He ate some of everything but particularly favored the sausage rolls, as well as the cream-filled sponge and the number cakes. He was finishing his third sausage roll when he looked up and caught her watching him.
“Youwereravenous,” she said.
He gave her a slow smile. “Yes, but I wasn’t talking about food.” Again his gaze dropped to her mouth.
What was he looking at? She had a weakness for cream cakes, and she also loved the sugar-coated grapes. Was cream or sugar stuck to her lip? Fighting a blush, she picked up a napkin and scrubbed at her lips.
His smile deepened, but all he said was, “Your cook is very good.” Three little girls looked up and nodded, their mouths full.
“Papa,” Judy said after swallowing a mouthful of cake, “it wasn’t really Miss Bamber’s fault that we climbed the tree. I went up first and the others followed.”
“Not true!” Debo said. “I was first! I won.”
“Actually, the cat went up first, and Debo followed,” Lucy interjected.
Lord Tarrant held up a hand, stopping a babble of argument. “Enough. Neither Lady Charlton nor I have any interest in who climbed what. The rule from now on is that theremust be a responsible adult present before anything like that happens again. It could be dangerous.”
“Is Miss Bamber a responsible adult?” Judy asked.
“Yes,” he said. “Now, I’m assuming you don’t want any more of this delicious food, so shall I ask Mr.Tweed to take it away?”
His answer was immediate silence, and a renewed attention to the food at hand. Alice laughed softly. He certainly knew how to handle children. “You said you were having trouble finding a kitten of a suitable age,” she said quietly, aware of the small ears further along the table. “I might have a suggestion.”
A dark brow rose. He gave an encouraging nod.
“An acquaintance of mine, Beatrice, Lady Davenham, runs a literary society that I occasionally attend. She has several cats, and often has kittens. She’s too softhearted to drown them, and is forever foist—er, bestowing them on her friends. I could make inquiries, if you like.”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you.” In the same low undervoice, he said, “Did you hear that, Debo?”
The little girl nodded and said with her mouth full of cake, “Yes, Lady Charlton’s getting me a kitten from a Bee lady with lots of cats. When?”
“Ears like a bat when it comes to Things Feline,” he told Alice.
Alice chuckled. “The literary society meets tomorrow. I’ll take Lucy.”
Lucy pulled a face. “Literary society?”
“You’ll like it. I promise.”
Chapter Ten
That swine Bamber has been threatening Alice again, damn his impudence!” Thornton told James. It was early morning, the dew was still on the ground, and James and Thornton were on horseback. After a good fast gallop to sweep the cobwebs away, they were now walking their mounts and talking. Hyde Park was almost deserted, except for a family that rode out together most mornings.
James gave him a sharp look. “Threatening? How?”
“Sent her a note complaining that the girl wasn’t being seen with enough lords—can you believe the fellow’s insisting his daughter must marry someone titled?” He snorted. “He also sent a copy of one of the letters he’s blackmailing her with, threatening to make it public.”
To whom had she written those letters, James wondered again. “Did you see it?”
“No, she burnt it.”
They rode on. James was thoughtful. Why would Bamber send Alice a copy of one of her own letters? To frightenher? It obviously had, if she’d told Gerald about it. But she’d burnt it, so she obviously was too ashamed to let him see it.
“Has Radcliffe’s man—what was his name again?—discovered anything yet?”
Thornton nodded. “Heffernan. He’s good, I’ll give him that. He hasn’t found Bamber—he’s a slippery bastard—but he’s already discovered a number of men who’ve been cheated by Bamber.”
“Cheated? How?”
