Free The Maiden At Midnight by Kate Harper Page A

so welcome as the last but it would prove
useful, nonetheless, for encountering Mr. Harry Carstairs meant
that Isabella could pass on the message that was the next step in
her Grand Plan.
    Mr. Carstairs hesitated at the sight of her,
clearly taken aback to find her out and about and uncertain as to
the correct protocol involved in greeting a young lady he had only
met under the most lamentable circumstances. Isabella’s steps
faltered but she immediately decided that this encounter was a good
thing and walked forward with determination.
    ‘Mr. Carstairs.’ She dropped him a small
curtsey.
    ‘Miss Hathaway.’ He bowed in return, all
punctiliousness, doffing his beaver as he did so. He looked
particularly exceptional today in a coat of blue superfine, biscuit
colored breeches and tan hessians buffed to a high gloss. His
neckcloth was tied a la Oriental, a wonderful concoction of folds
and he looked quite the thing. ‘I see you are taking the air.’
    ‘Indeed I am, sir. May I introduce my
sister, Miss Audrey Hathaway?’
    ‘How do you do?’ From the flush in her
cheeks, clearly Audrey was even more taken aback by this unexpected
meeting. She had no idea who the gentleman was and even less as to
why her sister should have stopped to greet him.
    ‘Very well, thank you.’
    There was a pause, Isabella eyeing Mr.
Carstairs with some speculation. There was no point in beating
about the bush, however. She had thought that she would need to
obtain the Earl of Stornley’s address and then send a note around
but this was even better. ‘May I speak with you for a moment,
sir?’
    ‘We are speaking.’
    She narrowed her dark blue eyes. ‘Obviously.
But I particularly wanted to ask you something.’
    Mr. Carstairs raised an eyebrow. ‘Of
course.’
    ‘I was wondering if you would do me a
service? It is a small thing and should take up very little of your
time.’
    ‘My favorite kind of service.’ He said
lightly but he looked cautious. As well he might. ‘If it is in my
power to do so, then naturally I would be delighted.’
    ‘I wonder if you can ask your friend to pay
a call?’
    ‘My… friend?’
    ‘Indeed. Our mutual acquaintance. I would be
most grateful.’
    They stared at each other
for a long moment. ‘You would like… you would like our friend to pay a call
on you ?’
    ‘If you please.’
    For some reason the request seemed to
flummox him. There was another small pause. ‘Of course. I would be
delighted to relay your message.’ He did not sound delighted but
then, she had hardly expected him to. What she was asking was not
at all the thing and they both knew it. Constrained by the presence
of Audrey, however, he could not demand to know what she was
about.
    ‘Tomorrow afternoon at around three-thirty
would be most convenient.’
    ‘How very specific of you. May I escort you
upon your walk?’
    ‘Quite unnecessary. We are returning home
and we are not that far away, sir. I think we can manage.’
    ‘I would like to, just the same.’ There was
a grim note in his voice and Isabella was sudden grateful to have
Audrey beside her, a handy plug for unwelcome questions.
    ‘Then of course, we would be delighted.’ It
was amazing, she reflected as they began to walk once more, how
much one was forced to lie during polite conversation. Having
obtained her objective, what she really wanted Mr. Carstairs to do
was to leave. Naturally, he was not so obliging, reinforcing her
earlier opinion that the man was difficult.
    Exiting the gardens via the Alexandra Gate,
their maid trotting along behind, they began walking along the
Carriage Drive, heading towards Hertford Street. Despite her desire
to be rid of him, Isabella was terribly conscious of the tall
figure walking beside her. He cut a rather fine figure, it had to
be admitted. He certainly received his share of admiring looks from
ladies as they passed and he spent an inordinate amount of time
making his bow to simpering females. What had the earl called