He took one step toward her, and then halted, his self-deprecating smile back in place as he dropped back down on the settee. “So be it. ” He waved one pale hand in her direction. “Mrs. Clarke will see you to the carriage. ”
The door opened as he spoke. “Mrs. Clarke will do no such thing,” that lady pronounced. “You will get up and take this young woman home, like the gentleman you once were. ”
Elinor expected to see him explode. Instead he merely leaned back with a sigh of acquiescence. “Call me when the carriage is ready. ”
“This is no way to entertain a young lady, Master Francis,” Mrs. Clarke said in a scolding voice.
“Then remove her,” he said in a bore
d voice.
“Master Francis. ” Mrs. Clarke’s comfortable Scots voice held a note of warning, and he opened his eyes again.
“Why I ever brought you with me to France is a matter beyond my comprehension,” he said wearily, sitting back up.
“You didn’t bring me. We followed you, against your express orders. Which should make it clear that I’m going to do what I think is right, at least in my part of the house, and anyone you bring here will have to be treated respectfully. ”
“Yes, Mrs. Clarke,” he said in a mockingly subdued voice. “You will allow me to change before I escort the young lady home, won’t you? I have standards I need to uphold. And for that matter, she seems to be in need of shoes. ”
“I have them with me, sir,” Mrs. Clarke said, perfectly obsequious now that she’d gotten her way. “Go ahead and change. We’ll be waiting for you. ”
“We? If you’re going then there’s no need for me…”
“I’m not going, Master Francis. You know I have a grave aversion to Paris. I’ll merely be keeping the young lady company until you change your clothes. And it would behoove you to hurry—the longer we’re together the more things I could tell her. ”
She expected Rohan to look more than a little disgruntled, but he simply laughed. “I doubt anything you tell her would surprise her. She already knows I’m a total wastrel. ”
“If you take too long, I’ll be telling her all the good things I know of you. ”
“Good god,” he said in tones of absolute horror. “I’ll be as quick as the devil. ” He’d reached the door, then stopped for a moment, looking back at Elinor, staring at her.
“Master Francis…” Mrs. Clarke said in a warning tone.
“I just wanted to take a last glance at her exquisite feet before you covered them up again. It might be a while before I see them again. ”
Author: Anne Stuart
“It will be never,” Elinor said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Don’t count on it, my pet. Whatever scurrilous lies Mrs. Clarke spreads about my so-called goodness, she’ll have to admit that I always get what I want. ”
And before she could say another word he vanished, closing the door quietly behind him.
6
“There’s really no need for him to accompany me,” Elinor said hurriedly, suddenly able to breathe again. “In fact, I’d be much more comfortable traveling back to Paris alone. If you could just help me find my shoes and direct me to the carriage you could tell his lordship that his assistance was not needed. ”
“Don’t you worry, Miss Harriman,” Mrs. Clarke said briskly. “He’ll behave himself. And I’ve got my girl Janet finding some nice warm boots for you. The ones you wore have fallen apart, and there’s snow in the air. ”
“Find some boots for me?”
On a less dignified personage, Mrs. Clarke’s smile would have looked positively mischievous. “Lady Carlton looks to be about your size. Whenever she comes she brings several trunks of clothing and shoes, which seems ridiculous, because according to Janet she spends the entire time wearing nothing at all. She’ll never notice if one of her pairs of boots has gone missing. ”
“I can’t wear stolen boots!” Elinor said, scandalized.
“Of course you can. ”
The door opened and Janet appeared, bearing a tea tray with a pair of kid-leather boots under her arm. She looked like a younger version of Mrs. Clarke, and she set both her offerings in front of Elinor. There were toast strips on the tray as well as tea, and a pair of silk stockings with the boots, and Elinor gave up being virtuous.