Wed in Disgrace (Convenient Arrangements #3) - Rose Pearson Page 0,60

brought it to his lips.

“It will be at an end soon,” he told her, seeing how her eyes fastened to his. “Are you quite prepared?”

Miss Mullins swallowed hard but nodded. “I am.”

Lifting her hand to his mouth, he kissed the back of her hand and then turned to face the door. Setting his shoulders, he opened it carefully and, making as little noise as possible, the three of them stepped out into the corridor. It was just as well that Miss Jamieson’s father did not intend to join them, else he might wonder why Lady Newfield, the suitable chaperone for this afternoon tea, had come out of an entirely different room from his daughter!

Moving carefully forward, Timothy looked over his shoulder and saw Lady Newfield and Miss Mullins just behind him. He reached for the door handle and, after a moment, turned it and threw the door open wide. Striding forward, he stepped aside so that Miss Mullins and Lady Newfield could move ahead of him before catching the door and closing it again tightly, leaning back against it. Only then did he survey the scene before him.

The dining room table had been laid out with a great many delicacies, and Miss Jamieson was in the middle of pouring tea. She did not even glance up at them but continued do to so without even pausing, although Timothy noticed that her hand shook just a little as she held the teapot. His brows rose as he realized it was not only Lady Parrington sitting at the table, but also her husband as well as her brother. It seemed that they were to have a very cozy conversation this afternoon.

“I do hope you do not mind,” Miss Jamieson said as she set the teapot down carefully, “but I have invited some other guests for this particular afternoon. I am sure we will have a good deal to discuss together.”

Lady Parrington rose at once, her chair making a harsh grating sound on the floor such was the abruptness of her movement.

“I do not wish to be in the same room as this gentleman!” she exclaimed, making to move towards the door. “Parrington!”

“Sit down, Lady Parrington,” Lady Newfield said, her voice echoing through the room and holding such a firmness that even Timothy himself felt a little cowed. Lady Parrington turned to look at Lady Newfield, that arrogant, haughty look still lingering on her face, but Lady Newfield did not even flinch.

“Sit down at once!” Lady Newfield said again, her voice even louder than before. “There is much we need to discuss, Lady Parrington, and I am quite certain that you will be able to provide us with many of the answers.”

“As will you, Lord Chesterton,” Timothy said, taking a few steps forward as Lady Parrington sat back down in her chair—albeit with a look of fury on her face. “I believe we should begin with the explanation I have been longing for.”

Lord Chesterton lifted his chin, his lip curled but, as Timothy held his gaze, he saw the way that the gentleman’s eyes flickered.

“I want to know why you told the ton that I was the one to attack you that evening,” he said, leaning on the back of a chair and looking at the gentleman he had once called a friend. “I am fully aware that I was angry and upset at your refusal to allow me to marry your sister, but I never once—”

“You may have convinced your betrothed and her acquaintance that you did not do such a thing,” Lord Chesterton interrupted, turning his head away from Timothy with a somewhat insolent air. “But I shall not agree with your pretense.”

Timothy gritted his teeth and looked away. He had not expected Lord Chesterton to admit to anything, of course, but to have him be so immediately dismissive was galling.

“Then might I ask why you lied to me at the ball, Lord Chesterton?” he heard Miss Mullins say, seeing how she sat gracefully in a chair, her voice soft. “You told me that Lady Newfield had been taken ill and was waiting for me in the carriage so that we might return home. However, when I went to see, there was a gentleman sitting inside.”

Lord Chesterton said nothing, although Timothy could see the way his jaw clenched hard.

“Thankfully, I had Miss Jamieson with me,” Miss Mullins continued quietly. “Upon seeing us both approach, the fellow jumped out of the carriage and ran from us. Lady Newfield was nowhere to be