Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor #3) - Rose Gordon Page 0,61

wax seal.

Dear Simon,

I have returned to London early! I look forward to seeing you again.

Yours,

Rae

All hope of Simon being able to function from this very moment until the wedding had just flown out the window.

“Crabtree, these papers need to be posted.” He picked up a haphazard stack of papers and handed them to the man. “The rest, file.”

The man nodded his understanding with such vigor as Simon brushed past him his silver-rimmed spectacles slid down his nose.

Thirty minutes later, Simon was practically flying up Lord Townson’s front steps.

Impatiently, he banged the knocker and waited for the butler to answer. His impatience had reached new heights by the time the door opened. Simon shoved his calling card in the man’s direction and blurted out the reason for his visit.

The older man’s lips formed a tight line, causing deep wrinkles of disapproval to appear. “Very well,” he clipped. “This way.”

Simon dogged the man’s heels all the way to the drawing room, then stepped inside and halted. Rae was breathtaking sitting near the window, washed in the sun’s light.

“Hullo,” she greeted.

“Hullo to you.” He removed his hat and gave her a low bow.

Before he was back to his full height she was on her tiptoes in front of him, her lips scant inches from his.

He closed the gap and brought their lips together.

He’d been waiting for this since the moment their last kiss had ended.

“Eehmmm,” came a voice from across the room.

Simon slowly pulled his lips away and looked over his shoulder to see a very curious Lady Townson.

“I do believe the mystery has solved itself,” she said, flashing them a wide grin.

Simon turned his head to the side. “What mystery?”

“Your whereabouts while I was away at the house party.” She casually picked up a piece of paper in front of her and extended it toward Simon.

A numb feeling came over Simon as he separated himself from Rae and strode over to retrieve the paper from Lady Townson.

That numb feeling only grew worse when his eyes scanned the lines.

…a certain young miss with double initials and her mere, twice-bitten mister have both turned up missing since last being seen together walking in the park last week…

Dread washed over him. “I’m sorry, Rae,” he rasped. “I didn’t mean to have you embarrassed this way.” Though to be honest, he couldn’t regret having gone to Crumbles.

“It’s all right.” He couldn't interpret her tone.

“What would you like for me to do to make this right?” He handed the paper back to Lady Townson, imploring her with his eyes that she’d suggest something sensible.

“Marry her,” Lady Townson said.

“I already planned to do that,” he bit out.

“Oh, did you now?” Lady Townson’s airy tone gave him pause. Had Rae not told her chaperone of their plans?

“Not now,” Rae clarified. “In August.”

“August?” Lady Townson’s aghast tone mimicked his own feelings. “By then there could be a whole whirlwind of gossip circulating.” She sniffed. “I daresay you and Edwina’s husband, Sir Wallace, are two birds of a feather. Gossip follows you both like a hound to his master.”

“My apologies,” Simon said sheepishly, then bit his tongue so as not to remind Lady Townson about the cloud of gossip she created her first Season in London. He might not have reached his majority yet when she first arrived, but if even he knew about her scandals, they were hair-curling indeed.

“Pish posh. Apologies aren’t necessary. I rather like Sir Wallace…and you.” She tucked a fallen tendril of her dark hair behind her ear. “Because I like you, I shall help you.”

“Help me?” Simon looked to Rae for help.

She looked just as uneasy.

“Yes, I shall help you both.” She tapped her index fingernail against her teeth. “What we need is a plan.”

“No,” Simon, Rae, and Andrew said in unison.

Simon didn’t know how long Andrew had been standing where he could hear them.

“They don’t need a plan; they need to borrow a carriage.”

“A carriage?” Simon, Rae, and this time Brooke repeated.

Andrew nodded. “If my carriage is off traveling to say…Scotland, nobody will think anything of it.”

Simon’s gaze collided with Rae. She’d mentioned Scotland the other day. Would she be willing to go there now?

“What about our wedding Juliet is planning for August?” Simon asked praying Rae would give her blessing on Scotland.

“I think she’ll understand,” Rae said, a blush staining her cheeks.

Simon walked toward her and reached for her hand. “Is this what you want?”

“Yes,” she said, trying in vain to hide her excitement.

“Then it shall be as you wish,” Simon said before brushing