Page 70 of An Innocent Maid for the Duke
Rose expected him to tell her that women did not undertake such daring adventures. Instead he merely smiled. ‘I expect you will, pet.’
And then they were back where they came in. ‘Shall we go down?’ Jake asked. ‘There is another staircase leading up to the other view, but it is a very long climb to get a view of St. Petersburg. Not nearly as exciting as this.’
In other words, not something that would interest a child. ‘No, I think it might be best saved it for another day.’
‘I want to go,’ Lucy said, pouting.
Jake crouched down. ‘Very well, I will give you a choice. A long hot climb for a view of an old city with streets and buildings or ices at Gunter’s.’
‘Ices. I want raspberry.’
Jake chuckled and came to his feet.
Rose breathed a sigh of relief, having expected floods of tears or a tantrum. The man was so lovely with the little girl. He would indeed make a wonderful father.
Again her heart squeezed.
‘Shall I carry you down the stairs, Lucy?’ he asked.
‘I can do it myself,’ the little girl said. She bustled ahead.
‘Hold on to the banister,’ Rose reminded just before Jake spun her around and kissed her on the lips.
She melted against him and kissed him back. When they finally broke apart, she smiled up at him. ‘Thank you.’
His eyes sparkled. ‘Thank you. Now,youwill allow me to help you down the stairs, will you not?’
Chapter Eleven
To Jacob’s disgruntlement, the heat of the day had brought every member of thetonleft in London to Gunter’s Tea Shop. Didn’t they know they were supposed to be residing in the country at this time of year?
Glancing around him as he stepped out of the carriage, he realised he had made a fatal error. The place was riddled with biddies who would have a field day when they saw him escorting Rose without the company of his grandmother.
He could bring the ices into the coach, but it was far too hot to be sitting inside a stuffy carriage. And besides, he didn’t want the seat cushions ruined just because of a lot of gossipy old besoms.
To hell with them. He had promised Lucy an ice and he wasn’t going back on his word.
With the skill born of long practice, along with the newly acquired ducal stare, he contrived a seat in a corner beside an open window where what breeze there was would help keep them cool until their ices arrived.
He made his ladies comfortable, seating himself between them and relaxed. Sitting here beside Rose seemed right somehow. With her at his side, he felt more settled inside himself than he had for months.
He smiled down at his niece, who was sitting with her hands folded in her lap as if ice cream would never melt in her mouth, let alone on her frock. ‘I know Lucy wants a raspberry ice, but what about you, Rose?’
Rose looked thoroughly uncomfortable. He turned in his seat. Blast it.
Everyone present was looking at them, some covertly, others openly interested. ‘Don’t worry about them,’ he said with an encouraging smile. ‘I can assure you, they are ogling me.’ Probably regurgitating the stories around the accident, if he knew them. He handed her the menu.
She gazed at it with what he could only describe as awe. ‘I have no idea what to choose.’
‘Have raspberry. It is the best,’ Lucy pronounced.
Rose lifted her gaze to meet his. ‘Is that your opinion also?’
‘I like them all.’ A wicked idea formed in his head. ‘Trust me?’
She nodded.
He hailed a passing waiter and turned aside so Rose could not hear while he placed his order.
