Mistaken for a Rake - Rose Pearson Page 0,54

Lady Rebecca quickly regained her composure, the tears gone from her eyes as she looked back at Jeffery, her lips still flat and no smile brightening her expression.

“I am sorry,” Jeffery found himself saying, the silence became too much for him to bear. “I did not mean to harm you, Lady Rebecca. Nor bring you any great distress. And yet, it seems I have done so.”

“Inadvertently,” Lady Hayward added firmly. “I can see what you were attempting to do, Lord Richmond, and whilst I will not condone it, I will say that I understand your reasons for it.” She leaned forward and poured some tea before gesturing behind her. “There is brandy if you would prefer it to tea.”

Lord Swinton rose in an instant, making Lady Rebecca smile. Jeffery felt his heart lift just a little, daring to hope that all would be restored between them, before he accepted a glass from Lord Swinton and, finally, reached for something to eat.

“Might I ask, Lord Richmond,” Lady Rebecca began once they had all taken a few minutes to eat, “what it is that Lady Kensington has been having you do?”

Jeffery frowned. “I should not like to speak of her too much, Lady Rebecca, but if you are insistent upon it, then I will tell you all.”

“I think it would be interesting to know,” Lady Hayward interjected. “There must be a purpose in her doing such a thing.”

Jeffery shrugged one shoulder. “I have always thought that her purpose was to humiliate me,” he told her. “She stated that she blames me entirely for what occurred the night Lord Kensington discovered her, for evidently, he has refused to allow her from his sight, although, of course, she has found means to escape from him.” A sigh left him. “A punishment of sorts, I suppose.”

Lady Rebecca sipped her tea thoughtfully and then set down her teacup. “What have you been required to do?”

A knot of unease tied itself in his stomach, but Jeffery continued on, determinedly. “Initially, it was of very little importance, it seemed. First, I was to give Lord Bellingham instructions—and an item from Lady Kensington herself—so that he would meet with her when her husband was absent. Thereafter, every instruction I was given meant very little to me. I was to visit a particular shop at a particular time and make certain to greet a gentleman present there. I was to inform her which gentleman I had greeted, however.”

“Why?” Lady Hayward asked, but Jeffery could only shrug.

“I do not know,” he said honestly. “I believe it was so she might ensure I had done as she asked.” He shook his head in frustration. “Of course, I thought nothing of it at first, but every time I did as she bade me, Lord Kensington was present also. It felt as though she was deliberately humiliating me by placing me in the vicinity of the gentleman who believed me to have taken liberties with his wife.”

“But you had to do as she asked?”

Jeffery spread his hands. “I had to protect you, Lady Rebecca. As well as the others in my acquaintance. Yes, I did as she asked, even though I hated every moment of it.”

“And that is all?” Lady Hayward asked, sounding confused. “You have simply been in a certain place at a certain time?”

Shaking his head, Jeffery reached for his brandy glass. “Recently, I have had to purchase one or two items,” he said slowly. “I have never known what these items are, but they have been waiting for me in the shop she directs me to. This last one was from Sturrock and Sons, and I am to meet with Lord Bellingham and give the item to him.”

Another murmur of quiet ran around the room.

“How very odd,” Lady Hayward said slowly. “And you are certain that you do not know what it was you have purchased?”

“I have only been asked to do so thus far on two occasions,” he told her. “The first was at another establishment. I had to collect and pay for two items, although both were very well wrapped and then placed inside a small box. The second is a very small parcel indeed, but, again, has been very well wrapped.”

“And you have not thought to unwrap and look inside?”

Jeffery hesitated, then shook his head. “I had thought to do so but fearing that Lady Kensington would be aware of my actions, I chose not to. Besides which,” he continued, seeing how Lady Rebecca frowned hard, “it seems