Page 42 of Suddenly a (The St. Clairs 5)

A shiver went through her. His voice was husky and low. The heat he radiated was immense and, suddenly, she thought she might burst into flames.

“Would two o’clock be convenient?”

“Yes. Come by my workshop then,” she replied, her voice unsteady.

They reached their destination and Mia saw her aunt’s carriage had just pulled up. She hoped Aunt Fanny’s teatime had been as pleasant as the one she’d experienced.

Mr. St. Clair leaped from the curricle and then held out his hands to her. They captured her waist and he brought her to the ground. She saw Aunt Fanny standing on the sidewalk, a wintry look in her eyes.

“Let me return you to your aunt.”

He escorted her to where Aunt Fanny was.

“How do you do, Lady Trentham? I am returning your niece from tea at my sister’s.”

Her aunt regarded him in stony silence. She sensed a change in him. His eyes became hooded.

“Please give Lord Trentham my best,” he said crisply. “I wish you ladies a good day.”

Mia watched him leave and then turned to her aunt.

“Not here,” Aunt Fanny hissed and walked away.

She followed, wondering what was wrong. Then she realized her mistake.

Her aunt took her into a small sitting room and closed the door. Mia decided to address the issue first.

“Please, Aunt Fanny, don’t blame Mr. St. Clair. I should have remembered the rule about being chaperoned while in a gentleman’s company.” Even if she thought it was silly for a grown woman to need one.

“Mr. St. Clair is not appropriate company,” her aunt snapped.

“What do you mean?”

Her aunt began to pace, which was totally out of character for her.

“I understand you must see him occasionally for business matters but I don’t want you seeing him outside those circumstances. He is not accepted by Polite Society.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Mia protested. “Every gentleman at yesterday’s meeting treated him with respect. Ask Uncle Trentham. He’ll tell you. And when we stayed for tea, his family couldn’t have been lovelier to him.”

Aunt Fanny stopped and took Mia’s shoulders. “He is illegitimate, Mia. The bastard son of a duke. While it’s kind of his family to ignore that fact, the rest of society doesn’t. Being seen in his company will only taint your reputation to a point beyond repair.”

“That makes no sense. You were delighted when I told you about meeting his twin sister, the Duchess of Linfield.”

“That’s different,” her aunt snapped. “Even though she is a by-blow, she had the sense to wed a duke. A duke—and even his duchess—can be forgiven anything by theton.”

“That’s outrageous. Her Grace is perfect company for me but her brother isn’t?”

“Her bastard brother isn’t. I’m telling you now, Mia, you are not to see him again outside of the scope of this agreement you’ve signed. It would ruin all your chances at making a good match.”

Mia saw arguing with her aunt would do no good and left the room without another word.

She was an adult of twenty-five years. No one could tell her whom to keep company with, not even Aunt Fanny. If Mia wanted to see Mr. St. Clair in any capacity, she bloody well would. She neither wanted nor needed society’s approval. She would live her life the way she chose.

Consequences be damned.

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