Always True to Her (Emerson Book 2) (9 page)

“I want Miss Wallace to come,” said Anna.

Great
. It was a
conspiracy of females.

“Thank you, Anna,” said Miss Wallace. “I would like
to become better acquainted with you, as well. In fact…” Miss Wallace’s
entire face lit up. “…I could disguise myself as your governess. That way no
one would be the wiser.”

James shook his head. “You are forgetting, Miss
Wallace, about the likelihood of encountering someone you know. Simply saying
you are Anna’s governess will not make it so. If anything, it would raise even
more questions.”

“Mayhap you missed the portion of my statement that
said I would disguise myself.”

James snorted his disbelief. “No household would
ever hire a governess as beautiful as you.”

She looked her surprise. “Why, Lord James, I
believe you just complimented me.”

“She is beautiful, Papa,” whispered Anna.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” said Miss Wallace as she
squeezed Anna’s hand, while laughing at James with her eyes.

James turned to see Olson studying Miss Wallace and
him intently. “Perhaps she should accompany you, Lord James.”

“Not you, too! Why in heaven’s name should she?
And don’t say it’s because she’s beautiful.”

“She is, of course,” said Olson, who then blushed
and cleared his throat again. “But from a purely strategic viewpoint, I was
thinking that the best way to keep this out of the courts is to gain Miss
Wallace as your ally. For I believe that once she talks to this Mr. Adams and
learns you have been telling the truth, she will persuade her father to do the
right thing.”

“You place a great deal of faith in me, Mr. Olson,”
said Miss Wallace.

“I am only following Miss Emerson’s lead, as she
seems to be an excellent judge of character.” He smiled at Anna. “But I do
suggest that you take great care with Miss Wallace’s disguise for it wouldn’t
do for her to be recognized. Unless you would like me to draft a marriage
agreement while you are away.”

“Certainly not!” said Miss Wallace rather too
quickly and with far too much vehemence for James’s taste.

It was one thing for him to forswear marriage, but
for Miss Wallace to do so was most insulting.

“I believe we can muddle through,” said James. “And
I must confess myself curious as to how long Miss Wallace can masquerade as a
servant without letting her tongue run loose.”

Miss Wallace narrowed her eyes at him and James
would have laughed if he hadn’t been quite so pre-occupied with thinking of
Miss Wallace’s tongue.

For the life of him, he still could not believe this
was Cedric’s sister.

“You do not have to do this, Miss Wallace,” said
James, as they stood outside Gunter’s, the famous confectioner’s in Berkeley
Square.

“It is my pleasure. And since we are departing
first thing in the morning for Portsmouth, this might be our only opportunity
to introduce Anna to the wonders of ices and sweets.”

“Isn’t it a bit too cold for an ice?”

Miss Wallace shook her head and tsked. “It is never
too cold for an ice, Lord James. Besides, we can discuss our travel
arrangements while we eat.”

“I do wish you’d reconsider your decision to
accompany us.” Especially since she was much more tempting than anything
Gunter’s had to offer.

“I have already made my decision, my lord. Even
your solicitor said the idea had merit.”

“Yes, well, I’m going to have to talk to Nick about
Mr. Olson’s ideas.”

“I would talk to your brother about Mr. Olson’s odd clientele.”

“You mean, the, uh….” Here he covered Anna’s ears.
“Working ladies?”

Miss Wallace’s eyes danced at him. “No, my lord, I
was referring to you. Shall we enter?”

“Yes, minx. We shall,” said James as the doorman
ushered them in.

They were immediately assailed with the smells of
cinnamon, chocolate and baking bread as the warm fragrant air wafted toward
them. The tea room wasn’t as crowded as it was on a summer’s day, but at least
a quarter of the tables were filled with ladies of the
ton
enjoying
their tea and desserts.

Well-dressed ladies of the
ton
.

James had paid little attention to fashion in
America. Not only were there more pressing matters to attend to, but American
fashion was of a different sort than that in London. Plainer. Less costly.
More practical.

But as James looked at the ladies in the room – who
were now staring at the new arrivals – he realized just how underdressed he and
Anna were. He wasn’t sure if any of the ladies in the room recognized him. He
certainly didn’t seem to know any of them. But there was no doubt that those
who looked at his clothes found him wanting.

Worse than that, he could see the way the ladies
were staring disapprovingly at Anna.

“Oh, dear,” said Miss Wallace with a smile she put on
for show. “I am so sorry. I should have known it would be like this, but all
I thought about was giving Anna a treat. Can we please ignore them and allow
Anna to enjoy an ice?”

