Page 57 of The Duke's Rules Of Engagement
“No, you mustn’t give him the cut direct in his own house,” Jo said. “You must be polite but distant.”
“It will be difficult,” Lilly admitted. “I’d prefer to throw my arms around him and tell him our problems are soon to be solved.”
Jo narrowed her eyes. “You will not.”
“I know, I know. I won’t do it,” Lilly promised. “As difficult as it will be, I shall keep my hands to myself and all my excitement bottled inside until the duke proposes to Harriet.”
“Which won’t be for at least another fortnight.”
“That long?” Lilly asked mournfully as they both donned their pelisses.
“Yes,” Jo said firmly. “At leastthat long.”
They ventured into the cool, cloudy day. Jo fancied she could smell the threat of more rain in the air and thought of how Matthew had looked at her yesterday, his black eyelashes damp, a drop of water on the tip of his nose, that toe-curlingly handsome grin on his face.
Unlike yesterday, rain today wouldn’t be ideal. If it rained, she and Lilly would have to shoulder through it on the walk back, as she couldn’t spare the coin for a hackney right now.
Fortunately, the sky remained dry on the twenty-minute walk to the Cherrington residence, and when they arrived, they were ushered in by the butler to encounter all five of the Cherrington sisters in the drawing room. Harriet looked up from where she was playing the pianoforte to greet them. The others all chimed in, giving special attention to Lilly, who they hadn’t seen in a while.
“Oh, Lilly!” Esther exclaimed, beaming. “We missed you so!”
As Lilly hugged each of the sisters in turn, Jo wondered when Lilly had become such good friends with them—but then it struck her. She was so often holed up in her office that Lilly had started living a life of her own, separate from Jo. She had been so busy she hadn’t given it much notice.
Crowding around them, the sisters bade them to sit and offered them tea and cakes.
“Oh, look.” Martha moved to the window as the rest of them sipped their tea. “The sky is clearing. I think I shall walk to Mr. de Havilland’s offices. He is expecting a crate from Africa to arrive today.”
“More stolen antiquities?” Frances asked with raised eyebrows.
Martha scowled at her twin. “You are incessantly ungrateful, and unfair. Mr. de Havilland has preserved so many ancient artifacts and shared so much knowledge with the entirety of the civilized world, and you persist in calling him a thief.”
Frances shrugged. “That’s because he is.”
Martha made a sound of disgust. “Fluff and nonsense.” Waving off Frances, she turned to the rest of them. “Would anyone like to join me?”
Jo hoped all of them would, except Harriet. She wanted to talk to the young woman in a more private setting.
But to her dismay, Harriet piped up. “I’d be happy to go with you, Martha. I could use the air after being cooped up all day.”
Drat.
After only a brief hesitation, Jo volunteered to accompany them. Then, she cast Lilly a pointed glance.
“Oh, Jo. May I stay a bit longer? I am having such a lovely time.”
“Oh, please let her stay!” Esther exclaimed.
Jo sighed, but Mary cut in. “I would love for Lilly to stay. Our carriage is…indisposed, Miss Porter, but I’ll ensure she’s properly chaperoned for her walk home.”
Their carriage was “indisposed”? Had Charles sold it? That was the most likely scenario, Jo thought with a sinking feeling.
She smiled at the ladies, who sat side by side on the sofa, Esther’s hand gripping Lilly’s tightly. “Very well.”
Lilly grinned. “I’ll be home before dinner. Thank you, Jo.”
Jo, Martha, and Harriet set off, two footmen following at a discreet distance behind them. One would remain with Martha to escort her home later, and the other would accompany Harriet and Jo.
“It’s quite a walk,” Jo told Harriet.
