“Don’t worry your mind,” the lady continued, looking at Nora. “A few turns of the handle and he’ll be good as new. The screaming can be rather trying on the nerves though, which is why I’ve always kept it in the servant’s quarters.”
Nora blushed, her cheeks turning a faint pink. “Please forgive my rudeness. I’ve a very bad habit of speaking my mind.”
Our hostess’s dark blue eyes sparkled with gaiety. “A habit I hope you will never lose.” She gave Nora a subtle wink, then turned to Henry, a smile playing on her mouth. “Good day, Lord Fitzalan. Will you be so kind as to introduce me to your party?”
“My pleasure,” he said. “Lady Dinley, this is Miss Selah Kilbrid and her traveling companions, Nora and Lucy Goodwin. And that shy creature is Beth, their maid, I believe.” Beth stood a few paces behind Lucy, staring fixedly at the floor as though willing herself to disappear. Upon hearing her name, she bobbed a quick curtsey without lifting her eyes.
Lady Dinley looked at each of us in turn before bringing her attention back to me. “So this is the mysterious girl from the Colonies who has stolen Lord Fitzalan’s heart. All of London has been abuzz with your name these past months.” Smiling, she extended a delicate hand to me. I accepted, putting my gloved hand in her palm. She placed her other hand on top of mine and stared at me in silence. “It is very good to meet you Miss Kilbrid,” she said after a moment, releasing me from her stare as she let go of my hand. “It is a pleasure to make all of your acquaintances, and I welcome you to my home.”
“And you, Catherine Dinley,” Lucy said, “You are very kind to offer us lodging.”
I tensed at the first challenge to Lady Dinley’s rank. “Please call me Cate,” she said to Lucy. “Catherine is much too formal for my liking.”
I let out a slow breath, relieved to know that we would not be looking for another place to stay tonight. From Nora’s pleased smile, I knew she was thinking the same.
Lady Dinley, or Cate as she had just requested, walked over to a small Queen Anne table that held a servant’s bell. One ring brought two young ladies scurrying into the drawing room. “Sophie and Fanny, please see our guests up to their rooms. And have tea trays sent up.” She turned to Lucy. “I’m sure you would like to freshen up and rest after your journey.”
“Thank you,” Lucy said, obviously pleased by the suggestion. “I’m afraid we are all feeling a bit frayed around the edges.”
As we started from the drawing room, Cate placed a hand on Henry’s arm. He stopped and waited, with me at his side.
“Henry,” Cate said, dropping all pretenses of formality between them once the others were gone. “A letter was delivered here shortly before you arrived with Selah. I believe it requires your immediate attention.”
Henry gave her a quizzical look. “No one knew I was coming to your home today. I didn’t know myself until an hour ago. Unless...” he started, but then let his words trail off.
“Unless,” Cate persisted, “someone else learned of Selah’s arrival around the same time you did. Everyone knew she was to be my house guest, certainly any interested person would have guessed to contact you here regarding any urgent matters.” Cate pulled two letters from a pocket inside her gown, both bearing similar wax seals. Handing one to Henry, she tucked the other back into her gown.
Henry glanced at the seal, a dark shadow crossing his face. He broke the wax, and I watched the muscles tense in his jaw as he read the contents. “The princess has asked me to join her for a falconry hunt this afternoon and then to dine with her and her mother this evening.”
“I assumed it would be something of that nature,” Cate said. “She wasted no time in staking her claim. How does the old proverb go? A tame wolf wears a short leash.”
“I am no tame wolf,” Henry said tersely. “And I will not leave Selah. Please summon a servant for parchment and quill so I may send my regrets.”
Cate looked at him for a moment. “Maybe not tame,” she agreed, “but highly unwise if you intend to offend Amelia. Go to Kensington this afternoon, I shall keep Selah occupied.”
Henry put his arm around my waist, apparently unconcerned about showing her ladyship the nature of our relationship. “She just got here, Cate. Don’t ask me to leave her so soon.”
I leaned closer to him, in complete agreement with his decision.
“You are just as familiar as I am with the Hanovers’ monstrous pride,” Cate said. “Make an enemy of Amelia, and Selah will be shunned from every respectable drawing room in London. Is that what you want? To turn her into an outcast among your own people?”
“Amelia and I have been dear friends since childhood. She would never hurt me by disparaging Selah’s name.”
“Henry, do you know the saying, ‘heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned?’”