Chapter Nine
“What on earth was that all about?”
The question came flying from Bridget’s mouth the moment the three women were alone in Eleanor’s bedroom.
Eleanor rolled her eyes with a sigh. She’d known it was coming.
Her cousins had been sending her probing, curious glances throughout their remaining stroll through Hyde Park and the entire drive back to the house.
Forced to ignore them completely lest she inspire more speculation from her brother, who’d also been watching her carefully, Eleanor was prepared for a barrage of questions now that they were alone.
“It was no—”
“Don’t you dare try to say it was nothing,” Lydia interrupted firmly, crossing her arms over her chest. “We saw it! Something is going on between you and the viscount and we’re not budging from this room until you tell us everything.”
Bridget and Lydia both dropped onto Eleanor’s bed to stare back at her with stern expressions.
She knew she’d tell them. The three of them had never kept secrets. At least, not about something like this. But she felt some responsibility to ensure they didn’t get the wrong idea about Waring’s interest in her. This was not a courtship situation.
Despite his parting words, his goal had been clearly revealed. His interest was in the necklace. Not her.
“Nothing is going on between us,” Eleanor finally replied, her tone flat.
“Lie,” Lydia declared. “Today was not the first private conversation you two have engaged in.”
Bridget added, “Something is clearly afoot.”
Eleanor lifted her brows. “Afoot? Really?”
Bridget widened her eyes to stare with stubborn intensity. “Yes. Really. Confess or we shall resort to drastic measures.”
Eleanor glanced to Lydia who had quirked a brow in support of Bridget words.
Then she sighed, completely emptying her lungs before taking a deep, fortifying breath.
Walking to her window where she looked out at the street below simply so she could avoid looking at the two people who knew her best in the world, Eleanor shrugged.
“Truly, there is nothing between myself and Lord Waring. He is like the others, enamored with my face and fortune. He’s just denser than most and took a bit longer to realize how fragile his infatuation truly is.
And speaking of enamored,” she said with a lift in her voice, “did either of you notice how long Ralston stood speaking with Miss Dickson? Very interesting, don’t you think? ”
“Nice try,” Lydia retorted.
“Your brother’s affairs are not nearly as interesting as yours at the moment,” Bridget countered firmly. “It’s clear that the viscount’s interest is far more than an infatuation.”
Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Extremely incorrect.”
“Then what is correct? The truth, if you please,” Lydia insisted.
Accepting that she could delay no longer, Eleanor waved a dismissive gesture. “The man acquired an artifact of sorts from India. He was simply asking if I knew anything about it. That’s all.”
When there was no reply to her explanation, Eleanor cast a glance over her shoulder.
Lydia and Bridget stared back at her with dubious expressions.
“Poppycock,” Bridget finally blurted. Rising to her feet, she crossed to Eleanor. “I saw the look in that man’s eyes when he spotted you approaching in the park. It was… it was…” she paused and widened her eyes to finish in a reverent whisper. “It was hungry.”
Heat flew through Eleanor’s body. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“She’s not,” Lydia chimed in. “Waring is clearly in lust with you.”
Despite the tingle of alarm that danced through her, Eleanor snorted. “As I said—baseless infatuation, which experience has proven does not last much beyond the first conversation.”
“And how many conversations have you had with the man?” Lydia questioned in a leading tone.
“Exactly,” Bridget added, excitement sparkling in her eyes before she flashed a grin. “I think you should enjoy it. The viscount is undeniably handsome and quite charming. Engaging in a little harmless flirtation could do you some serious good.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Eleanor asked, unsure if she should be offended.
Lydia scoffed and rolled her eyes. “It all depends on what the man is after.” Her tone was serious as she continued. “Be careful you are not seduced by that reckless charm and intense stare.”
“Seduced?” Eleanor laughed off the trembling in her belly. “Now, you’re both being ridiculous.”
“Are we?” Bridget countered. “As I said, there is something undeniably covetous in his eyes when he looks at you.”
“I assure you, all he wants from me is information on this item he obtained. I’ve made it clear that I cannot help him.”
The other young women shared another glance.
“This item must be rather interesting,” Bridget led.
Eleanor wasn’t exactly sure why she felt a need to minimize the issue. “Waring certainly thinks so. But I’ve just made it very clear to the man that there is nothing to be gained through me. Now that he knows that, I’m quite confident that we won’t be seeing much of him anymore.”
“We shall see,” Bridget muttered noncommittally.
“Speaking of covetous glances,” Lydia interjected, giving Bridget an arched look. “What of your interest in Lord Petworth?”
“Petworth?” Bridget asked, confusion tugging at her features.
“The handsome dark-haired fellow with the empty-headed smile.”
After another moment of thought, Bridget rolled her eyes with a short laugh. “He was rather sweet, wasn’t he. An excellent flirt, to be sure. But I wouldn’t say he’s quite worth coveting,” she added with a wiggle of her brows.
Lydia snorted her amusement. “They so rarely are,” she noted drily with far more disillusion than one should have at such a young age.
And for some reason, the comment struck Eleanor as delightfully funny. She barely held back a burst of laughter. But then she made the mistake of glancing at Bridget who had her bottom lip caught in her teeth. Once their gazes met, it was all over.
Laughter bubbled free in a torrent. Bridget doubled over clutching her belly, eyes watering.
Eleanor fared no better as she lost her breath in a hysterical release of tension.
Lydia rolled her eyes at their sudden humor, but once Bridget started mimicking her words with an affected tone and expression of deep ennui, even the serious girl couldn’t keep from falling back on the bed in laughter.
It was several long minutes before they each managed to catch their breath. By then, they were all sprawled on their backs across Eleanor’s bed. As the hiccoughing gasps faded and sighs replaced the giggles, Bridget murmured gently, “You know it’s alright should you covet the man in return.”
There was a long pause as Eleanor considered the way she felt when Waring looked at her. The trembling and the tingling fire through her veins. Her hyperawareness of his physical presence and the way her body would become so overwhelmed with sensation whenever he was near.
“I don’t,” she finally muttered in denial.
A moment of pregnant silence passed before Lydia issued a short snort of disbelief. The extremely unladylike sound triggered another round of helpless laughter.