Page 31 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
“Oh, Louisa!” Edith rushed forward to grasp her hands. “You are stunning! You have quite outdone yourself this evening.”
She’d arrived early to have time alone with Edith before the other guests arrived.
“You look lovely yourself. That dress is the perfect color for your complexion.”
“You did design it,” Edith replied wryly.
“So I did,” she replied with a wink.
“Refreshment?” Nathaniel asked her.
She shook her head. “I would like a private word with your wife.”
“I’ll just take myself off to the other end of the room,” the baron replied with a grin and a bow.
“Did you tell Nathaniel you know the significance of the clocks?” Louisa whispered once the baron had moved away.
“I did not. I don’t want my husband to worry about my safety.”
She rolled her eyes. “What you mean is you don’t want Nathaniel to try and keep you from helping Lord Wycliffe figure out the riddle of the clocks.”
“You’re right.” Edith nodded. “Although I do need to speak with him about it. We promised each other not to keep secrets.”
“Who else is attending this dinner party?”
“Alicia is attending a meeting of the Theater Guild, so my only other guests are Cecil and Diana. Charlotte’s brother William has decided to remain in the country. I think he is smitten with the local vicar’s daughter.”
“That is good news.” William had professed undying love for Louisa before last season. She was glad the young man had found someone else to care for. “There is something I have to tell you about Lord Wycliffe.”
She proceeded to inform her friend about the viscount’s visit to her bedchamber.
“He was in your room?” Edith put a hand over her mouth.
“He was there to steal my clock.”
Edith removed her hand and gaped at her. “Lord Wycliffe was in your bedchamber. What if you two had been discovered together?”
“Thank goodness we were not. Lord Wycliffe assumed I was at the musicale.” She paused. “It was all very innocent. He told me why he wanted my clock, and when I refused to give it to him, he promptly left.”
She would not mention that the viscount had placed his hand over her mouth or that she hadn’t yet stopped thinking of being alone with him in her bedchamber.
Edith looked to be searching for something to say when voices could be heard outside the room before Lord Wycliffe and Diana entered the drawing room arm in arm.
“Look who I found loitering in the corridor.” Diana grinned. “I was afraid Cecil would change his mind and return home, so I accosted him.”
Louisa felt a flutter in her stomach at the sight of Lord Wycliffe, followed by a sinking feeling. She refused to believe she was jealous of Diana and resolved not to think about when Diana kissed Cecil in front of her brother Ashford.
“Refreshment?” Edith asked her arriving guests.
“No, thank you,” Lord Wycliffe replied.
“A glass of sherry would not go amiss,” Diana responded, releasing Cecil’s arm and following Edith to the drinks tray on a nearby dresser.
“Good evening, Lady Louisa,” the viscount greeted her.
She started at the sound of his deep voice, enveloped by the richness of it. His cologne, as exquisite as his appearance, washed over her.
“Good evening, Lord Wycliffe.”
