Page 9 of The Viscount in her Bedroom
“I’m not sure that’s a compliment,” Miss Shelby said dryly.
“Oh, it’s a compliment.” He had always liked the sound of her voice. He could hear her intelligence, her sense of humor. There was even the faintest huskiness that resonated inside him far too pleasurably.
But he couldn’t dwell on that. He tried to remember the social niceties, which had become infrequent when one didn’t encourage company. “And how is your family, Miss Shelby, and of course my friend David?”
“Lord Thurlow is well, my lord. My sister Victoria tells me it’s a shame you do not accept their invitations.”
He worked hard not to stiffen with uneasiness. “Then perhaps I should invite them to visit me here.”
“Ah, but they’ve already left on their honeymoon.”
He felt a twinge of self-pity that he quickly squashed. Of course the world went on without him. David and Victoria had struggled hard to find love; he was glad they were enjoying each other.
“So she got him away from his railway,” Simon said, shaking his head with amusement. “He must really love her.”
Lady Wade said, “Simon, did you hear that Miss Shelby’s other sister is also married now, to the Duke of Thanet’s uncle?”
He tilted his head toward Miss Shelby. “So you’re the last unmarried Shelby sister. Is that difficult?”
He heard Georgie gasp, and he sent an annoyed look her way.
“Miss Shelby,” he said, “I merely meant that I know how close you are to your sisters, and with both of them newly married, you must not be able to see them often. Is that why you accepted my grandmother’s offer?”
There was an awkward silence that he kept expecting his grandmother to interrupt. But whatever she saw on Miss Shelby’s face seemed to stop her.
“You are very perceptive, my lord,” Miss Shelby said softly.
She didn’t sound angry with him. “I’m only blind, not stupid.”
“Simon!” Georgie said reprovingly.
“No, it’s all right,” Miss Shelby said. “Lord Wade is correct. My sisters have busy lives, and my old friends decided that my reduced financial circumstances last year made me unappealing.”
Now she sounded embarrassed. Maybe she hadn’t meant to reveal so much. It made him uncomfortable to be a part of such feelings. He’d forgotten that in pushing people away, he’d removed himself from emotions.
“Oh, Miss Shelby,” Georgie said softly.
Their grandmother snorted. “Stupid girls.”
Simon could only wonder if her lack of a dowry made all the men go away, too. But knowing David Thurlow’s generosity, surely Miss Shelby had a dowry now. Then why wasn’t she actively searching for a husband? Or had her dubious reputation become too well known?
“So when I received Lady Wade’s kind offer,” Miss Shelby continued, “it seemed the perfect opportunity to be of help to someone.”
He concealed his frown, and had a startling moment of clarity where he realized that he was growing used to hiding what he felt. From his own family. “Grandmama, what do you have planned for Miss Shelby?”
“I have nothingplanned,” his grandmother said too brightly. “With Georgie soon to be busy with her next Season—”
He heard Georgie sigh.
“—and you distracted with your work, Simon,” Lady Wade continued, “I need someone to keep me company. I am getting on in years, you know.”
The two young ladies protested her statement in unison, but Simon wasn’t fooled by the distraction. His grandmother was up to something.
“Georgie my child,” said Lady Wade, “I imagine Miss Shelby would like to rest before dinner. Why don’t you show her to the blue guestroom?”
Ah, now the old girl was trying to sidestep his questions by temporarily removing the problem. As if he was going to forget.
He heard Miss Shelby rise to her feet, and as she walked past him, he felt the brush of her skirts along his lower legs, inhaled the sweet scent that trailed behind her. These days, that was all it took to arouse him.
