Page 9 of The Pleasure in Persuasion

Chuckling, he reached out to extricate the fine silk from Jasper’s mouth but was distracted by the sudden appearance of his sister’s butler, Higgins, who walked past him to speak with Penelope, his words too soft for Frederick to hear.

“Oh, yes, it’s Tuesday, isn’t it?” Penelope said. “I’d nearly forgotten. Please ask Miss Grayling to join us out here, Higgins, and take the children inside with you. Their playroom must be tidied up or there will be no dessert after dinner.”

The butler bowed amidst the children’s chorus of groans, but as Higgins headed back toward the house, Gretchen, Willie and Cathy dutifully followed.

“I hope you do not mind the interruption, Freddy,” Penelope said, standing beside the bench with her eye on the house. “Miss Grayling is my dearest friend, and she comes every Tuesday to take tea with me.”

“Of course I don’t mind,” he replied. “Shall I excuse myself early?”

“Only if you think there’s a chance you’ll misbehave.”

Frederick’s brows flicked up. “Why would I misbe-”

“Lily!” Penelope stepped toward the house, a warm smile on her lips. “How lovely to see you. Come, join us.”

Etiquette dictated Frederick must stand, but he did so slowly, cradling his nephew firmly in his arms.

He turned to meet this Miss Grayling, only to discover his sister’s dearest friend was none other than the prickly innkeeper he’d met yesterday on the road. She wore another simple gown today, this one a muted green, and again no bonnet, her thick ebony braid coiled atop her head.

“Thank you, Penelope,” she was saying to his sister, a small but genuine smile curving her pale pink lips as she and Penelope shared a brief embrace.

Miss Grayling—Lily, apparently—had not noticed him yet, and while he stood there, watching her and waiting, tingles of anticipation skittered up his spine.

“Lily,” Penelope said, “I would like to introduce you to my youngest brother, Mr. Frederick Darrington. Freddy, this is Miss Lily Grayling, my dearest friend in all the world.”

Miss Grayling’s gaze had met his halfway through the introductions and, save for an almost imperceptible stiffening of her spine, he might have believed she did not recognize him.

Her smile never slipped, and her expression revealed nothing. Frederick admired her self-containment. He himself had often been likened to an open book.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Darrington,” she murmured, dipping into a curtsy. “It is...lovely to meet you.”

Frederick bowed his head, carefully shifting Jasper from one arm to the other. “Miss Grayling. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“Again?” Penelope parroted, her gaze flicking back and forth between them. “Have you two met before?”

“Oh, yes,” Frederick said, smiling. “I met Miss Grayling and the lovely Blythe yesterday on the road. Of course, I had no idea then that she was your friend. She was simply a lady in distress, so, naturally, I stopped and offered my assistance.”

He was speaking to his sister but looking at Miss Grayling, who was the picture of serenity, though Frederick would wager everything he owned that she was trying not to roll her eyes.

“Distress?” Penelope’s brows were deeply furrowed. “What distress? Did something happen? Lily, were you hurt?”

“No, no, it was nothing like that,” Miss Grayling said calmly, holding her hands up. “Blythe had escaped the barn again and I was trying to bring her home, but she did not wish to go. You know how stubborn she can be. I was not, however, in distress.”

Frederick challenged her with one raised brow. “But you will admit you needed my assistance.”

A beat of silence passed, and then, begrudgingly: “I will admit to accepting your assistance.”

The qualification made him smile. “And how is the fair lady Blythe today?”

“She is very well, thank you.”

It was quite possibly the prickliest reply he had ever heard. His smile deepened. “I am very glad to hear that.”

“Right. Well.” Penelope clapped her hands together. “Now that the introductions have been made, will you please excuse us, Freddy? Miss Grayling and I have…business to discuss.”

“Business?” Frederick arched his brows. “Then perhaps I ought to stay, Pen, in case Miss Grayling needs my assistance. Again.”

Miss Grayling parted her lips to reply, but a flicker of consternation lit her eyes and then her mouth snapped shut, as if she dearly wished to say more but couldn’t because there were children present.