James was torn. He was not a man who backed down
from challenges easily and had it just been him, he would have paid the old
cats no heed. But he did not want Anna to be the recipient of their hisses.

Two matrons with their children in tow passed by
them to reach the exit. Both women pulled their children behind them so they
would not go near Anna. James heard one of them say “heathen.”

He could hear other whispers in the room. Though he
could not make out the words, he had a feeling they were all the subject of
gossip. Anna was certainly the subject of their stares.

He took a deep breath to keep from losing his temper.
He did not want to embarrass either Anna or Miss Wallace. But he was finding
it more and more difficult to remain silent. He was trying to figure out the
best course of action when a little girl walked up to Anna.

She had black hair and green eyes and was dressed
simply but elegantly. And she was staring at Anna. James prayed the girl
would not be too unkind as he wondered where the devil her parents were.

The girl, who looked to be a year or two older than
Anna, leaned into his daughter and said “You’re beautiful!” Then she grinned.

“Violet!” said an attractive woman in her forties
with blonde hair and blue eyes, as she joined them. “I believe you are
supposed to introduce yourself before striking up a conversation.” The
admonition was a gentle one and the lady clearly loved the little girl. She
looked to be the girl’s aunt or possibly her grandmother.

The little girl then curtsied quite properly. “I am
Violet Kellington. What’s your name?” she asked Anna.

Anna darted a look at her father to see if it was
all right to speak to this girl who was almost a stranger. When he nodded, she
smiled shyly and whispered, “I’m Anna Emerson.”

Violet grinned again.

“Miss Kellington,” said James, who could not help
being enchanted by the girl, “who is your papa? No, let me guess….you must be
Lord Edward’s daughter. For you look very much like him.”

“I am!” she said with a grin, before curtsying
again. “Do you know my papa?”

“I do. Along with your uncles. I went to school
with them and we were all friends. I am Lord James Emerson,” he said, bowing.
“Please allow me to introduce you to Miss Irene Wallace.”

Irene curtsied, even as James bowed to the woman he
now recognized as the maternal aunt to the Duke of Lynwood and his family.
“Miss Prudence? I had the pleasure of meeting you and Miss Maria several years
ago.”

“How good of you to remember, Lord James, and what a
pleasure to see you again, Miss Wallace.” Prudence Hamilton was the younger
sister of the late Duchess of Lynwood. Her nephew, William Kellington, had
become the Duke of Lynwood when he was but nineteen years old after the death
of both of his parents.

“It is a pleasure, indeed, Miss Prudence,” said
Irene with a warm smile.

“Miss Kellington reminds me very much of Ned,” said
James. “Though, of course, a much prettier version. My brothers and I have
very good memories of being at school with the Kellingtons. In fact, I’m not
sure any of us would have made it through without their friendship.”

“I’m very proud of my nephews and my niece. Please join
us so I can tell you what they have been doing since you last saw them. This
past year alone is quite a tale to tell,” said Miss Prudence, as she motioned
to a table where a brown-haired lady about her age waited.

Another group of ladies passed by, looking decidedly
like they’d swallowed lemons. But this time they did not stare at Anna, but
turned their disapproving glares to Miss Prudence and Miss Maria, instead.
James heard one of them mutter “unnatural.”

There had always been allegations that Miss Prudence
and Miss Maria were much closer than employer and companion. They’d been
together for as long as James had known the Kellingtons. In fact, he’d first
gotten to know the brothers as they were fighting older boys at school who’d
said cruel things about the ladies’ relationship. He’d fought alongside the
Kellingtons and it had forged a friendship that he remembered fondly.

At first, he hadn’t understood the older boys’
accusations. It had simply been enough that the brothers were protecting their
aunt’s honor. But once James became aware of the reality of same sex love, he
fought even harder at the Kellingtons’ side. As someone who’d felt so little
love from his parents, he was angered that anyone would attack it where it did
exist, regardless of whether it violated society’s rules and even the law
itself.

Miss Prudence ignored the ladies with a dignified
silence. However, once they had passed, she spoke quietly to Irene, “Perhaps I
should not have invited you to join us. I have a feeling your grandmother
would not approve.”

“And I have never forgotten the kindness you and
Miss Maria showed me during my debut Season and in the years since,” said
Irene. “We would be honored to join you.”

“Aunt Prue!” said Violet.

“Yes, sweeting?”

“I just asked Anna if she wanted to be my friend and
she said yes!” Violet looked overjoyed, and even Anna seemed excited.

