Free The Complicated Earl by Audrey Harrison Page A

and Mr Arnold both looked uncomfortable, but Mr Arnold met the Earl’s gaze with something of defiance in his manner.
    Isabelle could not decide wheth er she thought the effect the Earl had on a roomful of people amusing or mortifying. “We seem to have invaded your home, your Lordship,” she said with a smile as he approached her.
    “So I see,” he muttered. B ut he bowed over her hand with good grace and turned and bowed to Mrs Arnold and Mary. He nodded to the rest of the room. “Sophie, you seem to have been on a large shopping expedition.” The words were laced with meaning that Isabelle was sure they all understood.
    “ We met Mrs Arnold and her family on our way back from our expedition. We were crossing Pulteney Bridge at the same time. They had already been directed here from the White Hart,” Isabelle explained, hoping her words conveyed more than they actually said.
    The Earl approached James and Isabelle saw him raise his eyes at her brother. It appeared the Earl saw James as an ally. Sophie poured the tea and Charlotte helped hand it out. Conversation between the gathered group was now strained with the Earl making it perfectly clear that he wanted to leave the room; it was obvious he wished himself far away from the company, or the company far away from him. Sophie did not seem to notice her brother’s discomfort while chatting to her guests but then was to add further to his annoyance by her next question.
    “ James I know there won’t be room in the box for everyone, but would it be possible for us to take Charlotte with us to the theatre tonight?”
    “Sophie!” Tom exploded, making Cecily and Mrs Arnold visibly jump.
    “ It’s fine, Standish,” James soothed. “Of course Miss Arnold will be very welcome to join our party. If you give us your direction Mrs Arnold we can collect Miss Arnold on the way to the theatre. She is very welcome.”
    Isabelle admired the magnanimous response from her brother. With the addition of Charlotte to the party there would be less chance of a tête a tête with Sophie for him. He was obviously a better actor than the Earl as no-one in the room would have guessed from his manner that he was anything other than delighted to have Charlotte join them.
    James’s wor ds did unleash the voice of Mrs Arnold though. She commenced a long in-depth monologue of how lucky her eldest daughter was and how she could not thank James enough. Isabelle’s small group had never drunk tea quite as quickly before, but soon they were able to make their escape. Isabelle received a glare from the Earl and had difficulty suppressing a smile, but she suffered no pang of conscience at leaving him with his guests. After spending such a little time with them, Isabelle knew she would find it difficult to be too much in their company. She wanted to support her brother but the mother gave her a headache. She mistrusted Mr Arnold, and the two girls, although pleasant and unassuming would always be in company with their mother and brother, so she did not relish them joining their party often.
    *
    The small group arrived at the Theatre as planned and the seating arrangements were as both Isabelle and James had feared. Sophie and Charlotte sat at the front of the party deep in conversation that was whispered and exclusive between the two of them. Mary and James sat together; Mary trying to rally James. The Earl and Isabelle sat at the back of the party. The Earl had already commented in a growled whisper when they had first met about Isabelle leaving him to deal with the Arnolds, which had made Isabelle laugh. He continued his scolding when they were seated.
    “You offered to support me!” He whispered so Charlotte would not hear, but she was probably too engrossed in her conversation with Sophie to have noticed anything else that was going on around her.
    “I did, but I did not offer to sacrifice myself,” Isabelle laughed. “In public rooms I could cope with the chatter, but in your