Page 37 of To Heal a Broken Earl
Wright glanced at Michael with an arched brow, and Michael nodded for him to make the introductions.
After that was done, Emma and Katie sat on armchairs that had been placed in front of the window next to Burns, who sat with his back to the window, facing his easel. A small table had been placed next to the easel, holding the box of drawing tools.
Emma had been polite but cool toward Michael. Of course, he deserved it, given that he’d behaved like an ass. But what caused his heart to hurt was seeing her eyes slightly red and swollen. She’d been crying, and it was his fault. He wanted to do something, but this wasn’t the time.
Aunt Chippie was perched on an armchair that she insisted be placed next to the artist. Despite Wright’s attempts to encourage her to sit on the settee, she had insisted on seating herself beside Burns. “I might be able to offer some guidance, you see,” she said.
Burns did not seem to mind and appeared intently focused on his work. Michael suppressed a smile as he realized the artist probably had a great deal of patience for Aunt Chippie, given that she was his greatest patron and had no doubt helped him gain many new clients.
“My lord, Lord and Lady Armstrong and Lady Beadle have arrived,” Stanhope said as he entered, and then stepped aside to admit the trio.
Aunt Chippie gasped as she turned to the new arrivals.
“Fancy seeing you here, Chippie. I thought you couldn’t bear to leave your beloved Brighton?” Lady Beadle said.
“Millie, I see you haven’t lost your penchant for insults. I am here to offer my assistance.”
Michael and Wright quickly stepped into the fray, greeting their friends warmly and explaining the situation.
Lady Beadle and Celia hugged Emma and Katie warmly.
“I’m so happy to see you both,” Lady Beadle said. “How are you faring?”
“Very well,” Emma said, smiling down at Katie.
Katie hugged her doll close to her chest and gave a shy smile.
“I am glad we arrived when we did,” Lady Beadle said.
Armstrong pulled Michael and Wright aside to his study for a private chat, away from Emma and Katie. “The fire at Lady Beadle’s seems to have been deliberately started,” he explained. “I saw a few people hanging around, but they were probably just curious. Most of the crowd jumped in to help quickly. There’s a chancehewas involved, but it doesn’t match his usual arson style. The fire was quite small, and I think if he did start it, he was after something. Since it was set in the carriage house and was quickly extinguished.”
“I’d like to delay telling Emma until later, and certainly not in front of Katie,” Michael said.
“I agree,” Armstrong said. “I’ve already asked Celia and Lady Beadle not to speak of it here, especially not with Katie around.”
Once they had agreed, the three men returned to join the ladies.
Aunt Chippie and Lady Beadle were both staring daggers at each other.
“I heard that the widow, Lady Chapin, is marrying Lord Bucknell. He was best friends with Arthur, was he not?” Aunt Chippie asked.
“I would hardly say they were friends,” Lady Beadle said with a huff. “Mydearest Author was a man of great intellect and was hardly friends with Lord Bucknell, who spends most of his days gambling, when he’s not chasing wealthy widows. I heard he’d gone to Brighton for several weeks to pay you court, dear Chippie.” Lady Beadle flippantly pointed her cane at Chippie.
“That is a lie. I would never allow myself to be courted by the likes of Lord Bucknell. Now, Arthur, on the other hand, was a true gentleman and courted me for several months before you lured him away.”
Lady Beadle gasped at the insult. “Lured him away? I beg your pardon. My dear Arthur had eyes for me and only me ever since my debut in Society. And you should remember that, since it was the Everly ball that was your debut as well.”
“Ha! So, you say,” Aunt Chippie snapped back. “But I recall something entirely different, a bouquet of flowers that Arthur brought me the next day.”
“You created a fantasy in your mind, dear Chippie. Firstly, I asked Arthur to give you flowers so that you wouldn’t be hurt by all the bouquets that I received from my admirers.”
“Oh, that is low, even for you, Millie,” Aunt Chippie countered.
“And secondly, he brought you flowers…once,” Lady Beadle continued. “Your house was on the way to my house. It was the day after our debut. That was all. He was merely dropping off the flowers on his way to my house. He told me. Besides, they were pink snapdragons.”
Aunt Chippie’s eyes widened. “He told you that he brought me snapdragons?”
“Of course… And youdoknow what snapdragons stand for, don’t you?” At Chippie’s silent frown, Lady Beadle continued. “They stand for deviousness. Even my dear Arthur had you pegged,” she concluded in a tone that brooked no forbearance.
