Mistress of Scandal (Greentree Sisters 3)

il?”

“He was a good man.”

Martin pondered this a moment. “A man can be good without being lovable.”

Lil wished he’d stop. “Aren’t you meant to be following your gentleman.”

“Oh God,” Martin muttered, and tugged her arm, hurrying her along the side of the square. “Where is he? Can you see him?”

“I think…over there.”

“Thank the Lord for that!”

Lil, who kept her private feelings very much to herself, giggled at his emotional display.

Martin’s teeth flashed white. “You may well laugh, Miss Lil, but you don’t know what Mr. Thorne can be like. I’ve only just recovered from my last beating.”

Lil stopped, wide-eyed with shock. “He beats you! Martin, you must leave him at once.”

Martin put his hands on her shoulders. “It was a joke. Of course he doesn’t beat me. But he can look very fierce.”

Lil pulled away and strode off ahead of him. She was upset with him for teasing her and forcing her to show the sort of feeling she usually kept hidden.

“I’m flattered you care,” he called softly, loping after her to catch up.

“I’d care for any dumb creature who was mistreated,” she said primly.

“Oh there, that’s put me in me place.”

Lil glanced at him and couldn’t help but laugh at his mournful expression. He grinned back, and suddenly Lil had the most peculiar sensation, as if she was falling.

“Lil?” Martin was holding on to her arm, steadying her, and this time his concern was genuine.

“I…I came over all dizzy,” she said. “Sorry. I’m all right now.”

“Do you want me to take you home?”

Lil took a shaky breath. Strangely, she didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay here with him, but she couldn’t tell him that, so she forced herself to smile. “And get you another of Mr. Thorne’s beatings for not doing your job? Course not.”

Martin smiled back. “You’re an angel, Lil.”

Her heart skipped again. An angel? She was far from that, but she wasn’t about to tell him so. She hadn’t told Mr. Keith, her ballooning beau, and she hadn’t told Jacob, and she wasn’t going to tell Martin.

No matter how much she wanted to.

Francesca escaped from Helen and Amy, who were already plotting visits from the modiste and various others, and set off for Aphrodite’s Club. She had promised to visit Rosie, and although Lil said the child was well and happy, Francesca wanted to see for herself.

Dobson led her upstairs to a small sitting room, where Rosie was giggling as she played with the puppy. She ran to take Francesca’s hand, pulling her across to meet the fat, roly-poly creature.

“I’ve called him Jem,” she announced, with a glance at Dobson and another giggle.

“She tells me he looks like me,” Dobson explained, with a smile.

Francesca glanced from the puppy to the man and shook her head. “I can’t see it.”

“It’s his nose, see?” Rosie placed her fingertip gently on the puppy’s pink nose. “They’re both crooked.”

“You will visit your mother?” Dobson said, when they had duly admired the puppy and Rosie’s new dress, and left her to be spoiled by Henri, the cook, who was making a cake especially in her honor.