Robert swallowed hard. This had not been his intention. He had never once thought to come to the park in order to show any specific interest in a young lady and yet now, that was precisely what he found himself doing. When Miss Hemmingway bounded back towards him, Robert knew his fate was sealed.
“She is quite contented, Lord Franks, although we are to stay within her view at all times,” Miss Hemmingway instructed, a slightly wry look about her, as if she had very little intention of doing precisely as her mother had asked her. “I do hope that is quite all right?”
“But of course.” He offered her his arm and felt an inexplicable heat climb up it as she took hold, looking away for a moment so that she would not see the heat in his face. There was no reason for him to have such strange feelings and so he thrust them aside just as quickly as he could, clearing his throat rather gruffly as he did so.
“And have you enjoyed the Season thus far?”
It was a very poor question but he could think of nothing other to say, but thankfully Miss Hemmingway answered him without hesitation.
“I am less than a week in London, Lord Franks,” she explained, “but I am quite sure that this Season, I shall find myself a good deal more free than I have before.”
“Free?” He did not quite understand her sentiment but, much to his surprise, she only laughed.
“It must be very difficult for a gentleman to understand,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “For you have as much freedom as you desire! I have spent the last two Seasons being told what I must wear, how I must behave and what I must not speak of.” A flicker of irritation stole the light from her eyes for a moment. “But this Season, I am to find myself at my leisure.” A contented sigh escaped her lips and Robert felt himself a little more intrigued by the lady.
“And what does that freedom permit you to do?” he asked, unable to help himself from pursuing it further.
Miss Hemmingway’s eyes darted to his for a moment and a tinge of color came into her pale cheeks. “I am allowed to choose my own gowns, for example,” she said, as he looked away, not quite sure what he ought to say to such a remark. “My mother would have me glad in white and cream but given that I am such a ghost already, such colors only fade me away all the more.”
Robert opened his mouth to say something in response to this, wanting to state that she was not at all as pale as she feared, only to realize that to say such a thing would be an untruth - and Miss Hemmingway struck him as a young lady who was not at all ashamed of such things. He felt as though she would prefer him to speak honestly than to tie things up in pretty but false compliments.
“And I am to be able to speak of what I wish, although I must be careful,” she added, when he said nothing in response to her first remark. “You need not look so afraid, Lord Franks, for I am not someone inclined towards chewing over gossip and the like.”
“No?” This was, he supposed, a little surprising, given that Miss Hemmingway was a young lady of quality who, from what he understood, ought to be more than eager to grasp a hold of any piece of gossip or rumor that she could.
“No, indeed not,” she said, stoutly. “I am much more interested in matters of significance.”
Robert did not know what to say. Part of him was very eager indeed to discover just what this young lady wanted to speak of, wanted to know what it was that interested her, but another part of him was eager to remain silent so that this flicker of interest within his heart would soon fade away.
“Do you not wish to know what it is that I like to speak of, Lord Franks?”
He closed his eyes momentarily, feeling his heart nudge him towards her again. He did not want any of this. To feel any sort of interest towards her was a mistake, and not one that he wanted to continue. He had enough to do with the League and certainly did not need to become distracted.
But then again, said a small voice within him, you are not making any progress with your other situation. Why not converse with the lady for a time?
Clearing his throat and catching her a little off-guard given how her eyes rounded, Robert managed a small smile. “I should like to know, of course.”
This seemed to be the correct answer, for Miss Hemmingway beamed at him, her eyes sparkling with evident contentment. “You are very kind to indulge me so, Lord Franks,” she told him. “You may find me very strange indeed, but I do so very much like to discuss matters of importance, such as the recent Act of Parliament to install Prince George as Regent.” She darted a quick look at him, perhaps wondering what he made of such a remark. “Or indeed, the recent discoveries made by the Anning family.”
“The Anning family?” he repeated, his brows knotting together. “I confess, I do not know whom you speak of.”
Her face lit up. “Then I shall inform you of them!” she exclaimed, continuing to speak of the Anning family and their work in pulling wonderful and intriguing things out of the ground. Fossils and other curiosities were being reported, with the family setting up a curiosity shop for those interested in seeing and buying their wares. To his shame, Robert had never heard of them although he was interested indeed in how Miss Hemmingway was so caught up with it all. This was not at all what he had expected to come out of her mouth when he had first asked her to speak of what she wished but now that she was so clearly engaged in her story, so caught up in the explanation of it, he found himself quite fascinated.
Perhaps a little too fascinated, he realized, given that they had gone much too far through the park and were now quite out of sight of Lady Hamilton. Turning around quickly, he made to make his way back towards Miss Hemmingway’s mother, only for another gentleman to step into their path.
“Lord Franks!”
Robert felt a rush of awareness climb up his spine as he saw the look in Lord Hamilton’s eyes as he took in his sister’s hand around Robert’s arm. He knew Lord Hamilton vaguely, of course, having been introduced some years ago.
“Good afternoon, Lord Hamilton,” Robert said quickly, wanting to explain himself as best he could. “I was just returning your sister to her mother.”
Lord Hamilton chuckled. “But of course,” he said, as Miss Hemmingway’s smile darkened to a frown. “It has been some time since I have seen you in London, Lord Franks.”
“I was here last Season,” Robert answered, with a small shrug. “Were you not present also?” He watched Lord Hamilton carefully, seeing the slight twist in the man’s expression.
“My wife did not desire to come to London,” Lord Hamilton replied, referring to Lady Hamilton who, whilst of good breeding and from an excellent family had always seemed to be notable by her absence amongst society. Lord Hamilton had married her almost two years ago but as yet she had not returned to London, from what Robert knew. “She did not desire to come to London this Season either, but I thought to accompany my sister and my mother this Season, of course.”
“Of course,” Robert answered, seeing how Miss Hemmingway’s frown had not lifted. “That is quite understandable.”