Free Intriguing Lady by Leonora Blythe Page B

traffic in Grosvenor Square from the vantage point of her bedroom window, waiting the arrival of Sir Nicholas. Finally, she saw him enter the square on foot. He was wearing an expertly tailored cloak that hugged his shoulders like a glove, and his high beaver hat was pulled low over his forehead. The cloak protected him to a nicety against the cool wind, and the hat hid his face.
    There was only one way of identifying him—by his long, purposeful stride.
    The sound of the door knocker echoed up the stairs. Roberta glanced at herself in the mirror and laughed at her image. The lace cap atop her curls, which she was wearing despite Mrs. Ashley’s entreaties, looked faintly ridiculous. Her morning dress of gray silk was buttoned high to her neck, and the long sleeves were edged in white. Matching gray slippers on her dainty feet peeked out beneath the folds of the gathered skirt, and about her waist she had tied a twisted rope belt of white silk. She wanted to appear demure, and she had succeeded admirably.
    She heard the hall clock chime the quarter hour and began to make her way downstairs. Mrs. Ashley had suggested she present herself in the green sitting room twenty minutes after Sir Nicholas’s arrival, deeming it sufficient time in which to persuade him to help them.
    Roberta tapped lightly on the door and walked in. Avoiding looking directly at Sir Nicholas, she hesitated and waited for Mrs. Ashley to drop a handkerchief to the floor. It was their prearranged signal that Mrs. Ashley had been successful in her endeavors. Only when Roberta saw it flutter down did she acknowledge his presence.
    “Sir Nicholas,” she exclaimed, feigning a haughty surprise. “I had not expected to see you again so soon.”
    “Your servant, Miss Rushforth,” he replied. He paused briefly before bowing over her hand, giving her plenty of time to see his amused expression. He quite obviously didn’t believe she was surprised, but she didn’t care.
    “How is your shoulder?” she inquired coldly. “I trust you haven’t suffered any further setbacks.”
    “None at all, Miss Rushforth. I am quite on the mend, as you can see.”
    Roberta looked at him quizzically, determined to play her part to the end. She would never give him the pleasure of confirming his suspicions that she had been behind Mrs. Ashley’s summons. “I am sorry I was not here to receive you. I trust Mrs. Ashley has kept you entertained?”
    “But I’m here at her urging,” he answered. “She had rather an unusual request to make of me,” he added quickly before Roberta had time to feign any further surprise.
    “Is this correct, Ashley?” she queried.
    Mrs. Ashley nodded and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She was filled with misgivings, for Sir Nicholas’s acceptance of her proposal had been too quick. He had neither pressed for any explanations about Roberta’s past connection with Stephen Davenport nor made any comment when she had voiced her fears about the comte’s promise to see Roberta in London. In fact, now that she thought on it, she felt he had been far too acquiescent to her outrageous proposal.
    Roberta, misinterpreting her silence, glanced toward Sir Nicholas for an explanation. “What was this request, Sir Nicholas?”
    “Mrs. Ashley, with every justification, is concerned lest the comte acts on the promise he made, to visit you in London.”
    “And?” Roberta demanded.
    “She has asked me to escort you to a few social functions and let it appear I’m dangling after you, in an effort to discourage him.”
    “What!” Roberta expostulated, trying vainly to sound shocked. “How—how utterly preposterous. I hope you refused.”
    “On the contrary, Miss Rushforth, I have accepted the challenge. Only, I hasten to add, until the comte returns to France. I’m aware of how trying you find my company, and wouldn’t presume to inflict myself on you after the threat posed by the comte’s presence has been removed.”
    “How could you do