She really needed to stop this nonsense. If there was any woman in all of London who would be the least appropriate bride for the Earl of Huntington, it was her. Over the years, she’d learned what Hunt wanted in a wife, and one of the simpering young ladies sitting across from them was perfect.
Then why was he dodging them? And asking her to ‘protect’ him from Lady Eunice’s wiles? Were they not prime examples of a ‘perfect’ Lady Huntington?
She snuck a side glance at Hunt who still stared out the window. Mr. Connors had the girls involved in a conversation about the various events of the Season so far and what was to come.
Diana was more interested in Hunt. Did he truly want a wife who was so placid and mellow? As well as she knew the man, she didn’t believe he would be happy with that sort of a wife. But wherever her thoughts led her, one thing was certain. He would never want her. And, in some ways, that hurt.
Once they arrived at the town center, Mr. Connors held both elbows out to the ladies, and off they went. Neither one of the girls looked happy.
“That was easy,” Diana said as she took Hunt’s arm.
“For as annoyed as I was when Connors climbed into our carriage, I am now grateful to him.”
The bookstore was a mere few steps from where the carriages left the guests. Diana was already impressed before they opened the door. Despite it being a small town, the place was quite large and took up a goodly space on the square. The large window in the front held a display of books relevant to the season.
A soft tinkle from a bell at the top of the door announced their arrival. Several people browsed the shelves, and a young mother sat on a comfortable chair next to the wall with a small child on her lap, reading him a story.
“This is a lovely bookstore!” Diana said as she turned in a circle to view all the shelves of books.
“I’m glad you think so. Welcome to Brenner’s Book Store.” An older man, a bit stooped over with a scant number of strands of white hair on his head and thick spectacles perched on his nose approached them. Despite his age, he was cheerful, with rosy cheeks and bright, twinkling blue eyes. He was the sort of man one liked immediately.
“Good morning, my lord, my lady. I hope you find something interesting and enlightening here in my humble bookstore.”
“Oh, I’m sure we will. Are you Mr. Brenner?”
“Yes, indeed. Although I am not the original Mr. Brenner. That was my grandfather, and then my father.”
“Ah. Keeping the business in the family, I see,” Hunt said.
Mr. Brenner nodded. “Please take your time and browse to your heart’s content.”
Hunt went in the direction of the shelves that were marked as Land Management and Diana was almost—but not quite—embarrassed to make her way to the fiction bookshelves.
Mr. Brenner had a good selection of fiction, so Diana intended to be engaged for quite a while.
After about twenty minutes, her attention was taken up by two men on the other side of the shelf from where she stood. They were speaking in a low voice, and one of the voices sounded familiar.
Keeping an open book in her hand, she walked slowly to where Hunt was, taking a quick glance at the two men as she passed. One was very tall and broad and, even though she could not see his face, she was quite certain he was one of the footmen at the Grafton estate.
His large body blocked the man he was speaking with. She continued to where Hunt was just sliding a book back onto the shelf.
He turned to her and smiled. He must have seen something in her eyes because he frowned. “What?”
She leaned forward, and he dipped his head so he could hear her. “There are two men on the other side of the fiction bookshelves. I am quite certain one of them is a footman from Grafton’s. He’s blocking the other man so I can’t see him, but his voice sounds familiar.”
Hunt nodded to the three books she held in her arms. “Are you purchasing those?”
“Yes.”
He took her by the elbow and walked her to the front of the store. Mr. Brenner was at the front desk. “Well, it looks like you found something to your liking, my lady.”
“Yes. I did. I would like these three books. I am so looking forward to reading them.”
Mr. Brenner added up the cost, and Diana dug in her reticule and retrieved the coins to pay him.
He smiled at her as he handed her the change. “You have a wonderful day.”
Hunt and Diana thanked the man and left the store. “Now what?” she said.