. She practically shunned me and would not listen to my defense!”
“And for that, I am sorry.”
Jeffery swung around, astonished to see none other than the young lady he had spoken to in the bookshop standing there, entirely alone. Warnings rose in his head, and he took a small step back. The alarm must have shown on his face, for the lady quickly gestured to an older gentleman who was deep in conversation with another.
“My father, the Duke of Landon,” she said, hastily. “I apologize for his distraction.”
Jeffery blinked rapidly, not quite certain what to say. Looking to Lord Swinton, he saw the man’s eyebrows lift in evident expectation and hastily realized he had not made any sort of introduction.
“Good evening, Lady Rebecca,” he said, stumbling over his words such was his surprise. “My dear friend, the Earl of Swinton.”
“Good evening, Lord Swinton,” came the reply as the young lady curtsied. “I am very glad to make your acquaintance.”
“And I yours,” Lord Swinton replied, shooting a glance back towards Jeffery. “If you will excuse my ignorance, Lady Rebecca, Lord Richmond has only just informed me that you are in the care of Lady Hayward, and yet—”
“And yet my father is here this evening,” Lady Rebecca interrupted, a smile catching her mouth. “Yes, it is a rather different arrangement, I must say, but my father has many daughters and, without a mother to guide us, he feels the burden of responsibility very heavily indeed. Therefore, Lady Hayward has stepped into the role, although my father does, of course, remain in London and will attend certain social occasions.”
Jeffery swallowed hard. He had met this young lady for the first time this afternoon, but she was so markedly different this evening that he could barely lift his eyes from her. Her red curls were tumbling over her shoulders, her green eyes seeming to be all the more vivid as they watched him, her expression a little confused, as though she could not quite understand what he was thinking in watching her so.
“I—I would not like to bring any disgrace to you, Lady Rebecca,” Jeffery began, glancing around him and realizing that many of the ton would be able to see her talking with him. “To be in my company at present is not recommended.”
Lady Rebecca nodded. “I am well aware of that, Lord Richmond,” she said practically. “Which is why I shall not linger. I wished only to say that I am sorry for the conversation this afternoon. I believe Lady Hayward is open to the idea that you might not be as guilty as is being spoken of but she is required to protect me from all manner of difficulties.”
“I quite understand, Lady Rebecca,” Jeffery replied, inclining his head and finding himself surprised at her seemingly genuine consideration of his feelings about the matter. “There is no need to explain. It is very kind of you to think of me so, but I can assure you that Lady Hayward’s reaction towards me is the first of many.”
This did not seem to please Lady Rebecca, for she bit her lip and frowned, her eyes now fixing to his with an intensity that shook Jeffery’s soul. He had no desire to damage this young lady’s reputation in any way, and her presence here beside him, her seeming eagerness to discuss the matter with him, was only making things a little more difficult. She ought to be extricating herself from the conversation as quickly as she could before returning to her father’s side, and yet, for whatever reason, she was not doing so.
“I do not think it fair, Lord Richmond.”
“Fair?” He shot a quick look towards Lord Swinton, who was watching Lady Rebecca with obvious interest, one hand rubbing his chin as Lady Rebecca continued to speak.
“If you are innocent of such a thing, then surely there must be a way to prove it to the ton.”
Jeffery was stunned. Every other young lady, every other mother or aunt or chaperone would be pulling their charge away from him, telling them that Lord Richmond was not to be trusted, that he was nothing more than a rogue, a scoundrel,