chat with them,” Lucretia said defiantly.
Gideon raised his brows. Did they think he’d disapprove of having tea with other ladies? He’d never forbidden Messalina her friends.
“My mother always finds a day shopping to be invigorating,” Blackwell said. He turned to Lucretia. “What did you buy, Miss Greycourt?”
“I’m afraid I came away with only a pair of kid gloves,” Lucretia replied. “Does your mother live in London, Mr. Blackwell?”
“Alas, no. She’s in a little town south of London. But I visit her whenever possible.”
“One wonders,” Gideon said dryly, “how you have time for business at all after attending the theater, reading books, and visiting your mother.”
Messalina shot him a look of exasperation.
But Blackwell laughed. “Indeed. And on that note, I confess that I must leave you all early.”
“Oh, must you?” cried Lucretia.
While at the same time, Messalina said, “But you haven’t finished your meal.”
Blackwell stood and bowed to them. “I’m afraid I have an engagement later this evening. I do hope you’ll forgive me?”
The ladies were profuse in their assurances of forgiveness.
Gideon nodded with a half smile as Blackwell made his farewells. He couldn’t help but wonder what sort of engagement Blackwell was going to. When Gideon had first met him, Blackwell had been fond of gambling—and he hadn’t been an especially lucky player.
He turned to Messalina. “And what did you buy on your shopping trip, madam wife?”
Messalina brightened and told him about her day and though he listened to her, most of his attention was on her face.
Her happy face.
He felt a pang. He wanted Messalina to always be this happy. To never experience sorrow or disappointment.
Gideon dropped his eyes to his plate. He would bring her sorrow. He was the monster that would bring tears to those merry gray eyes.
Was there any way he could live with himself afterward?
“Shall we retire to the sitting room for tea?” Messalina asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Gideon snorted. “If you wish. Although you’ll have to explain to Reggie why we have to move to the sitting room to drink tea.”
“Of course.” Messalina sighed.
Lucretia looked blank. “Why?”
“Because”—Gideon rose and helped Messalina to her feet—“your sister is bound and determined to improve my house and servants.”
“Well, someone has to,” Messalina muttered. She laid her hand on his arm. “That reminds me. I’ll be interviewing new servants in a couple of days. I hope I have your approval to hire as many as we need?”
“I don’t know about approval,” Gideon mused as they strolled out of the dining room with Lucretia trailing, “but you have my consent to do so.”
“Then that will have to do,” Messalina said briskly. Reggie was just outside the dining room, and she turned to him. “We’ll be taking tea in the sitting room.”
Reggie’s broad forehead wrinkled. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Thank you, Reggie,” she said.
The big man nodded and hurried to the kitchens.
Gideon continued to escort Messalina and Lucretia to the sitting room.
Messalina sank into the settee. “Actually, I’m not sure why we take tea after supper.”
“Because”—Lucretia took a chair opposite the settee—“it’s an excuse to have cake.”
Gideon sat next to Messalina, almost but not quite touching.
The sitting room door opened again, and Reggie entered and held the door for Pea, who had an enormous tray of tea.
“Oh, lovely,” Lucretia said, clapping her hands. “Are those sweets?”
The tray held an assortment of sugared plums and tiny cakes.
“They are,” Messalina said slowly, eyeing the sweets as Pea placed the tray carefully on a table. “But I never thought that Hicks would be able to make these.” She glanced at Gideon suspiciously. “Do you know anything about this?”
Gideon shrugged carelessly. He was pleased by both Messalina’s and Lucretia’s reaction to his surprise. “I sent Pea to buy them this morning. I thought you might like them.”
He winked at Pea, who grinned in return before scampering from the room.
Messalina’s eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to bribe my sister?”
He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Yes.”
“It’s working,” Lucretia said happily. She was already munching on a pink cake with tiny white flowers.
Messalina laughed and began pouring the tea.
Gideon took his cup and said, “I saw you had mail when I came in.”
Lucretia groaned.
Messalina winced as she poured a cup for Lucretia. “We received an invitation to a ball that Aunt Ann is having in a week at Windemere House. It’s rather late notice, but Lucretia and I think we can find something to wear. And I’ve sent a note round to your tailor to hurry one of the suits we ordered for you.”
“I am relieved,” he replied dryly.