“It’s that or pass the brood of gentlemen collecting in your receiving room.”
That settled it. She reached for Deerhurst’s arms.
“My lady,” Millie protested, rushing over. “You cannot leave in such a manner! What am I to tell the countess?”
“Tell her I accompanied the Earl of Deerhurst for a ride through the park.” The time had come to draw a line in the sand. She refused to act as the courteous hostess to gentlemen callers when she did not plan to marry. She understood her mother. Phaedra may have decided not to marry, but the countess didn’t want her to become a complete pariah and offend anyone by not performing her social duties. Even if those social duties included entertaining a bunch of opportunists.
“My lady, the countess will enquire the time you left. How shall I explain?”
Phaedra shot Millie a reassuring look. “Just tell her the truth. All but for how I left. I can handle my mother’s ire.”
“My lady...”
“I shall see you later, Millie,” Phaedra said before she leaned out and clasped her hands on Deerhurst’s shoulders as he stepped up and reached for her waist. He felt solid and strong, and the scent of coffee and tobacco clung to him.
Not at all unpleasant.
The tiny hairs on her skin shot up to attention as he pulled her through the window and set her on her feet. For self-preservation’s sake, she ignored every single one of those little ripples that spread across her arms.
“You prefer coffee over tea?” Phaedra asked.
“In the mornings, yes. I quite like the aroma.” That soul-snaring gaze touched hers. “Why do you ask?”
“You smell like roasted coffee.”Lord, Phaedra.A woman did not refer to a man’s scent! Especially if said woman found the scent to be utterly enthralling.
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“A compliment, I think.”
“One I shall accept,” Deerhurst said.
He guided her to the small gate that led to his property. A thrill danced down her spine. The garden looked much different than it did during the night. More pristine. Like there were no secrets hidden within its bright landscape.
“I cannot believe I just climbed through a window to escape boisterous callers,” Phaedra said more to herself than Deerhurst. A sudden thought occurred to her. “How did you know where to find me?”
“I didn’t. I meant to catch the attention of a servant and instead I found you.”
That sounded reasonable.
Yet a small bud of suspicion formed in Phaedra’s heart. By the time that doubt had bloomed fully into wariness, she had already entered the earl’s home.
Drat it.
Had she leaped from the frying pan into the fire?
*
Deerhurst’s entrance hall, five minutes later
Every little nuanceof Lady Phaedra tugged at Deerhurst’s awareness. From the way her chest rose and fell with each inhale of breath, to the sweet scent of honeysuckle clinging to her skin, to the way she tucked a single ringlet of hair behind her ear only for it to escape a few moments later.
He hadn’t given his plan adequate thought, or else he’d have allowed her time to retrieve a bonnet or a shawl, which was why he decided to send for a closed carriage rather than his phaeton.
He felt another pinch of guilt.
That little pinch was overshadowed by a much larger stab of regret.Hewas the reason for the flock of rogue callers in her drawing room.
Well, part of the reason.
