Wed in Disgrace (Convenient Arrangements #3) - Rose Pearson Page 0,31

not want to speak poorly of Lady Parrington, especially when her once-close friend was standing directly before him. It was not that he did not trust Lady Rachelle but that he wanted to ensure there was no whisper of gossip about their conversation. He could not trust her just because she had informed him that she had no intention of drawing close to Lady Parrington any longer.

“You are remaining silent, I see,” Lady Rachelle laughed, putting one hand on his arm again. “That is wise, Lord Coventry, I grant you, but I promise that I bear you no ill will.”

He put his hand over hers for just a moment, a sense of relief and joy rising within him, unable to find the words to express it. When Lord Chesterton had refused to allow him to marry Lady Margaret, he had felt the entire world turn against him. When Lord Chesterton had accused him of attacking him, he had known himself lost to society and had seen the fear in Margaret’s eyes the next time he had seen her. When Lady Rachelle had turned her back on him also, the world had grown all the darker. They had once been such a merry band but in an instant, everything had set itself against him.

“Thank you, Lady Rachelle,” he managed to say, rather gruffly. “You are very good to speak to me again.”

“I am only sorry that I have taken so long to realize that it was foolish of me to decide against you without any true consideration,” Lady Rachelle said as he let go of her hand. “You are aware that both Lady Parrington and Lord Chesterton are present this evening?”

He shook his head, his brow lowering quickly. “I was not,” he said truthfully. “Thank you for informing me.” He lifted one shoulder and shrugged. “In truth, I am not always invited to such occasions, so on the rare opportunity that I am declared suitable enough to attend, I must grasp it with both hands.”

She nodded, the smile fading from her lips. “I am sorry you are being treated so. I must hope that, in time, the ton will no longer treat you as a social pariah. Perhaps my consideration of you will aid that somewhat.”

“I must hope it will,” he replied honestly, smiling at her. “Now, given that we are acquainted again, might I ask you how your sister fares?” He spoke of Lady Josephine, who was, in fact, keeping away from society for a time. Unfortunately, he had been the one to discover her in a most compromising position with a gentleman known to be a rogue. There had been consequences, of course, but thus far, all had been kept reasonably quiet.

“She is...suitably content,” Lady Rachelle replied, her eyes shadowed. “I do not know when she will return to society. Father is quite determined that she should not return to London this year. Mayhap next year, else I fear that she will become a spinster and be nothing more than a maiden aunt.”

Timothy’s compassion rose, but he could not say that he was sorry for it. The lady had been foolish and she ought not to have allowed herself to have been so caught up with a rogue. The consequences were entirely on her head.

“Let us hope so,” he said before gesturing to his left. “Now, let us talk of brighter things. Should you like a glass of champagne?” He snapped his fingers at the nearby footman. “I must hope that you...”

Trailing off, his eyes suddenly fixed to the figure of a young lady who was sitting close to them, shrouded in shadow. Next to her was an older lady who made no pretense of the fact that she was watching him with sharp eyes. The young lady was sitting with a very straight back, not looking either to the left or to the right but directly ahead, making it quite plain that she was not studying him.

Miss Mullins.

Had she seen him take Lady Rachelle’s hand? He did not think that she had overheard his conversation, given the noise and the hubbub all around them, but even the knowledge that she had been sitting nearby and he had not even noticed her sent a flare of embarrassment up his spine and directly into his face.

“Lord Coventry?”

There was a curious note in Lady Rachelle’s voice, and Timothy forced himself to turn back to her, putting a smile on his face that he did not feel. As he handed Lady Rachelle