“Come on, then.” He leaned in close. “Don’t wander from my side.”
“Why? Is something going to jump out and bite me?”
Deerhurst grinned. “No, Phaedra, nothing is going to bite you.”Well, perhaps me. But just me.
He pulled her close to him. She smelled nice. Sweet. Vanilla and fresh blossoms. He inhaled her scent deeply before guiding her to the building and rapping on the door.
There weren’t many people in the street, but the ones who were about looked rough and weathered by time. Two men stared at Phaedra openly, and Deerhurst secured an arm around her waist and drew her into the crook of his arm.
He smiled at her small gasp.
Two seconds later the door swung open to reveal a stocky older woman, whose pinched look softened as it fell on Deerhurst, then broke into a wide grin.
“Well now, what a comforting sight to behold. Haven’t seen you in ages, laddie. Almost thought you weren’t coming here no more.”
Deerhurst felt his ears burn. He suddenly regretted his decision to come here. He had forgotten how he always felt like a naughty child when in the presence of this woman.
Deerhurst straightened his shoulders. “My apologies, Mrs. Plum, I’ve been busy these past weeks.”
“No matter, no matter. You’re here now.” She motioned them in. “And who might this young lady be? Have you married since you last visited? So beautiful! Ginny will be heartbroken, she will.”
He ignored Phaedra’s wide stare. This was definitely a mistake.
“Ginny?” she hissed in a low voice, shooting daggers at him. “Where exactly have you brought me to, Deerhurst? Certainly not—”
“Mrs. Plum,” Deerhurst cut her off. “Allow me to introduce you to Miss Sharp. She is a family friend.” Better to keep her exact identity a bit ambiguous, though Mrs. Plum was no fool.
Phaedra gaped at him.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Sharp,” Mrs. Plum gushed. “You’re lucky to have a friend such as our Deerhurst here.”
Deerhurst shook his head. “I am the lucky one, madam. Miss Sharp keeps me on my toes.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Plum,” Phaedra said politely, though Deerhurst could feel the tension rolling off her. He probably should have warned her beforehand, but he was beginning to have fun now discovering and sparking the embers of her temper.
“You two come inside, I shall see to your horse and have Tom stand guard.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Plum.”
Deerhurst guided Phaedra inside and led her to a small parlor to their left. The moment they entered, three young girls ran up to them and threw their arms around Deerhurst’s leg. He laughed and picked up the little blond one, pinching her cheek.
Deerhurst watched in amusement as surprise and shock lit Phaedra’s vivid gaze.
Satisfaction filled him. He also noted some nerves. Not unexpected. Deerhurst was privy to a few of her drawing room secrets, and now she was privy to one of his. Though the orphanage could not be considered a secret exactly, his involvement was not something he advertised to society.
“This is Maddie,” he told Phaedra about the girl in his arms. He pointed at the others. “And that is Macy and Evie. They’ve clung to me since they were infants.”
Her mouth opened and closed again.
“Does she not know how to speak?” Evie asked.
Deerhurst patted the little girl on the shoulder. “I suspect she is merely a touch overwhelmed. We were chased by a group of scoundrels.”
“Hello there,” Phaedra greeted the girls, having found her voice. “We had quite the mad dash.”
“Did bad men chase you?” Maddie asked.
“Well, perhaps not all bad,” Phaedra said. “But certainly not well behaved.”
