“There you are. I have something to say to you.” He pulled her into the breakfast room. “I have two pieces of news. First I shall say that Julia is going to have a baby.” Nicholas grinned.
“Oh! That is wonderful!” Leorah’s insides fluttered with excitement. “I shall be an aunt again! Oh, Julia is so sweet. She might actually let me hold the baby, unlike Isabella, who is always afraid I might make Marianne sick. Oh, I’m so happy!”
Her brother Jonathan’s wife was so paranoid, Leorah rarely got to hold her own niece.
“Yes, well, Julia is not feeling so well at present, but the doctor says that is nothing to be alarmed about.”
“That must be why I haven’t seen much of her lately.”
“But I have something else to tell you.”
“But a baby, Nicholas! Can you believe it? Are you not excited?”
“I shall be more excited when the business is over.”
“You must not fret. Julia shall have a healthy, happy baby, and you shall be the proudest father in England.”
“I pray it will be so. But you must be quiet and listen to me. Lord Withinghall—” He stopped and stuck his head out into the hall, then closed the door and glanced around the room. He lowered his voice. “The viscount has reason to believe that Mr. Pinegar may have been behind the tampering done to his carriage that resulted in the carriage overturning. And furthermore, he wanted me to warn you about Mr. Hastings, who may have been the one who did the actual tampering.”
“What do you mean? How could Mr. Hastings have had anything to do with that? Did Lord Withinghall tell you to warn me about the man? I knew he was paying a lot of attention to me every time I was in Mr. Hastings’s company, but I would not have thought that he would stoop so low as to try to disparage the man just because—”
“Leorah, stop. This is serious. The sheriff, Mr. Yarbrough, found witnesses who saw a man matching Mr. Hastings’s description loitering near the carriage house when Lord Withinghall was changing horses at the Red Hart Inn.”
“A man matching his description? Do you mean a man who has brown hair, dresses well, is of medium height and build, and is handsome? There are thousands of men who would fit that description.”
“Very well.” Nicholas threw up his hands. “Don’t believe it if you wish. But Mr. Hastings is closely allied with Mr. Pinegar. His family has been dependent on Mr. Pinegar for many years, and if the man does intend to make the army his profession, he will have Pinegar to thank for his commission. His family is poor, and I do not know where he gets the means to dress as he does and make himself look the part of a gentleman.” He leaned closer, looking Leorah in the eye. “It is not wise for you to form any kind of attachment to the man. He has no fortune and should have already entered into some profession by now. As it is, he is idle, and I do not trust him.”
Nicholas may have been right, but it vexed her too much to admit it. Besides, she enjoyed flirting with a handsome man like Mr. Hastings. Anyone would. But even Felicity had said something the night before about the imprudence of becoming attached to him when he was not in possession of a fortune and had no profession.
“What right has Lord Withinghall to warn me about Mr. Hastings? He probably just hates to see me enjoying myself, since he is too cold and unfeeling to enjoy anything.”
“Don’t be peevish, Leorah. You know you are being unjust. Lord Withinghall would not want me to warn you if he were not genuinely concerned for you.”
“And why should he be concerned for me? He’s marrying Miss Norbury, not me.” She really did sound peevish. But why did Lord Withinghall always have to ruin her fun? “Very well. I will not compromise myself with Mr. Hastings. Do not worry. But I don’t see what business it is of Lord Withinghall. He needs to stop trying to take care of me.”
Nicholas let out a deep sigh. “If I can find a reasonable excuse, I will send Hastings away. All I ask is that you be sensible and prudent in the meantime.”
“Sensible and prudent.” Leorah sighed. “When am I not the soul of sensibility and prudence?” She smiled and sailed out of the room.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Annoying. She had been enjoying herself so much, and now that Lord Withinghall had taken it upon himself to say such things about Mr. Hastings to her brother, nothing was quite the same. She felt slightly uncomfortable around the man and now had no one to flirt with.
Why did it bother her so much? She’d never been much of a flirt.
The long house party was nearly over. Leorah sat before her mirror as Becky fixed her hair for the ball, which was to start soon. Felicity was ready, so she sat keeping Leorah company.
“I shall miss you so much, Felicity, when you return to London.”
“Why don’t you come with me? I know our house is always so full, but if you can bear the crush, I would love to have you, and I know Mother would too.”
Leorah smiled at her friend. “I would like that, but I know Mother would not wish me to leave before Christmas. Perhaps I could come and stay with you a month before she comes back to town for the Season.”
“Oh yes! That will be lovely.”
Then they went downstairs to join the rest of the guests.
As they made their way down the steps, Lord Withinghall glanced up and his eyes met Leorah’s. Her heart fluttered at the intense look, so warm. But then he looked away as Mr. Hastings ascended the steps to greet the ladies.
“Miss Langdon. Miss Mayson. You both are looking very lovely this evening. I would be honored if you would dance the first two dances with me, Miss Langdon, and if Miss Mayson would dance the third.”
“I would be delighted to dance with you, Mr. Hastings,” Leorah replied. But she was careful not to smile too widely or too long at him, even as she hated the doubts that had been planted in her mind as to his character.
As the first dance began and she lined up facing Mr. Hastings, he gave her a somber look, staring into her eyes. Was he trying to make her pity him?
“Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Hastings?”
“How could I not, Miss Langdon? Your hospitality and kindness have greatly encouraged me.” He gave her a pointed look.
She almost inquired what he meant, but she assumed that had been his intent—to induce her to ask him—so she did not indulge him.
When the dance was over and the other partners were bowing to each other, he grasped her hand and leaned in close enough to whisper, “Tell me what I have done to offend you.”
“You have done nothing, as you well know.” Leorah smiled and tried to laugh.
He did not let go of her hand. “I must know why your behavior has cooled toward me.”
“I don’t believe I owe you any sort of explanation.” Leorah looked him in the eye and straightened her shoulders.
Mr. Hastings bowed his head and muttered a humble, “Please forgive me.” He let go of her hand, offered her his arm, and she walked with him around the room until the next dance was set to begin. They lined up opposite each other again, with him looking more serious than ever.