Page 35 of When the Viscount Seduces
“I will take you. The invitation is mine, and I may bring a guest.”
Her features fell. “Surely I can’t just go with you.”
He laughed softy. “Of course not. You must wear a disguise. I thought you could be my great-aunt. She lives outside Bath and could be ‘visiting’ me. She adores literary discussion, you see, but doesn’t like to go out much because her face is quite marked by having the pox as a child.”
“Is that true?” Miss Price asked incredulously.
“God, no. Except the part about not going out much. But that is because, generally speaking, she doesn’t like people.”
“Oh.” She giggled. “So no one will suspect I’m not her?”
“No one who will be there even knows she exists. You will need a thick veil. Can you manage that?”
She nodded. “And gloves, of course. I’ll be sure to wear a gown that comes to my neck.”
“Very smart. Can’t have any of your youthful, glowing skin showing.” Why had he described that? That hadn’t been at all necessary. It really was taking effort not to allow his mind to travel a wayward path with her.
Her lips twisted into a slight pout. “But how do I leave my house? It’s true my parents will be at a dinner party, but the servants will know I’ve left.”
“Can you say you’re going somewhere with Tamsin as your chaperone?” Having a friend who was married was deuced convenient—for young ladies. Men such as Lazarus could go anywhere at any time with anyone. One’s choices on those details might cause gossip, but to simply leave the house and go for a walk was not scrutinized. It wasn’t really fair.
“I can do that,” Miss Price said with a nod. “I’ll say we’re going to a musicale. I suppose I should check with Tamsin to make sure she isn’t going to show up at the same dinner as my parents.” She laughed. “Though, that seems highly unlikely.”
“Excellent. I’ll pick you up then.”
Gwen sucked in a breath, but her eyes were glowing with anticipation. “I feel so scandalous,” she whispered.
“All so you can simply enjoy a night of literary discussion. I’m sorry we must take such extreme measures. If you enjoy yourself, perhaps in future, Tamsin could actually accompany you.” Lazarus would ask Jo to coordinate that invitation as she’d done this one.
“I’ve no doubt this will be the most exciting event I’ve attended all Season.” Her giddiness was palpable. “But will you enjoy it too?”
He would, if only because he was watching her. “I will. I may not have read as much as you, but I hope to change that. It isn’t that I don’t like literature.”
Her features creased, and she moved closer to him. “I know. That was terrible of me to ask. We should probably get to our reading lesson. I was already so late, and now we’ve spent a great deal of time talking.”
Lazarus could have spent the entire time they had together talking. But he had an objective, and there was no knowing how long they’d be able to continue meeting like this.
“One last thing,” he said. “You’ll need to make sure you sound older when you speak tonight.”
“Perhaps I should just be quiet.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that would be satisfying for you.” He laughed. “You finally attend a literary salon, and you’re just going to sit silently?”
She laughed as she moved toward the table. “You have come to know me quite well.”
Yes, he had, and he would be sorry when he didn’t know her any longer. Because at some point, their association would end entirely. It had already been halved. Or would be anyway.
Lazarus would treasure what time they had left together, for he’d come to regard her as a singular person. Though they’d only had two lessons so far, she’d had a great impact on his life, and he would be eternally grateful.
CHAPTER 8
Gwen was glad to see there was a footman at the door instead of Lake, but she’d expected that at this hour of the evening. Her parents had left an hour ago, and they wouldn’t return until well after midnight. Perhaps as late as two.
Anticipation thrummed in her veins as she walked into the entrance hall at the appointed time of departure. Somerton had said he wouldn’t send his groom to the door, that she must be ready to come outside.
Thinking she heard the approach of a vehicle, she went to the door. The footman opened it, and indeed, a coach had just stopped in front of the house.
Waving toward the footman, Gwen departed and hurried to the coach. The groom opened the door for her, and Gwen climbed inside.
