The Swordmaster's Mistress: Dangerous Deceptions Book Two(17)
She gave a little smile, as though she still thought him difficult. ‘We will find out who is doing this, won’t we, Jared?’
‘Of course.’ A group of well-dressed ladies were strolling towards them and he turned casually, before they were within conversational distance, and took another path that curved round to the gate they had entered by. ‘You simply need to hold your nerve and we will find him.’ Unless this was someone completely deranged who had fixed their sights on Guinevere, was obsessing about her. It did happen and then they really would need luck and, perhaps to catch the man in the act, which would be unpleasant for Guinevere and possibly dangerous.
‘It will be a man, I suppose,’ she mused as they paced back along the path, closer now to the sound of the traffic on Piccadilly. ‘It is particularly unnerving not to be able to imagine even the shape of my enemy, a glimpse of their face.’
‘A man would have easier access to criminal elements, men who could enter a house unnoticed, climb a roof, not flinch at tipping fireworks down chimneys,’ he agreed. And a man was far more likely to be behind this if a completely irrational fixation was the motive. But he did not say that. Guinevere would probably find that even more frightening than a sane attacker.
Against his side he felt the little shiver go through her again and walked faster. ‘I will take you home and go in search of my invitation for tonight.’ And beg the assistance of Michael Flynn, Cal’s valet and their companion in the travels and adventures, to turn him out looking respectable. He rather thought his evening clothes were still jammed at the bottom of a hastily-packed trunk.
Chapter Six
Jared saw Guin to her front door, impeccably formal once more. ‘Until this evening, Lady Northam.’
She smiled a little as she made her way upstairs with Faith. The man was so reassuringly calm and confident and having someone to call her by her name again, after all this time, was ridiculously pleasurable. She hugged it to herself, a harmless little secret.
Twite descended as they climbed. ‘My lady. His lordship asked me to inform you that he will be in for luncheon and hopes you will be able to join him.’ A clock chimed down in the hall. ‘It will be served in half an hour if that is convenient?’
‘Thank you, Twite. That will be perfectly convenient.’
‘Mr Theo Quenten called and is with his lordship.’
‘Will he be staying for luncheon, do you know, Twite?’ She had a soft spot for Augustus’s scapegrace nephew, so close to her in age, even though she had no illusions about his faults. He was a charmer, a good-looking young man through whose fingers money flowed easily and who seemed incapable of settling to any useful occupation. His elderly, ailing, father was unable to control him and only Augustus attempted to exert any influence over his behaviour.
‘I am not sure, my lady. The discussion appears to be somewhat… heated.’
‘Oh dear. Money again?’
‘Possibly, my lady.’ Twite gave what, in a lesser butler, might have been a shrug. ‘And the delivery came from Parmentier’s. It has been placed in your sitting room.’
The fancy box of sweetmeats sat exuding expensive deliciousness in the middle of the table. ‘I wonder what temptation they have selected for me this time.’ Guin handed Faith her bonnet and gloves and went to untie the ribbon bow. ‘Lord Northam really is very good to indulge me with sweet things but I will be as round as an orange if I am not careful. You must help me out and eat at least half of them.’
She lifted the lid. ‘Violet creams and fruit fondants and – Oh no, look, Faith, they have put in half a dozen marchpane balls. Well, I will have no trouble resisting those at least.’ She popped a fondant into her mouth. ‘Delicious. Do take one, Faith. You may eat all the marchpane to start with, with my blessing.’
‘Thank, you my lady, but I can’t abide them either, they are so sickly they set my teeth on edge.’
‘Have one of the others then – and do not tell Lord Northam. He adores anything with almonds in it and you know his doctor said he was not to indulge in sweet things. I would not trust him not to steal them all.’
It was extraordinary how soothing a bonbon was. Once Faith had selected a crystallised orange segment for herself Guin put the lid back firmly on the box and went to wash her hands and restore her hair to order before luncheon. ‘You must hide that box, Faith.’
‘Yes, my lady. At what time will you want your bath this afternoon? I thought four o’clock, then there will be plenty of time to dry your hair and for you to have a little rest before you dress for the ball.’
‘That would be perfect, thank you.’
Guin went down to the dining room thinking about the ball, Jared’s warning about what gossip might say creeping back to destroy her momentary peace. How foul peoples’ minds must be to imagine such things. Yes, she had married a much older man for security and yes, Augustus made no secret of enjoying showing off a pretty young wife and appreciated having a domestic life and companionship once more. But that first night he had made it very plain that he would not trouble her in her bed. It had been clear that age had considerably dimmed her husband’s desires and that he had no wish to attempt to consummate the marriage.
Guin had been prepared to be a wife in every way, that was only fair. But she had been glad that she would not be going to her marriage bed as a virgin and beyond the sheer relief at being loved and cared for, and being able to return that care with affection and loyalty, she found she had no inconvenient longings for more, for anything physical. After her brief first marriage an undemanding elderly husband was a blessing, she told herself.