Oh, where was the wretched man? Had he given up on her? They’d arrived well after five, which was late, but not that late. So she nodded and smiled and chatted and made polite small talk and was just about to give up on him when there was an outbreak of screeches and screams up ahead.
“Good grief, what on earth can that be about?” Izzy exclaimed. They couldn’t see anything—the crowd at that point was too dense. But then the knot of people scattered in panic as a large, scruffy dog bounded through them. It hurtled up to Zoë and leapt at her. More ladies screamed as he raised himself on two rear paws, placed his front ones on Zoë’s shoulders and gave her a joyous swipe on the chin with his tongue.
“Oh, Hamish,” she exclaimed, laughing and pushing his paws off her. “You muddy, adorable, ridiculous creature.” She crouched down and embraced him delightedly, scruffling him around the neck and ears and trying without success to avoid further enthusiastic doggy kisses.
Izzy stood by, chuckling and assuring the appalled onlookers that it was quite all right, the animal wasn’t savage.
“I knew he couldn’t have drowned you,” Zoë crooned to the dog.
“No? You seemed to believe it at the time,” a deep voice above her said.
She stiffened and rose, keeping a hand on Hamish’s head. “I should have known better, but why did you tell me such a horrid thing in the first place?”
“I was angry.”
“Well that makes two of us.” They stood glaring at each other.
Izzy, trying hard to keep a straight face, interjected. “As I understand it, you arranged this meeting in order to have a private talk. May I just point out that you couldn’t actually have ensured a more public one? Causing a minor riot with your dog was not exactly a master strategy, Lord Foxton.”
He said stiffly, “I didn’t plan it this way. I had him perfectly under control, but then he must have seen or smelled Vita—Miss Benoît, I mean—and before I knew it, he leapt out of the curricle and took off.”
“Well, perhaps you’d better get back to your horses,” Izzy suggested. “I presume you didn’t leave them unattended.”
“Of course I didn’t,” he said, irritated. “I got a fellow to hold them for me. But yes, I’d better get back to them. Shall we, Miss Benoît?” He held out his arm.
“I’ll mind the dog, shall I?” Izzy said brightly. “You wouldn’t want him climbing all over you and Zoë while you’re trying to talk, would you?”
“I brought him so she would see he was alive,” Lord Foxton admitted. “But yes, if you could mind him, Lady Salcott, I’d be most grateful.”
“Does he have a lead?” Izzy asked.
“No,” Zoë exclaimed, but at the same time, Reynard said, “Yes,” and drew a leather lead from his pocket. He glanced at Zoë and said, “It’s all right, he doesn’t mind it now. I’ve been training him.” He clipped the lead to Hamish’s collar, handed the end to Izzy and said, “Stay.”
“Yes, I intend to,” Izzy said affably. She was enjoying this, Zoë could tell.
“I meant the dog,” he said stiffly. “Miss Benoît?” He offered his arm again, and this time she took it.
They didn’t speak until Julian had thanked the young man who’d held his horses for him, helped her into the curricle and driven a sufficient distance to ensure nobody would overhear them.
“Rocinante?” Zoë said when he slowed the horses to a walk.
“With the LeBlancs,” he said gruffly. “She’s boarding with them. I’m paying for her food and for the eldest boy to care for her. The family is very grateful—they were unable to drive anywhere before.”
She turned and thumped him. Hard. “It washorridof you to tell me they were both dead.”
“I know, and I’m sorry about that. But I was angry at the time.” He glanced at her. “And hurt.”
“Hurt?” She stared at him. “Why wereyouhurt?” Suggesting she was the one who’d been hurt. A trickle of hope ran through him.
He stared back at her. “You left me without a word. And after the night we spent together…”
She shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t think it would matter to you.”
“Not matter?” He shook his head. How could she think it didn’t matter to him? “I thought you didn’t care,” he told her.
She snorted. “I didn’t care? Why do you think I invited you into the caravan in the first place?”
“I thought I knew that night. But then, when you left without a word, taking a valuable painting with you…”
