‘Lord Staunton? Yes, very much.’
‘Good. Although he has another name, I presume?’
‘Samuel, although I never dare to call him that no matter how many times he tells me to. I’ll always think of him as Captain Delaney.’
‘Captain?’ He stopped walking abruptly.
‘Yes. He was Captain of the Colossus at Trafalgar.’
Mr Fortini adjusted the brim of his top hat, let out a low whistle and leaned against a wall looking out over the River Avon. ‘That was involved in some of the worst fighting. I like him better already, but how did a sea captain-cum-earl become acquainted with my sister in the first place?’
‘He came to the shop. You could see that he liked her straight away, but she wasn’t so sure.’
‘Why not?’
‘Well...’ She hesitated, her stomach churning in the way it always did when she thought of that day. Life-changing as it had been for Anna, it had been well-nigh disastrous for her. ‘She thought that he was a rake.’
‘Was he?’ His expression sharpened at once.
‘No, but she thought so because of his companion, Mr Hoxley. As it turned out, she was right about him.’
‘I see.’ Mr Fortini held on to her gaze for a few seconds. ‘You know, you provoke a lot of questions, Miss Gardiner.’
‘Do I?’ She laughed nervously. ‘I don’t think I’m that interesting.’
‘On the contrary, I think you might be very interesting.’
‘No.’ She swallowed convulsively. There was a softness to his voice suddenly, an almost liquid quality that made her stomach twist and tighten even as it set alarm bells ringing in her head. ‘You’re mistaken. I’m really not.’
‘Which is a polite way of telling me to mind my own business, I suppose.’ He leaned slightly towards her. ‘Forgive me. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the company of a young lady.’
‘A lady?’ She shook her head at the description. ‘I’m hardly one of those either.’
‘And now you sound just like Anna. I’ve always thought that most people fundamentally misunderstand the word. Personally, I take it to mean honest, kind and thoughtful, all of which qualities you’ve already demonstrated. No, Miss Gardiner, I have to disagree. You seem quintessentially ladylike to me.’
Henrietta was aware of a strange duality of feeling, as if one side of her body were burning hot and the other icy cold. His words were unexpectedly touching, but she didn’t want to be touched, either metaphorically or literally, and she didn’t know whether to trust such a compliment either. He sounded sincere, but rakes always sounded sincere. Just because he was Anna’s brother didn’t mean that he wasn’t just the same as Mr Hoxley underneath! Or Mr Willerby for that matter... Or any of the other men who came to the shop trying to flirt with her!
‘Shall we go up to the Crescent?’ He turned his head in that direction, smiling again. ‘I’d like to be seen by as many people as possible. It’s not every day I have such a beautiful young lady on my arm.’
Beautiful? Henrietta took a step backwards, bumping into a pedestrian walking behind her as she tore her hand away from his arm. That did it! If there was one thing she’d made sure of that morning, it was that she did not look beautiful!
‘Mr Fortini.’ She apologised to the pedestrian before wrapping her shawl tightly around her shoulders like a suit of armour. ‘I agreed to come for a walk because I thought you simply wanted a companion.’
‘I do.’ He looked faintly bemused by her indignant tone.
‘Then I’d like to get one thing clear. No matter what impression I might have given during the night, I am not that kind of woman.’
‘What kind of—?’
‘I do not have loose morals!’
‘The thought never entered my mind.’ His bemusement faded instantly. ‘Miss Gardiner, if I’ve offended you then I’m truly sorry. It was unintentional, I assure you.’
‘You haven’t offended me.’ She blinked a few times to hide the lie in her eyes. ‘But just to be clear, I invited you to stay last night as a favour to Anna, nothing more. I may be an independent woman, but I do not care to be flirted with and I’d appreciate your putting any thoughts of that nature aside.’
‘Consider it done.’ He sounded sombre, though with a hint of confusion, almost enough to make her believe that
he meant it.