“Well, that settles it, then,” said Prue to James
and Irene. “You simply must join us. A second generation of
Kellington-Emerson friendship has formed. We must celebrate that with an ice
or two.”

With that, James ushered his party to the table where
Miss Maria sat. James remembered her as a shy woman who rarely spoke. She
must have recognized a kindred spirit in Anna, for she engaged his daughter in
conversation as they discussed different flavors of ices.

The ladies at neighboring tables continued to gossip
about them. James knew Miss Prue and Miss Maria were both under the protection
of the duke and his family. But he wondered what life would be like for them
if that were not the case.

“I had heard you were in America these past several
years, Lord James,” said Miss Prue. “That must have been fascinating.”

James gave the ladies a much abridged accounting of
what life had been like on the frontier. It was a tale suitable for ladies and
children, which meant it bore little resemblance to reality. Violet was in awe
of the story and asked to learn a few words of the Algonquin language. James
was surprised when Anna taught them a few phrases, when she was normally shy
with those she did not know well. But the two ladies and Vi were so kind it
was hard to think of them as strangers.

When Anna’s chocolate ice arrived, she wasn’t quite
sure what to make of it. She stared at it for a moment, inhaling the sweet
aroma.

“You should take a bite, love, before it melts,”
said James.

Anna, watched closely by the entire table, picked up
her spoon, dipped it into the creamy dessert, then tentatively brought it to
her mouth. She tasted it, then her whole face lit up in a smile. It was
enough to make the ladies laugh. It was enough to bring James to the verge of
tears.

Such a simple treat. But he’d been unable to
provide it for his daughter.

“Papa,” said Anna. “Would you like some?”

And how like his daughter to want to share something
she obviously loved. “No, thank you, poppet. It is for you.”

Anna in turn asked everyone else if they wanted to
share. Even Violet said no, though it was obvious she was tempted.

“You said you have news about the Kellingtons?”
James asked Miss Prue.

“All of them married in the last eight months, which
caused no end of disappointment among the matchmaking mamas, just as Lord Ridgeway’s
recent marriage did – though no one will admit it, of course.”

“Even Lynwood married?”

“Even Liam. To the former Miss Rosalind Carson, who
was bosom friends with Lizzie, though I don’t know if you would have met my
niece.”

“I did not have the honor before leaving for
America.”

“She married someone else you may know, Lord
Riverton.”

That made James grin. “I imagine Liam was surprised
to learn his best friend was marrying his sister.”

“Surprised, Lord James, is much too tame a word to
describe it. And you may be interested to know that Ned and his wife Jane just
had a baby.”

“A boy,” said Violet with the darkest of scowls.

Miss Wallace had to stifle a laugh. “Are you
disappointed to have a brother?” she asked.

“I told Mama and Papa I wanted a baby sister.”

“But brothers can be good, too,” said James. “I
have two and your papa has three. Perhaps you will like having one, too.”

“But I wanted someone to play with,” said Vi.

“You can play with me,” said Anna.

“That’s true,” said James carefully. He hated to
disappoint Violet when she’d just lit up at the prospect of having a friend to
play with, but he was compelled by honesty to add, “But, unfortunately, Anna
and I are leaving town tomorrow.”

“But you’re coming back, aren’t you?” asked Vi.
“We’re going to be in London until baby Daniel is old enough to travel. Then
we’re going back to Marston Vale. If we’re not here when you get back, you can
go there.” She looked at him eagerly and, even worse, Anna seemed excited.

But if everything went as he hoped, James knew they
wouldn’t be coming back to London or visiting Marston Vale. They would be on
their way back to America. It seemed cruel to deprive Anna of her new friend,
but she could make new ones in America, even though in the eight years James
had lived there, he hadn’t made many.

It was a disturbing thought.

Irene broke the silence. “That is a lovely
invitation, Violet. And I am certain that Lord James and Anna will visit you
the next time they are in town or in Marston Vale. And if that should not
happen soon, perhaps you could write letters.”

“I would truly love that!” said Violet.

“I would, too!” said Anna, who now had a line of
chocolate below her lip.

Irene dampened a napkin, then gently wiped it away
as the two young girls talked about the letters they would write.

Two more ladies passed by. James heard one of them
say “Some people should not be allowed in polite company.”

And that was quite enough of that.

He stood and addressed them. “Excuse me, but I
could not help but overhear your remarks. No doubt that was your intent. You
have the right of it. Some people shouldn’t be allowed in polite company. But
since you are leaving, there will be no need to have you thrown out.”