Free Her Impetuous Rakehell by Aileen Fish Page A

suit. Lady Susan Yarwood has no inclination toward marriage and her father is a friend of mine. He’s been eager for her to do something other than attend her book readings. I’ll make up some excuse as to why you are in need of a companion at the last minute. Perhaps I can let her in on our secret. I will tell her to expect you, Mother, and Hannah to pick her up this evening.”
    “I’ll likely regret this,” Laurence said.
    He was feeling the same thing later that night as he danced with Lady Susan to the music the orchestra played. At least here at Vauxhall Gardens, there was enough room to dance without bumping into someone on each turn. He kept one eye on Hannah and Downham while speaking to Lady Susan. “Knightwick tells me you enjoy attending book readings.”
    “And do you disapprove?” she asked.
    He had to laugh. “That wasn’t the answer I expected. Not only do I not disapprove, I think you and I could be great friends.”
    “Oh, do you read a lot?”
    “Only the papers. I had in mind your wit. Your refusal to play the demure miss. I am tired of demure misses and I’ve only been attending assemblies for a few weeks now.”
    “I would have thought Lord Knightwick would have warned you about me. He’s known me since before I came out into Society. He’s a good friend of my father’s. They can think of nothing but their horses.”
    “That’s Knightwick, all right.” Laurence turned them closer to Hannah. At least on the dance floor Downham couldn’t try anything untoward.
    When the music ended, the four of them returned to the table where Lady B sat. They drank punch and the ladies fluttered their fans for a few minutes as they rested.
    “The gardens are quite lovely at night, aren’t they?” Lord Downham asked.
    “Even more so than in the daylight, with the trees filled with lanterns,” Lady B agreed.
    “Would you care to stroll the paths with me, Lady Hannah?” Downham asked.
    “I’d be delighted,” she answered.
    Laurence caught Lady B’s frown. He pushed back his chair. “Excellent idea.” He held his arm out to escort Lady Susan.
    She rose. “Oh, yes. Such a beautiful night for it.”
    Hannah looked confused as she took Downham’s arm, but said nothing.
    Letting the other couple lead the way, Laurence stayed far enough back to give them the appearance of privacy. “This is a first for me,” he admitted to Lady Susan.
    “For me, also. I’ve attended a few musicales with Mama and Papa, but never with a gentleman, much less strolling with one in the darkness.”
    He motioned to the trees. “Hardly darkness. They are as well lit as any ballroom.”
    “Yet I’ve heard tales of young ladies losing their reputations on these paths.”
    Laurence cleared his throat. “Outspoken, aren’t you? I imagine your mother hasn’t heard you speak this way.”
    “Of course not. Don’t be daft. It’s rather freeing spending an evening without her, now that I think on it.”
    “To be honest, I’m rather surprised she let you be seen with me in such a public place.”
    “Knightwick assured them both you were nothing like the man you’re rumored to be. As neither of them could think of an actual incident involving you and a young lady, they felt they could trust Knightwick’s opinion of you.”
    Hannah and Downham were moving at a faster pace than Laurence and Lady Susan, and with the number of couples walking on the path, he was losing sight of them. He increased his pace a bit. “I beg your forgiveness, but I’m afraid we’re falling behind.”
    He tried not to drag Lady Susan along as they wove between the other couples. She was such a good sport to not complain. They passed several side paths that led into darkness, and eventually he had to concede that Hannah and Downham had escaped him. He moved to the side of the path and stopped.
    “Where do you think they’ve gone?” Lady Susan asked.
    “Unless they ran down this path, they’ve gone down one of those other