Page 24 of Notorious

“I only did it for your own comfort.” He was sounding a little sulky.

“Yes, of course, Theo. It will be fine.”

“And it is only for a week—you will see them all at the next meeting.” He hesitated and then asked, “Unless—surely you’re not leaving London because of this?”

Drusilla realized they were still standing on the sidewalk. She turned to Fletcher, whose disapproval rolled off her in almost visible waves. “Come back for me in half an hour, Fletcher.”

Her maid did not move. “But—” Her eyes slid to Theo, the message clear: there was no meeting; why was she staying?

“Half an hour,” Drusilla repeated.

She waited until Fletcher stomped away before turning to Theo and shaking her head. “You know how protective she is.”

“And with good reason,” Theo said, opening the door to the quaint tea shop where they usually met with the other members. The group focused on helping powerless people who could not help themselves. To that end, they’d endowed four women’s homes in London and an orphanage in Brighton, among other things.

From the very first, Drusilla had felt a kinship with Theo. He was a man whose dedication to the plight of women—especially poor women—was as fervid as her own. The fact that a man from the aristocracy could care for something other than drinking, gaming, and horses had been a revelation. In the half year he’d belonged to the group, he had facilitated the establishment of three new women’s homes, all in other large English cities. It had been Drusilla’s hope to visit these new endeavors this fall, which was when Theo said they would be operating and ready for inspection. And now what would happen to all their fine plans?

Oh, Gabriel had said she could go on the same as ever, but she suspected he would draw the line at her traveling the country to inspect poor houses—especially in another man’s company.

“Hello, Miss Clare, Mr. Rowland. I’ve held your regular table.”

Drusilla smiled at the woman who hurried out from behind the pastry counter and led them to the table in front of the bow window where they usually sat. It was just past one o’clock and the small tea shop was bustling.

“I’m afraid it will only be we two, today, Mrs. Tilly.”

“It is a pleasure to have you,” the older woman said. Drusilla would order some sweets to be delivered to make up for the shortfall they created by taking the best table for only two people. It was unfortunate it was in front of the bow window, but it was not as if she were doing anything wrong by meeting an acquaintance—even a male acquaintance.

They ordered tea and pastries and chatted about the weather until the tea had arrived and been poured, and biscuits distributed.

Theo, ever sensitive to her moods, laid a hand over hers. “It was my brother who told me what happened at the Abingdon ball; he was there.”

“Ah,” Drusilla said. Theo was so different from most other aristocratic men she’d met that she always forgot about his connections.

Theo scowled. “Visel is a cad and has always been an embarrassment to our family.”

“Your family?”

Theo’s cheeks reddened slightly. “He is my cousin—on my mother’s side.”

“Oh. I had no idea.” How uncomfortable. She looked at her friend and wondered what he’d heard. “What—”

He squeezed her hand. “Don’t let what he said concern you. You are my dearest friend, Drusilla, and far more important to me than my idiot cousin, whom I’ve not spoken to in years. He’s been away on the Continent for a good part of that time, and since his return he’s been something of a—well, never mind. You should relax and have some tea. You are as wound up as a top.” He made a tsking sound. “I can’t say I’m terribly surprised after what I heard—”

The last thing Drusilla wanted was to hear just how the brief encounter had swelled into something shocking or more grotesque.

“I am to be married,” she blurted.

“What?” His hand clenched hard enough to make her bones hurt.

She sucked in a breath, and he glanced down, loosening his grip. “Lord, what a brute you must think me.”

“Of course, I don’t. You are merely shocked, and, I daresay, more than a little disappointed that I am to abandon our principles and enter a marriage after resisting for so long.”

“I can’t believe the duke would allow it,” he muttered.

Drusilla’s face heated at his response; she wouldn’t have expected snobbery from a man she considered a friend. “His grandfather can hardly expect to dictate whom he marries,” she snapped.

The strange expression on his face flickered and his eyes seemed to come back into focus. “Oh, Dru! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I just meant the duke is known to be terribly high in the instep.”