Leeds, who entered the room, lifted a brow. His gaze flicked over the duke and narrowed, but he said nothing. “Lady Phaedra.”
“Leeds.”
“Then we shall be off,” Lady Harriet said.
“Do not forget your gift, Harriet,” Phaedra said and picked up the box to hand it to the fleeing bird. “I truly do appreciate you being a friend.”
Lady Harriet took the box hesitantly, shooting a quick glance at her husband. “You really did not have to get me a gift.”
Phaedra waved her hand. “It’s just a token of my gratitude.”
Lady Harriet nodded and hurried to her husband, who merely inclined his head at them before taking his wife away. Phaedra sat back down and smiled at the duke, who had no idea the very object he sought had been under his nose the entire time.
So much fun.
*
“Is that mymother and my father?”
Deerhurst followed her gaze to the drawing room. It was past midnight, and they’d decided to walk back from the Carrington ball since it was only a few blocks, and they were passing Phaedra’s old home.
He pinched his lips together to keep from laughing. “I’m afraid so.”
“Are they... dear Lord! They are! I sat on that sofa only yesterday!”
“Are you shocked? Given the den of iniquity in which you lived, I’m surprised,” he teased.
She glared at him. “We Sharp women are very passionate.”
He couldn’t argue with that.
“Then what’s the matter?”
“It’s mymotherandfather, Deerhurst! This is not a sight any daughter ever wants to witness.”
“Then look away.”
“I can’t.”
Deerhurst stepped into her view. “You watching them is more disturbing than them doing the deed.”
She snorted and peered around him. “Not when it’s like two objects approaching a collision and you want to look away, but your gaze is melded to the impending crash.”
“Well, there will certainly be a collision here.”
“What positionisthat?”
“Not one we’ve tried before,” he tugged on her arm. “Come, let’s give them some privacy.”
“Privacy? If they wanted privacy, they should have confined themselves to their quarters!” She turned a suspicious gaze at him. “How many times have you witnessed their, er, coupling?”
“Trust, me, you do not want to know.”
“Well, now you have me curious beyond measure.” She grinned. “Do you think we will be as bad as they are in our old age?”
“We might be worse.”
“Well, it certainly seems like the Sharp women aren’t partial to beds.”
