Page 122 of A Foolish Flirtation

“Doubtless you are, you mean,” she corrected him. “The ride to Marston and back must have put you quite out of temper.”

He huffed again. “It was not the ride that put me out of temper,” he retorted, then seemed to bite back his next words. He stood there for a moment, seemingly waging some inward war with himself. Emmie watched him closely. He was trying to avoid saying anything else contentious, she decided.

“Will you make me a promise, Ballentine?” he asked casually, though she could tell from his bearing that he was not remotely at his ease. “Will you promise me that we will have no more talk of Stockton for at least, oh, I don’t know, a calendar month, say?”

Emmie regarded him speechlessly. He spoke as though she was always raising the subject of her former fiancé! She had only mentioned him now because she had misunderstood his question. And in any case, had not Jeremy mentioned him first? Seeing her husband’s raised brow, she roused herself to answer his request. “Very gladly!” she responded tartly.

He slammed the door after him and Emmie was strongly tempted to cross the room and lock it after him!

28

The next morning dawned, wet and rainy. By the time Emmie awoke, Jeremy had already departed for the stables. She checked with Lottie. The addition of Teddy and Pinky at the breakfast table did nothing to enliven proceedings for both were red-eyed and restrained this morning, speaking mostly to one another in low voices.

After breakfast, Emmie heard a knock on her sitting room door and the pair of them walked in. Teddy presented Emmeline with a picture he had drawn of Heracles and Iphicles with their snakes. No longer represented as infants, both bulged with muscle and wore brightly colored loincloths.

“Thank you, Teddy,” she said, admiring the drawing. “They look a very able pair of heroes.”

“Yes,” he agreed, leaning over her chair. “This one is Iphicles. As you can see, his muscles are slightly smaller than his brother’s, but to make up for it I have given him the bigger of the two snakes.”

“Yes, and you have given Heracles a small beard I see.”

Teddy nodded and looked pleased she had caught his attention to detail. Pinky cleared her throat, giving her charge a significant look. “May I drive Miss Pinson back to Plumtree Cottage this afternoon, Mama?” Teddy asked tentatively.

“No, Teddy,” Emmie responded quietly. “I am afraid not.” Both looked instantly crestfallen. “Pinky will give you your lesson this morning and then one of the grooms will drive her back after lunch. Now you run along to the nursery. I want to have a quick word with Miss Pinson before she joins you there.”

Teddy looked disappointed but resigned as he heaved a heavy sigh and walked out of the room, casting a reproachful look back over his shoulder as he went.

Emmie motioned for Pinky to be seated. “How are you feeling this morning, Hannah?”

“Oh, absolutely recovered!” her friend assured her. “Thank you for letting the dear child see me last night, his lordship explained it was at your insistence.”

“You are more than welcome, and I am very glad to hear you are feeling better.”

“Yes.” Hannah twisted her hands. “I only hope that Teddy’s punishment will not be too severe. We all know he is a delicate child and—”

“Hannah, I must interrupt you there. I believe we must trust my husband’s judgment when it comes to reprimanding Teddy for his misbehavior. After all, he knows him best and it seems this is not the first time his high spirits have led him astray. Although he has been ill, I think he must be practically recovered by now if recent events are to be taken into consideration.”

Pinky pressed her lips together and Emmie continued calmly, “You cannot have forgotten that awful family in Yorkshire, where the children were so indulged and spoiled that you could do nothing with them. We would not want Teddy to end up like that, now, would we?”

Pinky sat wide-eyed for a moment, words clearly struggling to burst from her lips. Finally, she bowed her head. “Yes, perhaps you are right,” she said in a choked voice. “It is just that, well, he has grown very dear to me.”

“I know.” Emmie smiled. “And I am glad for it. But we must not allow our partiality to blind us to the fact he needs firm guidance. You told me yourself that you believe Jeremy to be a good and fond father.”

“Oh yes, I do,” Pinky agreed at once.

“Well, then.”

Her friend sighed. “He was very kind to set my mind at rest. I hope I did not offend him.”

“You did not offend him in any way,” Emmie assured her. “Colfax, however, is a different matter.” Pinky turned rather pink. “I will not say any more on the subject for I know this new friendship is not one you yourself have raised with me.”

Pinky looked alarmed. “Oh! Well…it is so lately sprung up and you have been so busy,” she prevaricated.

“We both have,” Emmie agreed.

Pinky’s eyes met hers. “Do you think I have offended Colfax, then?”

“I think you have hurt his feelings, yes.”